So You're Thinking About Having a Large Family

Maybe you're just starting out on the journey of parenthood or maybe you already have a few children or maybe you're a young woman just thinking that you'd like to have a family above average in size, either way this post is for you.  I had someone ask me what are some ways a couple could prepare for having a slew of kids.  Well, here are some things that came to mind.  Some of these I wish someone would of told me when I was pregnant with my first few.  I always knew that I wanted a large family, but when we first got married my husband agreed to 5.......well that doubled! Anyway here goes......

1. Make sure that you are healthy.  Start taking vitamins and watching what you eat. Not that you have to be a health fanatic but you want strong bones, good immunity, and healthy iron stores.  

2.  Start exercising, if you don't already.  Nothing too intense because intense exercising can decrease fertility and increase risk of miscarriage.  But do begin to do some form of exercise just about everyday.

3. Be at a healthy weight.  Not too thin but as close to your ideal weight as possible.  Believe me, gaining 35+ pounds 5 or more times, then nursing which makes you starving, can wreck havoc on your weight if you are not careful.  I'm glad that I started this whole process of having 10 kids (actually 15 pregnancies) technically under weight according to my doctor's chart.  

4. If you are not an organized person, read some books and try to get your house, daily schedule and life pretty organized.  No one need be a fanatic, but you need some order and routine.  Your house should basically have a place for everything and everything in it's place, as they say.

5. Have some savings in your bank account.  Of course, there is no amount of money that some people ever think is enough and then because of that they don't have children.  But I do think when a couple first gets married they should live on the husband's salary and bank the wife's.  This achieves 2 things, you get used to only living on 1 salary and you grow a savings account. 

6. Make sure that you and your husband are close and able to communicate well.  I remember that my husband and I went on a few marriage retreats and couple's seminars with our church and they were invaluable.  You think that you will have time to do this later in life, but once the kids come it's harder and it's just wise to lay a healthy foundation. 

7. Learn how to cook. Nothing fancy, but practice making healthy meals and learn to like it.  A large family mom is basically running a small diner.  Take a cooking class, get some cook books, practice on friends, whatever but get to the point where it's second nature.  Read up on nutrition while you're at it too : )

8. Make sure you know how to do some basic sewing and mending.  Most young women now-a-days never learn to sew.  It's great to be able to mend things, decorate your home on a budget and even sew clothes if you're really brave. 

9. Think about where you are currently living and if it's the best place to raise a family.  Living in large cities is glamorous when you're single or even newly married but it's hard to raise kids there.  Start to think about how you want your kids to be raised.  Is it important to you for them to have green grass to play in and build forts or is being near a fancy art museum more important to you. 

10. And really probably the most important, be involved in a church community.  Nothing is more special, helpful and fulfilling as living along side a group of like minded people.  It's so great to have other young moms around as well as older people, singles and college age adults to help and encourage.  You want your marriage and family based on the Lord.  Raising a large family takes His strength, believe me!