Building Your Relationship During Pregnancy

The period of pregnancy is beautiful yet sensitive, filled with joyous moments of growing a new living being inside you and at the same time riddled with hormonal changes affecting your physical and emotional self.  With all these changes, your relationship with your spouse also tends to alter. There will be times when you feel extremely connected to your spouse while other moments you could feel as though your partner is from a different universe.

Here are some tips to make your spouse  feel more connected and wanted  during your pregnancy:

• Maintain mutual needs

For 9 months, the conversation might revolve around the baby so the time to bond with your spouse could be minimal. This is also the time when you expect a lot of emotional care and support from your partner but he might need the same emotional support from you also. Starting with small gestures like making his favorite meal or surprising him with a movie date will show your appreciation and love towards your spouse.

• Keep the intimacy alive

During the period of pregnancy, intimacy levels between couples tend to suffer. There are many changes that occur such as

1. Physical changes- change in your size, comfort level during sex, nausea during the first trimester
2. Emotional changes- you may feel a dip in your self esteem and get mood swings due to hormonal changes

All these changes tend to have a negative impact your physical intimacy as a couple. Scheduling romantic time and exploring new ways to fulfill your physical needs can be exciting and bring some spice in your relationship. Going to a doctor to get educated about the level of physical intimacy is also very important since your libido might change but your partners sexual drive is still the same.

• Take some time off

Taking some alone time with your spouse is important because after the baby is born you both might not be able to spend quality time together for the first 3-4 months.

1. Plan a special date night once a week or go on regular walks to spend alone time.
2. Plan a romantic getaway with your spouse when you can preferably during the second trimester.

• Work as a team

When all the attention is on you and all your activities are baby related, your spouse tends to feel left out. In such cases, it is important to keep your partner involved with the development of your pregnancy. Going to ultrasounds together, visiting the gynecologist, taking Lamaze classes and making decisions as a team will strengthen the bond between you and your spouse.

• Communicate

During pregnancy, there are a lot of changes in your physical, mental and emotional self, some of which are unexpected. Communicating these changes and listening to your spouses’ concerns is very important because he could be worrying about different issues regarding the pregnancy such as the finances of raising a child, being a hands-on parent and bonding with the child. 

• Manage your emotions

When the pregnancy hormones are surging through your body, you tend to experience a rush of unwanted emotions such as panic, fear anger and jealousy. During these times, it is important to keep calm and share your concerns with your spouse through a mature conversation instead of being overbearing and emotionally distressed. Trying different relaxation methods and eating and sleeping right to avoid stress will help with the firestorm of emotions you experience when pregnant.

The changes in pregnancy and the challenges that come along with it does not mean that you and your spouse drift apart and lose out on the bond that you share. Pregnancy is a beautiful journey that a couple undertakes to bring another life into this world. Using this period of pregnancy to bond as a couple will further strengthen your relationship and lead to non-conflicting and good parenting.

This article is an entry for BLOG-A-THON.

Also Read – 5 Ways in Which a Husband Can Support His Wife During Pregnancy!!

Explore the entire collection of articles: Pregnancy Must Know

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