Would it be selfish get a loan to have a better post-partum experience?

I would first check to see if you qualify for any government assistance. You’ll be able to get a FREE dietician, gym subscription etc. Im not big on gaining debt, the stress of having to pay back that loan while having 2 kids would be extremely stressful

Idk I would need more details to give financial advice. What's your income? Do you have any debt already? How much do you plan to borrow? When and how would you pay it back? What's the interest rate?

I don't understand in which way this is selfish? (Not that I'm for loans/credit card in general but just don't see where the selfishness comes into play)

@Amandine well i guess, its because its going into debt just for my sake and my wellness

@Ella i have no income atm (8 months pregnant, new city) No bebt at all. I plan to pay it when i start working in about 5/6 months. Idk how much of this is doable, im considering it.

I feel like that list of that should be covered by your insurance whether private pay or funded through the state. You can’t be a good mom if you aren’t good for yourself.

before loan. check if your health insurance would be covered those things.

Dietician and psychologist are often covered by insurance. There are lots of workouts you can do online that are geared for PP and might be easier to keep up with having two kids around. Plus it’s good for kids to see their parents prioritize fitness. Baby expenses is kind of vague. Most baby things though you can get second hand or on FB marketplace or from friends who had kids.

Okay didn't answer any of the important things. How much do you want to borrow? Interest rate? Do you have to pay interest as soon as you borrow? What income are you anticipating, once you go back to work? Do you have a partner? Have you done a budget to check you can afford to meet expenses plus loan repayments in the future?

And in general, I absolutely wouldn't borrow money for a gym membership. You can work out for free at home.

No because if you can’t afford the gym membership by yourself I don’t see how you can afford the repayments of the loan unless I’m missing something.

I had to do a loan so I dont see anything wrong with it as postpartum is hard. If it helps and you realize you can pay it back, why not?

Maybe a credit card with a good intro offer (e.g. 0% APR for the first 12 months or zero payments on balance transfers) could be better for short term? No origination fees or super high interest rates if you find a good one

@Ellie oh right I see, like other mums said, check first if anything is covered by your national healthcare or by your own insurance. I'm also in agreement about the fact that you should definitely not be taking a loan for things like memberships or brand new baby items when you can use internet to do free workout and FB market for second hand items. But I do believe your mental health is important so if that wasn't covered by anything already I'd definitely prioritise this.

You don't necessarily need a gym membership to workout postpartum. There's YouTube postpartum workout videos. And you can look into finding other moms to be in your area and then be workout buddies. Or moms that are postpartum from first kid ( aka having a kid at all) that want to get back to health) Regarding mental health, there's lots of resources available. Look into sliding fee scale services, look into resources to see what's available.

See what's covered by national healthcare or insurance first. Definitely. A quick Google search can help you find " perinatal mood specialists" who can help as it relates to being recently postpartum.... And if the psychologist is less postpartum specifically related.... Look into providers who specialize in what it is you're seeking help for.

And a credit card is a better idea because that is something you pay off over time, and it also helps to build your credit score as long as you pay it regularly

Do you have reliable childcare setup for returning to work? Do you have a guaranteed job that you will be able to get right back to to return the loan? Does your husband know this is something you’re considering? If my husband took out a loan without talking to me about it especially if he had no set plan of how to pay back that loan and put the burden of the repayment on me and the financial strain on our family I’d be livid.

If you can afford something then you shouldn’t have it … getting a loan would be stupid as all you’ll do is give yourself debt to deal with

Our insurance won't cover any of it. I know I could work out at home, I could probably put together a meal plan out of the internet, but I tried it with my first and I just need a reason to get out, to keep on going with a committed goal, I want it to be better as to not lose myself so much and actually care for me this time

If insurance won't cover it, I'd definitely look into the credit card idea

For the gym, keep an eye out for promos too. Many gyms have promotions

@Elizabeth those resources are not reliable or good quality, I've been there

@Ellie which ones?

@Ellie I’ve never known anyone to be less depressed by giving themselves more debt.

The YouTube videos? There's one by a certified pre and postnatal certified instructor who's also a mom

So , id do a pros cons list of loan versus credit card. I personally am a semi logical thinker , so I see the argument of needs versus wants. With so many things that you see as important for your next postpartum experience.... Would you be okay with staggering these things to make them more financially feasible, considering you are wanting to take on a loan or a credit card for it? Loans have to be paid off, something to keep in mind . Credit card , you pay it regularly and it helps build your credit score ( and improves your overall credit health if it's adding another card to credit cards in your name )

For baby expenses, write a list of what baby expenses you are wanting more financial help with. If it's products, there's websites that have overstock products and company sites also run sales.

You SO should cover baby expenses. For gym, like others said workout at home or create a routine where you go to a park or something while your SO takes care of the baby. Find another mom in your area to go walking with you (and maybe even the baby). I did weekly walks with various mom groups which helped my mental and physical health. If you are expecting postpartum depression, talk to your doctor. They may be able to provide resources. If you really need a psychologist, consider the no APR for a year CC but it will loom over you that you eventually need to pay it back and may make you feel worse as it's another item on the list to track and overwhelm. For meals, start preparing now with freezer meals that you can throw into a crockpot or microwave. Also, why can't your SO help with cooking or if you need take out for the family sometimes? I have GD now and I just buy stuff to throw in a salad that's quick (grilled chicken, shredded carrots, etc ). Essentially buy precut at the store to minimize prep

I'm surprised to see so many comments saying a loan is a bad idea... for me, SMP is less than a quarter of my usual income. So a loan to survive mat leave is appealing (and i definitely would have done this had i not had savings) because I know I could afford to pay it back easily once I'm back at work. If it's the same for you, what's the problem? I'm assuming you wouldn't consider a loan if you know you'll struggle to pay it back.

If you don’t expect to have an income for 5/6 months until you go back to work, how would you afford to pay the monthly payments that come with a loan?

@Katrina you could initially spread the repayments to keep them small for example over 36 months, then once back at work ammend the repayments to higher amounts and pay back quickly.

Do not get the loan if you are not working and aren’t able to pay it back. If you get a loan your first payment is gonna be due the month after you receive funds. They aren’t gonna wait months for you to be able to pay. And in that time frame it will be hitting your credit score and tanking it. Also if you have no income you aren’t likely gonna get approve. They will need proof of income and if you say it’s your partners money he will need to be on the loan.

As someone who’s been in crazy debt before postpartum… don’t do it. It honestly just sounds like you can benefit from some good mom friends. Best bet is get a Facebook if you don’t have one and join local mom groups besides peanut. It’s worked better for me and it’ll give you an excuse to go outside when they plan play dates and such. I’ve experienced it, it’s so much better. Paying back a debt sounds easier than it actually is. Maybe a good credit card would be a better option

Also ! Most local areas have peanut groups! It's a great way to make mom friends in your hometown.

Can you ask family for a 0% interest loan? Psychologist would be worth it but bank loans can be crippling due to the interest

@Jasmine wait really?

@Melanie yeah, if she qualifies. I assume she is unmarried and she said she currently doesn’t have income. There are programs like WIC that will provide assistance while pregnant and postpartum

@Jasmine my husband and I qualify for food stamps and wic, I didn’t know they had other things included in those benefits

@Jasmine i don't know if her country has that though. She's in Mexico

@Melanie yeah, with medicaid you can get additional services, like a free breast pump, lamaze class, free pedi-sure, etc … i would call the insurance or speak to the pediatrician or OB

@Elizabeth yea IDK, but i assume they would have some form of government assistance too

I don’t think this makes any financial sense. If you can’t afford those outgoings then how are you going to afford the loan repayments? They will start coming pretty quick?