Upon becoming a mother for the first time, I had several people ask me the same questions...

When did it begin to feel real? Was it when you initially found out you were expecting, or was it upon the arrival of your little bundle of joy? For me, it was probably a combination of both.

The initial shock of finding out that after all that practicing, that I was actually going to have a baby, it was rather surreal.

As the months past, and my belly began to grow, it seemed as if everything was revolving around our impending parenthood. From readying the nursery, choosing paint colours, and selecting our first crib, the excitement continued to grow. Even the things that we as a couple used to do, became fewer and far between. But knowing that both my husband and I wanted this more than anything else in this world made it okay. I didn't miss going out to bars or dancing til the wee hours of the morning.

Waking up at 3 am, with the first signs of labour was the real deal. Today I will become a mother...

It doesn't matter how organized you think you are, there is always going to be something that doesn't go according to your birthing plan. Epidural, or no epidural? Is there enough time to administer the anesthesia before the baby comes?

At the end of the day, none of that stuff really matters, as you are now a mother. All your dreams have now been realized, and you are responsible for the life of a child. How will this change your own life moving forward? Birthdays, Christmas, Easter and any other celebrated holiday will be forever altered.

Four children within 7 years makes one realize and perhaps even worry a little about planning for the future. What happens if something, heaven forbid, would happen to either one of us? How would we afford to live in the lifestyle for which we have become accustomed?

I probably would never have even thought about life insurance unless I had become a mother. As a parent, it's no longer just about you.

Manulife Canada has just launched a wonderful website focused on making sure you have the right amount of insurance. The Cover Me application is designed to answer any concerns or questions you may have and to take the guess work away. Making sure your family is taken care of is just the right thing to do.

Life insurance does not have to be scary. It has changed and evolved over the years and offers some pretty cool options to make your investment in your family's future your number one priority.

Check out the Manulife website, at www.manulife.ca to assist you with making any financial decisions a reality.

Join the twitter chat with Manulife on Wednesday at 9pm EST. To learn more Check out the ‪#‎CoverMe‬ page at Manulife. http://goo.gl/6IKXeM

This post is sponsored by 360ACCESS on behalf of Manulife. The opinions are my own.