Nurturing a Healthy Relationship During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a time to rejoice the soon-to-be status of being a parent, but it is also a time for nurturing your relationship with your partner. Pregnancy brings about emotional and physical changes in the woman, and it also brings emotional changes in the man. At such a time, it is important to know what each of you are going through and discuss the new roles that both are going to assume.

Communication is a necessary tool for nurturing healthy relationships in pregnancy, just like at other times. Here are some tips to help you start a conversation. 

Feelings about being pregnant – both the positives and negatives

A big change is going to come in your lives. Discuss any feelings, anxieties, concerns, or excitement you feel. Talk about how you would like the responsibilities to be shared. Try to talk in a way that explains your views, rather than blaming your partner. Also take time to discuss how you both are going to make time for each other once the baby comes. 

Plan your finances

With the arrival of a new member in the family, the finances might change drastically. Discuss and decide on what is necessary for you to spend on and what are the things each of you think of as an indulgence. Budget your expenses and plan on better investments and savings. 

Customs, and rituals to follow as a family

Talk about your hopes and dreams for your family and what rituals and traditions are important to you both. You could even share some of the memories of your favourite traditions from your childhood, which you would love to carry forward as you raise your own family. 

Individual parenting styles

It is an issue on which many partners have conflicts. If your parenting styles turn out to be different from your partner’s, then you would need to work out on a mutual consensus about it. For this, you might need to work on solving problems together using negotiation and compromise. 

Change in sexual needs

Be open and honest about your sexual needs to avoid misunderstandings. Do not let the other person guess what’s in your mind. Due to the increase in responsibilities, and the bodily and emotional changes, partners might feel differently about sex, at such times. 

Practice listening

Listen to each other as you talk. Good listening is about letting your partner finish talking before you speak. Check what you understood of the discussion by summarising your conversation before you conclude. 

Above all, do not forget, this is your time to enjoy each other’s company and relax your mind and body. So be more playful in your conversations and bond deeply with each other, making the most of your time together.