Expecting a child, whether for the first time or if you already have children, is usually associated with joy and anticipation. At the same time, everyday life quickly makes itself known, and you must find the balance between being new parents, perhaps having older children in the house, while also managing work, friends, and extended family. Whether you are alone or there are two of you, it is important to think about and discuss expectations, and figure out how you can best organize life with a new child.

For most people expecting a child for the first time, there is great excitement. You certainly have some thoughts about who this little person is, how they will behave, and whom they will resemble most. It is not uncommon to feel both joy and apprehension, especially as the birth approaches. And it is also not uncommon for the mother and father or partner to have different focuses in the time before the child is born. Talk to your general practitioner, midwife, or public health nurse about the thoughts and feelings that arise. And most importantly: Talk to each other about thoughts and expectations for the time ahead. Because one thing is certain; life does not just change—it becomes a completely different life.

Even if you already have children, a new child can feel like a major upheaval. One quickly forgets what it is like to have an infant in the house who constantly needs the adults’ attention. Even though you have been through childbirth and the postnatal period before, it is still different when you now have other children in the house. It is not uncommon for children to have different expectations about getting a little sister or little brother. Talk to the children about what concerns them, and take seriously what they wonder about. The whole family is best served when everyone is as well prepared as possible, in their own different ways.