Couples weighing the decision to start a family are often well-acquainted with the reasons for having—or not having—children. In general, the articles, books and websites that surround this topic encourage couples to think long and hard about whether or not they want to have children. What is less discussed, however, is the next step. Once you know what you’d like to do, where do you turn for more information? Fortunately, a reproductive life plan can provide you with the clarity you need to move forward.

Making a reproductive life plan is for everyone—whether you create it for yourself or you create it in conjunction with your partner. Reproductive life plans can be relevant for those who want to have children, and for those who don’t. This article will focus on creating a reproductive life plan if you DO want to have children one day. If you’d like more information on building out a reproductive life plan if you do not want to have children, these questions might be helpful.

The concept is simple: a reproductive life plan guides you through outlining your goals for having children and how you’ll achieve those goals. Below, you’ll find a few questions you should ask yourself before you create a plan. Although the following questions are not exhaustive, they will help you get started off on the right foot. With these questions in mind, you’ll be ready to begin outlining a plan of your own.

Asking Yourself the Right Questions

Who

If you’d like to have children, you’ll want to ask yourself, “who, what, when, where and why?” With whom would you like to have children? If you are creating your plan individually, you can consider how you will choose a partner wisely in response to this question. Alternatively, if you are answering these questions with your partner, you can simply answer this question with your partner’s name.

What

Next, ask yourself what methods you plan to use to have children. Would you like to have genetic children with your partner, or are you interested in adopting? If you and your partner are unable to conceive, would you be open to considering a variety of options, such as embryo adoption?

When

How old do you want to be when you start having children? Would you like to stop having children by a specific age? When you ponder these questions, you also might want to create a financial plan that can help make your timeline for having children viable and sustainable.

Where

Where you raise your children is important to consider. Are you interesting in bringing up your kids in an urban environment, or would you like to live in the countryside? Some parents believe that where you raise your family can also influence the way you parent, which is another factor you can consider.

Why

Lastly, you’ll need to revisit all of the reasons you want to have children. During this step, it’s important to think about the conventional and unconventional reasons you are interested in having a family. Additionally, if you need to change or improve anything about your life, such as your health, to get ready to have children, now is the time to ask yourself what those things are.

After you’ve pondered these questions and more, you’ll be able to create your reproductive life plan. Depending on your individual preferences, this plan can be fairly short or concise, or it can be a bit longer. As long as your plan addresses your “who, what, when, where and why,” it’ll provide you with a specific outline that’ll ultimately empower you to take action.

Understanding what a reproductive life plan is and how you can create one are important aspects of family planning. Every individual and/or couple should establish a plan that suits their needs and preferences. At the same time, it’s important for partners and individuals to remember that life is unpredictable. So much can change as time passes, so it’s important to reevaluate your plan from time to time—at least once per year. This way, as your life unfolds, you can change your plan to reflect your new needs and circumstances.

Mackenzie Martin is a content writer who loves to see her client’s Google search rankings grow. As a writer by day and an author by night, she has an undying love for well-crafted copy and the impact it can have. Connect with her via email: mackenziefreelance@gmail.com

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