Four Tips to Help You Stay Connected After Your Baby is Born

A new baby's impact on a marriage is strong. Many couples forget about that when they consider the joys of parenthood. They think about the baby giggles, and fixing up the nursery. They get excited as they try and come up with the perfect name for their little bundle of joy. Rarely do parents-to-be sit around and talk about 2am feedings, poopy diapers, colic, and the enormous costs of disposable diapers, wipes, formula, and the additional doctor bills that will come. Nor do they think about the extra person who is going to demand most of the attention that was usually showered on one another.

How do you cope with the dramatic changes that come with adding a baby to your family?

-Prepare yourself. Read books. Talk to other parents about what to expect. Take a parenting class. The more informed you are, the less surprised you will be.

-Make your relationship a priority. It can be easy to put your relationship on hold as you are learning how to be good parents. You want to take good care of your baby, and in that process it can be easy to forget to take good care of one another as well. Don't forget to take a few moments out of every day to spend reconnecting with each other. Remember that you were friends and lovers before you ever became parents.

-Go on a date night once a week. This is extremely important for your relationship. Not only does it get you out of your routine surroundings, it gives you the opportunity to just have some fun together. Many couples don't go on date nights because they think they can't afford it. A weekly date can be anything, however, from a picnic in the park to dinner and a movie. It does not have to cost a lot of money.

-Find a babysitter you can trust. This is essential. When you leave your baby in someone else's care, you will not be able to relax and enjoy one another if you are constantly worrying if your baby is being well taken care of. There are babysitting services where the sitters have a criminal background check, and are qualified in other ways as well (such as CPR and First Aid). You may also be able to enlist the help of a trusted family member. Take your time in choosing a sitter for your baby.

Cindy and Rick were hesitant to get a sitter. They did not feel comfortable leaving their baby with someone they did not know, despite the person being very qualified. Both Cindy and Rick's parents lived hundreds of miles away, so they had no family to help them out either. As a result, Cindy and Rick made the mistake of never going anywhere alone together. Everywhere they went, the baby went with them. The couple began to see the toll it was taking on their marriage. Finally, they reached out and found a sitter they could rely on. They never regretted the decision because their relationship was renewed. They did not have to spend a lot of money on their dates. One of their favorite dates was going for a picnic and a walk in the local park.

By following the above tips, you will be on your way to lessening the negative impact on your relationship when your baby arrives.