Pregnancy is rarely a smooth ride for anyone. Whether you are an expectant parent for the first time or the fifth time, having a baby can take its toll on a relationship. Both partners experience different yet similar troubles throughout the process of preparing for a new family arrival. The key is to maintain the love and connection despite the difficult times, especially to create a home where a baby can be raised. Every couple will have their own unique obstacles to overcome, but hopefully, the following will help you to find solutions that work. These are a few simple secrets to keeping your relationship thriving throughout pregnancy and beyond.
Make Your Needs Heard
There is nothing wrong with expressing your needs. You can’t always expect your partner to be able to meet them but having them heard is the first step to satisfaction and conflict resolution. Wanting your partner to read your mind is a surefire way to cause friction and discontentment. You will most likely have heard this many times before, but learning to communicate effectively and without prejudice is one of the most important features of a successful relationship. This is truer than ever when going through pregnancy.
Enjoy Intimate Moments Together
When one partner is pregnant, it can sometimes put intimacy lower on the list of priorities. Stress, physical changes, and many other factors influence a person’s desire for touch and romance. For some women, pregnancy can result in a higher libido, while for others, the exact opposite is true. Men are not exempt from this either. The sudden life change can disrupt both partners in a relationship, but that doesn’t mean intimacy should be forgotten. Chemist Click Online Pharmacy offers a solution to erectile dysfunction if this has been an issue in your romantic life. Remember that intimacy means being there for each other, too. Your sex life will almost definitely change during pregnancy and throughout parenthood, but it isn’t the only way to be intimate with your partner. Small touches can be enough to reassure each other of your support and love. Gestures that remind your partner that you value them will go a long way, especially if you are experiencing a lull in physical desire.
Take a Break
It might seem counterintuitive at first, but spending time apart from your partner can, in fact, keep your relationship strong. Being able to maintain your individuality will help you to bring confidence and trust to the table. Pregnancy is a stressful time even if everything is going well, so set aside some time to treat yourself and enjoy your own company. When you return to your partner, you will have given them the chance to miss you and vice versa. Even if you normally like to spend most of your time together, a day or two apart can be surprisingly effective at strengthening the relationship.
Understand Your Partner’s Emotions
Whether you are the pregnant partner or not, it is a must to listen to each other’s feelings. Be generous about understanding the reasons behind seemingly unreasonable reactions, such as frustration or irritation. When you can trace back your partner’s negative emotions to a source, it is much easier to provide comfort and reconciliation rather than conflict and defensiveness. Avoid comparing each other’s unique struggles, as this rarely ends well. Instead, try to see your partner’s point of view even if it opposes your own. Don’t react impulsively to what you first hear but reflect on the intentions and emotions behind their words. Stifling how you feel will not bring any form of long-term peace, even once your baby has been born.
Speak to a Therapist
Although you may have preconceived ideas about relationship counseling, you don’t necessarily have to be experiencing a rough patch to warrant speaking to a couples therapist. A professional can help you and your partner discuss potential issues at their early stages to prevent them from becoming more serious. You may even find that attending therapy appointments with your partner brings you much closer together than you expected. Therapy is intended to provide a safe space where you can resolve conflict without causing damage to your relationship, helping you to strengthen your bond before the arrival of your baby.
Getting ready for a new baby is usually a mixture of highs and lows. Being connected and communicative with your partner will help you both to navigate the pregnancy and parenthood as a team.
