It is easy to fantasize about how your life will be before having a child, but as every parent knows, that changes quickly once the baby arrives. Simple tasks such as cooking dinner or taking a shower, become difficult to manage, let alone trying to maintain a relationship. Maintaining and even improving your relationship is possible after having a child, as long as both partners make the absolute decision to do it together.
Relationships can strengthen through parenthood, when both parents learn to embrace expectations and work through whatever is thrown your way. Here are the reasons why having a baby improve relationships:
Communication and Expectations
It is important to communicate and to talk about expectations in everyday life. When you become a parent, this is more important. Having a baby will allow you and your partner to master the art of communication and expectations. In order for everything to work (diapers getting changed, baby getting feed, and parents getting their sleep), both partners will need to be able to communicate effectively what is needed and expected. You will find that honesty and openness will become the main factors of your communication style.
Listening
You will find that both you and your partner will become great listeners. Listening has been a relationship blunder for years, but after having a baby, you will suddenly develop listening skills. Listening to each other and working through solutions will come easier, as you will both understand where the other is coming from.
Team work
Suddenly you will have the best team work there is. You will need to adopt tag-team sleep methods, taking turns getting up with the baby, and more. You will both be willing to give and take equally, but it will all be worth it.
The experience of having a child will not only create a new perspective of your partner, but it will open another, entirely different feeling towards your partner. While you still need to make your relationship a priority, you will be happy going through this new adventure together.