If you’re at the right age and you happen to stumble on one of the cute baby videos while casually scrolling through various social media platforms, let me tell you that it is pretty normal to have or develop a baby fever.
Baby fever is the term used to describe people’s desire to have a child (or grandchild). Everyone is welcome to have a baby fever as we get it. Babies are truly adorable. However, acting on wanting a baby for the sole reason they are adorable isn’t precisely as productive as people think it is, nor is it genuinely acceptable.
Once again, there are far more things you have to consider in wanting to start a family and yearning to have a child.
With that being said, the question begs: what is effective family planning? How exactly does it work, and what are the two natural ways categorized under such an agenda?
This article will discuss family planning like family avoidance or family-building considerations.
Family Planning By the Means of Family Avoidance
Family planning does not necessarily equate to family building. Sometimes, family planning is laying out a blueprint to avoid creating one!
This is done through the following ways: abstinence or contraceptives. They are both natural ways of preventing pregnancies; however, the other is mainly accompanied by medicine and technology.
Let’s delve more into their definitions and differences!
Abstinence
Abstinence denotes that the best way not to acquire it is not to do the thing that causes it. An analogy could be: if you do not want diabetes, do not eat sweets! It’s a simple 1 + 1 = 2 situation for most people, though it does take profound devotion to be pulled flawlessly through.
Simply put, abstinence is the absence of sexual activity. Abstinence refers to the decision not to engage in any sexual interaction, including anal, oral, and vaginal sex. By preventing the chance for semen to reach the vagina, abstinence prevents conception.
Contraceptives
On the other hand, contraception refers to another technique for avoiding pregnancy. Contraceptives are the materials, medication, or technologies used to do it. Although birth control has been used since antiquity, reliable birth control technology just recently came into being. It prevents conception in 99% of cases when done in line with each type.
These contraceptives come in a number of forms, including pharmaceuticals and technology gadgets, which also have an impact on how they work. Some of them contain hormones that can treat endometriosis, regulate menstruation, lower the risk of ovarian and uterine cancer, and reduce acne. On the other side, some deal with changes to the reproductive system or individuals who have specialized internal body modifications in an effort to avoid conception or impregnation.
Here are some examples of contraceptives you may choose from!
- Caps
- Combined Pill
- Condoms
- Implant
- Patch
- Injection
- Sterilization
- Vasectomy
You can click here to view their details and mechanics.
Family Planning By the Means of Family Building
In terms of situations wherein you do want to build a family, family planning by means of family-building considerations must concur.
Family-building considerations are the emotional, physical, psychological, and spiritual aspects that you should look into in determining the factors upon asking: are you truly ready to start a new family? Once you are sure you are, how do you plan to nurture it? How many kids do you want? On what number will you stop? Where and how do you plan to settle? All these questions belong to the category of family.
As obvious as it gets, couples who do not wish to take abstinence or contraceptives are ready to build a family by actually raising a child. This is another burden to think of, yes. Bearing the responsibility of becoming and being a parent does not stop after pregnancy. Truthfully, that is only where it begins. So before you take on a massive leap in becoming a parent, take on your notes about pregnancy, family, and financial stability.
Ask yourself, are you truly ready? Well, lucky for you because one way to answer is to realize that all these fall under the effective family planning methods you can use here in the Philippines.
Things You Have To Do Before Raising a Child
There are a lot of aspects to consider when you want to build a family. These factors include stability on the grounds of financial, mental, and emotional aspects.
According to research, part of having a psychologically healthy childhood is achieving developmental and emotional milestones and developing positive social skills and problem-solving techniques. Mentally healthy children are more likely to have a high quality of life and perform well at home, school, and in the community. Parents and other caregivers who take on the role of parents are a child’s earliest and most important sources of support for independence and living healthy, happy lives.
Everything must be settled in your life before you try to create another. So here are some things you must do before building a family or raising a child.
Talk to your partner about it.
Saying, “I want us to have a baby,” is one thing; discussing the cost of having a child is quite another. Planning officially begins when you start talking about it financially as a family. It’s a sign that you’re serious about wanting a child and want to be financially prepared for it if you’re talking about having a child while also saving money for pregnancy and child-rearing costs.
Remember, mutual decisions should bear mutual responsibilities. Ensuring that your partner is as ready and willing means that they are capable of the duties you have to uphold. Hence, above all of it, talk to them about it.
Prepare yourselves for drastic changes.
It is not fun or a simple job. Both of you must embrace the drastic changes within your lifestyle—personal, financial, mental, and emotional time and flexibility included—that will eventually make a huge turn. If you genuinely are aware and accepting of the numerous shifts in lifestyle and are ready to admit that you cannot enjoy or live life as you did before when you did not have a child. An additional person in the family is a further adjustment and compromise that is called.
Be financially stable.
You must be able to be a dual-earner couple; working in a respectable, steady job that pays well. You have health insurance to cover the costs of any medical care if you become ill or need to be hospitalized. You also save regularly, whether it’s for short-term or long-term objectives. You also have some low-risk investments and a sizable emergency reserve. These are all signs that you are prepared to become a parent.
A life-changing event like having a child also has a lot of associated costs. It will be harder to support your baby if your finances aren’t in good shape. It’s critical to have stable finances so that you and your partner can create a budget and strike a balance between the wants and needs of your family.
Pay off all your debts (if there are any).
Because the cost of having a baby in the Philippines is no joke, it will give you more wiggle room in your budget if you’ve already paid off all your debts. Paying down or fully paying off your debts will help offset the expenses you’ll incur with your baby’s arrival.
Foresee the future and its uncertainty
A new adventure begins when you become a parent. The most important indicator that you’re prepared for the duty is that you’re already giving your future children a solid and financially secure life even now. You are preparing for every scenario that might arise.
Before the baby is born, you’ve started compiling a budget and birth checklist that addresses anticipated expenses. You’ve also given financial readiness more thought, which is why you have retirement, health, life insurance, and an emergency fund. Additionally, you are prepared to obtain an education plan once your child is born.
Summing It All Up
Family planning refers to the blueprint you want to follow regarding your reproductive health system, regardless of wanting to conceive or not. Such aspects and factors you must look into will not only help you as an individual to keep up with your goal but will also adhere to the socio-economic responsibility of citizens. Moreover, no sex, with sex, with sex but no children, everything is valid! You’re good to go as long as you’re safe, happy, and harmless!
