Can your relationship handle a baby?

Having a baby is a big adventure. Baby days do come with fun and love, but also can seriously try your patience and cause problems even in the best relationships. It's best to have a good relationship going in. Signs that your relationship is probably NOT baby ready:

• Your partner and you almost never consult each other about important decisions.
• One of you is always telling the other person what to do - i.e one of you has major issues making decisions or thinking on your own.
• Your partner handles conflict by yelling, ignoring, pouting, or slamming doors - a baby does all that. If you have a baby with this person, you'll just have two babies on your hands.
• You can't remember the last time the two of you had a good time together.
• Only one of you wants a baby.
• The two of you run hot and cold. Lots of break ups where you get back together and no one has a clue what's going on.

MAJOR danger signs - if even one of these is true, don't even consider parenthood with your partner:

• Your partner physically abuses you, verbally abuses you, or otherwise bullies you. A baby WILL NOT help the situation. At best your partner will continue to abuse you during your pregnancy and after the baby comes. At worst, your partner will also abuse the baby. Get help now and get out of this relationship.
• You're afraid to speak your mind with your partner because of what might happen.
• One or both of you abuse drugs or alcohol.
• One or both of you abuses gambling.

Many people think that a baby will help a relationship, but babies are never a solution to relationship problems. Babies don't create love among two people where love is already absent, and babies add stress to an already stressed situation. If you're considering a baby as a solution to anything, seriously reconsider.