When Baby Makes 3

Having a baby can affect your relationship in many ways. Here’s how to repare, writes Cara Blackie

 

- Cara Blackie

NEW COUPLES SEEM to experience a roller-coaster ride of emotions and new experiences when they find out they are expecting. So often, those nine months are spent preparing for the arrival of your baby by reading books, taking classes and getting all the essential supplies, that you rarely think about the effect of a baby on your marriage – and how your marriage will affect your baby. There are often the essential “tick off the list” tasks that need to be done before your baby is due. However, it’s important to sit down as a couple and talk about the more complicated tasks and feelings that may arise before and after your baby is born. Here are a few important things to discuss as a couple:

BABY BUMP CHATTER

1 PARENTING STYLES

It’s vitally important to take into consideration each other’s thoughts on parenting. As children, you were both raised in different households with different rules and points of view, plus you’ll have different feelings about how you were parented as a child. Often conflict can arise when one parent frowns on the other one’s parenting style.

For instance, some will feel that they need to let their child self-soothe at night, while others feel that constant comfort and affection will help their child fall asleep. These different views stem from how each parent was raised and what they feel comfortable with. The earlier these issues are brought up and talked about, the less conflict and annoyance there will be when baby arrives.

2 EMOTIONAL HIGHS AND LOWS

You will start to experience both physical and emotional changes during your pregnancy. You may even start to feel less attractive towards the end of your pregnancy as your body changes more drastically. This can lead to tension in your marriage and your partner may need to start reassuring and supporting you more.