Women want to be financially stable before having a child
It's all about timing when it comes to planning a family. There are a number of factors to take into consideration. Your career, financial status, your health and most of all whether you've found the right man.
But when do you stop planning and start doing?
New research has indicated that UK women spend up to five years planning a baby. We know that starting a family is a life-changing decision, but could this not be considered a little too long?
The survey of 3,000 women, conducted by Centrum Pregnancy Care, found that almost half spend a year or more planning a baby before they start trying to conceive, while one in 12 will spend five or more years.
It found that the majority of women plan to have their first child between the ages of 26-30, and according to the Office for National Statistics the actual average that women in the UK have their first child is 29, highlighting just how meticulous the planning stage is. Homes, finances and careers are key areas for planning, with many women setting certain goals to achieve before having a baby.
Over a quarter of women surveyed said they wanted to save at least £5,000 before starting a family, and just over one third felt it want important for them to reach certain career goals before having a baby.
The nesting instinct also factors highly in the planning process with 58 per cent of women wanting to own a property and 41 per cent saying it was important to move to a larger house before starting their family.
Despite careful planning and consideration of many facotrs, one of the most important areas is being overlooked - the health of both the mother and baby. The survey found that 20 per cent of women would not consider altering their diet or taking supplements in order to help them with trying to conceive, during pregnancy or whilst breastfeeding, and shockingly just one in 10 would cut down alchol during their pregnancy.
Dr Dawn Harper, expert GP and mother-of-three, says: "Once you start trying for a baby, you should eat a healthy well-balanced diet, give up smoking, cut down alcohol intake and maintain a healthy weight (Body Mass Index 18.5-25). It is also really important to take a daily supplement containing folic acid ideally for three months before conception and for the first three months of pregnancy for the healthy development of the baby's spinal cord."
Considering the importance of folic acid prior to and during pregnancy, it is astonishing that one in six women who were either mothers or planning on having children did not know what folic acid was or how it would aid them in having a healthy pregnancy.
A new website has been launched to help women think about their own health during pregnancy: http://www.nutritioninpregnancy.co.uk/