Updating your status from being in a relationship to married means all kinds of changes are likely to occur in every part of your life including legal documents, bank accounts, name changes—and yes, even contraception. While to some, getting married ... read more

First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby in a baby carriage—but only if you want it to. Whether you waited to have sex until the wedding night or you lived together long before you even got engaged, family ... read more

When marrying someone who already has kids, your marriage often means more than the uniting of two souls. It can also move you into a role as a step-parent, or may even involve adopting children as your own. Regardless, it ... read more

Wedding planning is a busy time, but it’s also a time for you to be reflective on your future: where you’ll live, what your holiday traditions will look like and, of course, if and when you’ll start a family. But ... read more

If your spouse has a child from a previous relationship, after you get married it may feel like the next logical course of action would be to adopt your stepchild. Although this is one of the most common types of ... read more

First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes…you know the rest. Perhaps this schoolyard rhyme conditioned us believe that the proper step in life after marriage is having children. Today, there is no perfect time to start a family, and ... read more

I have officially been a stepmom for about two and a half years now, and although it’s only been a few years since my wedding, I feel like I’ve learned a lot since those newlywed days. Stepmotherhood is not for ... read more

Life doesn’t often give us the opportunity to map things out for ourselves, so when it’s time to decide when to have kids it’s no surprise many feel stuck. It’s hard especially when you both know you want kids. Not ... read more

Starting a family is a huge commitment, emotionally and financially, and it’s more important than ever for young couples to carefully plan this part of their future. This includes using birth control to ensure accidental pregnancy does not happen. … ... read more

The role of a stepmother is almost always a complicated one—you are working to create a family system that works for you, you’re loving and helping to raise a child you didn’t give birth to, and all the while trying ... read more