Where to start LOL....

Babies are wonderful, the greatest of gifts and the deepest love you will ever know - they are also the greatest responsbility, the most work and worry and create the deepest changes in your life, yourself and your partner. I would never suggest a certain age anyone is ready to be a parent but I would say to assess things and decide if now is really the right time.

Practical things like do you have decent medical insurance? Even a straight forward, very non-technical type pregnancy and birth can run into the thousands if you don't have good coverage. Diapers are expensive and a newborn goes through about 10 a day. Formula is expensive (you can't always automatically depend on breastfeeding as an alternative).

It's very nice you have family support. That's not always the way with young parents. Do remember though it's your baby so there's a fine line of you two parenting or the grandmother's taking over. If you aren't both used to babies, you might want to try to offer someone you know with a new infant some free mother's help to see how much work goes into it.

I hope I'm not coming off as a downer here. I'm trying to be honest about parenting being a wonderous gift but also a huge responsibility and far more work than you'd believe until you're actually doing it. I grew up in a big family literally surrounded by babies. I played with them more than dolls when I was a kid LOL. Still when I had my own first baby at age 26, I was amazed at how little I really knew about the sheer work of parenting a newborn. It still amazes me for instance how much laundry an 8 lb human being can generate in a single day LOL.

Lastly, babies can bring a couple even closer together but they are a stress on a relationship and that really doesn't change as they grow up. It's always about a balance in being a parent, a loving partner, having a job outside the house, hobbies, friends and just finding time for you in that crazy mix of all you have to do in a typical day.

Basically it comes down to this, you have the luxury of deciding so take the time now to make the best decision as a couple as far as when you are ready to start your family. Everyone will have an opinion, but in the end it's you two that will know when it's right.