Husband and Wife Relationship during Pregnancy

Pregnancy will bring about a lot of changes in your body and in your life. It can affect you both physically and mentally. During pregnancy, while you learn to deal (and try to embrace) with the physical changes in your body, you will also have to deal with the mental stress that you will take for no apparent reason. The worse? Pregnancy hormones, physical changes, or mental stress can affect your marriage and the bond that you share with your partner.

Nevertheless, it is essential that your partner is aware and supportive of your feelings the entire time. This article will help you understand how your relationship with husband could change during pregnancy. It also offers some tips which you can follow to maintain a healthy relationship with your partner.

How Does Pregnancy Change the Relationship Between a Husband and Wife?

You could have had a rock-solid marriage until now, with zero fights, arguments or even frowns. But don’t expect the status quo to be the same during pregnancy. Pregnancy can affect your relationship with your husband in the following ways –

• Your husband or partner might be just as anxious or stressed as you are, especially if you don’t communicate your needs to him. These feelings can lead to emotional distance and a lack of intimacy.
• The hormones coursing through your body have emotional side-effects, such as fear, anxiety, and paranoia. Many women begin to counter these emotions by becoming clingy and forcing their affections on the husband.
• Your sex drive will be in flux, but if you feel tired, nauseous, and queasy when your husband tries to initiate lovemaking, he might feel neglected or let down by you. This could further slow down things between both of you.
• The dynamics around you are going to drastically change during your pregnancy. You could become more introverted or extroverted, altering how your family and husband view you as an integral part of their lives.
• During pregnancy, physical changes in your body will be evident. You will also have stretch marks, varicose veins, body hair and so on, and all of this can disturb you and make you self-conscious. While your husband may still think that you are the most beautiful woman and want to spend some romantic time with you, if you don’t feel the same, you may not want to enjoy some romantic time. In fact, it could cause a rift in the sexual chemistry you once shared.

Why Is It Important to Maintain a Good Relationship Between a Wife and Husband During Pregnancy?

You and your spouse must be probably settled into the comfort of routine with each other. Your everyday responsibilities are easier when shared. The security of going home to someone who will be there for you is something many people desire. And when you become pregnant, the responsibilities and anxieties increase in equal measure. Sharing these burdens will be both helpful and healthy for you and your baby. Consider how your lives are about to change and make the decisions that are right for the little one that is soon to come home.

Tips to Keep the Relationship Healthy While Pregnant

Below are some tips on maintaining your relationship and how to be a supportive husband during pregnancy –

1. Get Ready for the Baby Together

Having a baby means a lot more work for both of you after birth. You can prepare in advance in many ways. This includes creating a sleeping area for the newborn, either in your room or in a separate nursery, buying nappies, milk bottles, baby clothes, pacifiers, blankets, pillows, toys, cribs and innumerable other essential items. Doing these chores together will help the new father feel wanted and in-charge of baby decisions than otherwise.

2. Set Time Aside for Each Other

Pregnancy means endless doctor appointments, fatigue, stress, and emotional distance with your partner. But these problems shouldn’t let you down or affect your relationship. Make sure that you spend enough time with your spouse and communicate freely about each other’s needs. This will prevent either of you from lacking attention or intimacy, strengthening your bond.

3. Maintain the Intimacy

Don’t let the spark of romance die out. Pregnancy changes will have you feeling bloated, tired and cranky. But it is important you go out with your spouse regularly, even on romantic dates. It could be as basic as ordering food home and watching a movie while cuddling together.

4. Select a Baby Name

This is an important one. The name you choose for your child will most likely be with him for the rest of his lives. Try looking for the right name together. Spend time with your partner and decide a name for your baby that you both like and agree upon. You could pick a name that is significant to both of you, so neither has to feel left out.

5. Visit the Doctor Together

Go with your partner for all your doctor’s appointments. Both of you will get first-hand information about the baby’s development such as weight, health, as well as future steps in the pregnancy. Fathers who involve themselves at this stage tend to be more connected to the whole process, and consequently more involved in the pregnancy and the relationship.

Reasons That Lead to Arguments Between a To-Be-Mom and a To-Be-Dad

Below are some relationship issues during pregnancy that could lead to fights between you and your partner. But don’t worry because if you and your partner argue because of the following reasons, we have some tips to nip the problem in the bud.

1. Absence of Attention From the Partner

Issue – The physical and emotional changes during pregnancy can lead to an increased sense of vulnerability and insecurity. During this time, you might feel that your partner is not providing you with enough attention or care. This could lead to spats.

Solution – Being overly demanding about minor details like missing doctor appointments could make your partner less eager to go with you the next time. You could ask your friends and family to pitch in when your husband is not around.

2. Family Drama

Issue – All four of your parents might want to get more involved with your pregnancy to the extent of wanting to control all aspects of your life. This could be a problem if there is unwarranted criticism thrown at you or your partner.

Solution – It is important to talk this out with your partner. You both are the ones having a baby and the decisions have to be yours alone. While family support is essential, ensure their interference does not affect your daily life or your relationship with your partner.

3. Financial Problems

Issue – Babies are expensive – if you gone for even a few of your medical appointments so for, you know that it’s true. The bills start mounting with pregnancy medical care, prenatal diet, doctor’s appointments and so on. This rapid increase in the budget can be mentally taxing, which can lead to arguments between you and your partner.

Solution – Work through it together. Plan a doable budget, even if it means getting rid of unwanted expenses. Don’t wait until the baby is born to do this, as you will certainly not have time then.

4. Lack of Sexual Intimacy

Issue – As mentioned before, with the drastic physical changes your body during pregnancy, sex might be last on your mind. But that may not be the same for your partner – he will still be attracted to you and might want to have sex with you. But if you are not up to it, it might make him feel undesired.

Solution – Instead of fighting about it, try and look at the lighter side of things. You may not feel sexy when you have so much gas in your belly or have to pee all the time. The key is not to take yourself so seriously. If sex is not on the plate, try cuddling or being cosy with your partner.

5. Child Names

Issue – Baby naming is an important bonding process for the parents. But clashes are common over this issue, and they can result in full-blown fights.

Solution – You might hate the idea of naming your kid after his grandpa and he might veto your choice of name for being too unusual. The solution is simple: Keep going at it. The list of potential baby names is endless; you just have to search till you find one you are both happy with. Besides, this is not the first thing about your baby that you will have to compromise on.

Does a Fight or an Argument Between Husband and Wife Affect the Child in the Womb?

In addition to the ones already mentioned, there are various causes of arguments and fights between pregnant couples. You will not realise when you start arguing with your partner during pregnancy and perhaps blame your pregnancy hormones, every time you do. However, please think twice before you start a verbal battle with your partner as your little one will be definitely listening. Some of the ways in which fights between husband and wife during pregnancy affect the unborn child are:

• Long periods of stress can lead to symptoms of depression and anxiety in both the mother and the baby. It can further result in miscarriage, premature delivery or stillbirth.
• Babies born under stressful conditions can have health complications like low birth weight and so on.
• Stress can also lead to an increase in blood pressure and hormonal imbalance, which can also cause miscarriage and preterm labour.
• Pregnancy anxiety has been known to increase the risks of postpartum depression, which is dangerous to both your health and your baby’s health too.

Pregnancy can lead to emotional turmoil affecting your bond with your partner. It is important that you pay attention to any potential triggers that could result in a fight, so as to safeguard your baby’s well-being. Understand that both partners have their own roles to play in this beautiful process, even though they have different perspectives. Reconcile your differences and build a stronger, healthier foundation for your new journey of parenthood.