“The quality of your intimacy is strongly influenced by the quality of your recovery. The more you focus on healing, the better you can feel when being intimate, and the more you can enjoy it. That is what’s most important.” View this video of postpartum intimacy from Nurse Nikki. Read her blog about talking about […]
My Partner
Families are dynamic and diverse. Although policies and the media in the United States continue to focus on families formed by married, opposite gender, heterosexual couples, we acknowledge and honor that families come in many different shapes and sizes. There are single-parent families, families headed by same-sex couples, stepfamilies, families with adopted children, and foster families, just to name a few. Moreover, an increasing number of today’s families are formed through living together rather than marriage.
In this section, we hope to provide some resources and conversation starters while also holding up the diversity of family relationships. More people are writing about what it means to be partnered and/or co-parenting which is very important. Dani McClain, for example, speaks to the unique experience of black family parenting in her blog. If you have resources to share please do!
For many new parents, a connection to a committed romantic partner offers an anchor during the transition to parenthood. However, not all partners are available to be part of the postpartum process – for many reasons, including work-related demands or military deployment. Other partners might choose to be uninvolved. For some new mothers, a sibling, best friend, or parent may become their true parenting partner. Couples comprised of two moms or two dads may face additional challenges in this journey as well as people who are trans and non-binary. Please let us know how we can continue building the information in this section for your unique experiences.
Some partners transition into parenting pretty easily as a team, while others struggle to negotiate roles and expectations. For some partnerships, the baby brings them together, and for others, a baby can add strain to the relationship.
This is all common.
Few people talk about the work required for partners to stay connected during the 4th Trimester and beyond. Adding a baby into the mix is demanding, and patience can run thin. There are also times when mom or baby have health concerns that require longer hospital stays. This can put extra pressure on everyone. Although relationships take work, you can come through strong. Partners can show love and commitment to their baby, to each other, and to their family in many ways during their journey together.
Topics in My Partner
Partner
Partner
Moms – this section is for you to share with your partner and/or closest support person! WELCOME TO PARENTHOOD! Babies are wonderful and change everything – including your partner! If you aren’t sure how to help, at what times, and how often, having a conversation to find out what SHE NEEDS is the starting point. […]
Relationship Changes After Baby
Relationship Changes After Baby
The birth or adoption of a baby is a major life change. This will affect your relationships. From emotional connection, communication, physical touch, and partnership dynamics – a lot may shift. Whether you’re feeling closer than ever to your partner or worlds apart, communication is at the heart of understanding. Priorities may have changed in […]
Safer Sleep
Safer Sleep
Sleep and safety around sleep arrangements is important for everyone in the family. There are steps you can take to making sure that baby’s sleep environment is as safe as possible. The American Academy of Pediatricians (AAP) recommends that babies sleep safest alone (on a separate surface from their parents, siblings, or pets), on their […]
Tobacco, Vaping, Smoking
Tobacco, Vaping, Smoking
Now that you are a new parent, it is still very important to take care of yourself and to keep you and your baby healthy. One of the most important ways to do this is to be tobacco free, including the use of vaping products. If you quit while you were pregnant (or your partner […]
Trusting My Partner to Care for Baby
Trusting My Partner to Care for Baby
It is common for women to want to be the main caretaker of their newborns. New moms are very connected to their infants, especially during the 4th Trimester. Many women struggle to leave their baby to the care of others, even from people they trust and love deeply. It can be scary or upsetting to […]
Vehicle Safety
Vehicle Safety
Getting out and about with a newborn safely is an important step that can also present some challenges. Car seats can be tricky to install – they fit in cars in different ways and can be complicated. Most community fire departments offer car seat checks to ensure car seats are installed properly. There are also […]
When Partners Are Away
When Partners Are Away
Some women have partners who are not physically present to help care for a new baby and provide ongoing support to the family. Partner absence could result from being pulled away for work responsibilities, deployed as part of their military service or in prison or jail. A partners’ absence requires a lot of family change, […]