Family to the rescue

Bringing a new life into this world is tough, but according to Gulf News readers it makes a world of difference when family is there to help.

Amnah Shaikh, a Pakistani mother-to-be residing in Dubai, has been living in the UAE for the past 25 years and feels comfortable enough to have her second child here.

Shaikh also finds it easier to deliver here than in her home country, as her work would make it difficult for her to take a long break before and after the delivery date.

Shaikh and her husband have saved enough money to give their child a comfortable life.

She said: "It would cost us around Dh10,000 more if we were to set up a nursery in the house, but we have not decided on that yet."

Speaking about family support, Shaikh said: "Without my husband's and my mother's support, I would not have been able to cope as well."

Shaikh would choose her mother's help over a nanny's any day.

Naina Nair, a mother of two, went through some difficulties with her first child in India but also said that the support from her mother and husband helped her cope during hard times.

Nair, an Indian expatriate residing in Sharjah, said: "Whenever I had a rough time I had my mother there to help me. It also gave me time to rest, which calmed my mood around my baby."

Although Nair and her husband were financially secure, they managed their expenses efficiently.

She said: "We used special cloth diapers, which are common in India, during the first four months of our children's birth."

It saved them money, as the diapers were washed and reused.

Some pregnancies, however, do not go as planned.

Before delivery her baby eight months ago, Bushra Taha, a Pakistani expatriate living in Dubai, spent the last stage of her pregnancy without her husband, as he had to travel to the US.

She said: "It was emotionally hard, but thankfully my parents and in-laws were there to help me physically and emotionally."

Whenever Taha stressed she thought of her unborn baby's health and learned to calm herself down.

Taha also compared different hospitals to find the best price for her child's vaccination.

She said: "I always try to find the cheapest way of getting the best quality products for my baby."