Most people’s lives are extremely busy and many new parents assume that their new baby will somehow fit in. They don’t.

Babies and children need a lot of time and attention and you will undoubtedly have less time than you did before – for yourself, for each other and for other people.

For a woman a baby has career implications. Although many companies and countries are providing increasingly generous maternity leave and benefits, this may not compensate for the fact that having a baby could delay your career prospects.

This can be especially true if you’re planning to spend more than a few months at home with your baby.

This is one reason why many women, particularly those with satisfying or high-powered jobs are waiting to start a family at least until their thirties when they feel they have reached a level of achievement that enables them to stand back from their careers with confidence.