The Post-Baby Conversation

What New Parents Need to Say to Each Other

Most couples experience relationship issues with the arrival of a new baby. The dramatic changes to both partners lives often means couples find it impossible to communicate effectively. Conversations about how responsibilities and the workload of a new baby will be shared, what will happen on weekends, and whose job it is to cook and clean are unexpectedly a source of great tension. When a modern couple becomes parents, both men and women develop expectations of what their partners should do and provide, often based on an outdated traditional model and many couples co-exist unhappily for years. While our parents may have been content to settle into traditional stereotypic roles, the current generation of parents is struggling to fit into these moulds. The author draws not only on her personal experiences but interviews over 100 people including couples with children, stay-at home dads, separated men and women, as well as professional psychologists and relationship counselors. Men might also feel intense financial pressure as they often become the sole income earner. They are getting less sex, less exercise, and less time with their mates and so their usual methods of stress release are inadequate. The author encourages couples to create something new and to learn new ways of relating to each other. This book will show couples how to re-balance their relationships, regain equality, and create understanding in their post-baby relationship.