I was 29 when we conceived our daughter, Francesca, and while that isn't "old" by any means, I will admit I was very much set in my ways. And I couldn't help but notice a trend in the stories I received from loved ones and honestly, even complete strangers. While well-intended, these "warnings", for what's to come (or perhaps what's to be loss) had me questioning if the life I loved pre-children was forever over.
Flash forward to my third trimester, the panic really started setting in... After months - and I'm talking months - of learning about birthing process, selecting our birth team and plan, decorating the nursery, setting up a registry and brainstorming baby names, I actually wondered if I (okay, we) were ready for life after birth. Sure, I had experience caring for little ones but I was always able to "return them". How would I manage caring for myself, my relationships, our home, and my career while caring for another human being 24/7?
Spoiler alert: it wasn't a $1,500 bassinet or another baby care course that put my mind at ease.