If you're expecting a baby and will be parenting as a single mom, it's normal to feel a bit overwhelmed. Parenting without a partner to help you out is not easy, but many mothers do it successfully. The key is to start taking steps now, before the baby arrives, to ensure you're prepared for the challenge that lies ahead. Here are three ways to prepare for parenting as a single mom.

Seek Pregnancy Counseling

Pregnancy can be tough for anyone to navigate both emotionally and in a planning sense. When you're parenting as a single mom, it's far too easy to bottle up your negative emotions and persevere, only to have them come back to haunt you later on. To ensure you're dealing with the emotional side of your pregnancy well, it's wise to start seeing a counselor from a clinic like All Women's Clinic. This should be someone you feel you can trust and be honest with. Be open and honest with your counselor with any concerns you have about parenting as a single mom. They can give you guidance and tell you what has worked for other moms in your situation.

Ask Friends and Family Members For Assistance

Chances are, many of your friends and family members will be more than happy to help with the baby. But they may not want to be too pushy about offering their help for fear that they'll be suggesting they don't think you can do it alone. It's okay to ask for help, and it's a good idea to do it now before the baby arrives when you're still feeling relatively calm. Specifically, see if friends of family members will agree to help you by:

• Staying with you for the first few weeks after the baby is born.
• Doing your laundry once or twice a week. (Babies create a lot of laundry!)
• Watching the baby for you a few evenings a week so you can have a little time to yourself.

See a Financial Advisor

A tough aspect of single parenting that's often overlooked is financially affording your child's needs and wants. It's a good idea to meet with a financial advisor before the baby is born. Based on your income, they can give you advice regarding how much you should be spending on housing, how much you should be saving for future expenses like school and college. If the baby's father will be contributing financially, your advisor can also help you decide how best to spend this money. Having a financial plan will give you peace of mind as the baby makes its way into the world.