My first baby was six months old when I discovered I was pregnant with my second. Before you think I’m crazy, you should know this was a surprise baby. Fast forward eight months later, and I’m in the hospital holding my newborn son and my 14-month-old son. Looking into those two sets of innocent eyes, I had no idea the ride I was in for.
Whether you’re pregnant with a surprise baby or just gave birth to one, you’re probably feeling a wild mix of hormones and panic. But hopefully, you’re feeling joy too, because God has special blessings planned for your family. Here are 4 reasons to celebrate, not fear, a surprise baby.
1. God doesn’t make mistakes.
We spend so much time planning and mapping out how our lives should go that we equate unplanned with “mistake.” Sometimes a wrong turn becomes the best leg of the journey. It was no mistake for you to have this baby added to your family. You may be feeling panicked, scared, or stressed, but God will give you the strength you need to walk this chapter of your life. Your kids will serve an important purpose in your life and in the world, whether you planned to have them or not.
Sometimes a wrong turn becomes the best leg of the journey. Click To Tweet2. You get two wins at a time.
When a surprise baby leads to having two kids close in age, you’ll learn quickly that it’s easier to train and teach just once. That means two victories when the goal is reached. When it was time to potty train my kids, I trained them together. They also learned how to ride a bike and tie their shoes at the same time. My second one figured things out a lot quicker because he wanted to keep up with his big brother. You might have to adjust your language or the reward to fit the individual child, but training once is a huge stress-saver. At the moment, it might be draining or hectic, but when it’s done, it’s done! There are perks to having a surprise baby, but you might have to adjust your thinking to see it that way.
3. You become more confident in your abilities as a mom.
Yes, you will be deep in the trenches of motherhood, but you’ll figure out a routine for the sake of your sanity and survival. With two babies in a year, I quickly learned how to adapt and adjust, and that made me more confident as a mom. Many new moms second guess everything because they hear conflicting voices telling them what’s right or wrong, but not you! You’ll be your own expert. You’ll learn how to make it work.
4. It’s an opportunity to grow in faith.
Surprises always have a way of making you feel like a deer in headlights, but this is an opportunity to grow. God obviously has plans for your family that include this child, so try to embrace that idea. Couples have varying reasons for the timing of their kids, but often, with a bit of hindsight, we learn that we can trust in God’s timing and that helps our faith grow.
Timing is a hot topic even before couples have kids. In the “Timing in Life is Everything” episode of the iMOM Podcast, the team chats about the pressure women get from both sides. Some say have babies while you’re young. Others say wait till you’re settled. Subscribe to the podcast for new episodes every Monday.
What did having a surprise baby teach you?
