Marriage Challenges Faced After Children Arrive

 Posted on December 00,0000 in Children of divorce

Trying to manage a busy household gets more challenging when a baby arrives. There’s nothing quite like a child to change the routines and habits of a married couple, and sometimes those challenges are simply too much for the marriage to succeed. Couples that struggle to adapt might be facing relationship problems, and could even be contemplating divorce.

Since a baby can change the landscape of a marriage so much, more mental health professionals are encouraging couples to head into pre-baby counseling to discuss some of the most pertinent issues related to having a child. Hospitals, too, are incorporating more of these relationship skills alongside basic parenting education. This is happening because professionals believe that couples spend too much time on the “fun” aspects of pre-baby arrival preparation, like decorating a nursery, and too little time on preparing for the relationship adjustments.

According to the Relationship Research Institute in Seattle, nearly two-thirds of couples note that their relationship quality declines within three years after a child is born. Men and women report adjusting differently: women note the decline in their marriage right away, while it takes men several months to notice a deterioration.

Trying to divvy up household responsibilities, adapting to the needs of a young one, and stress from limited sleep and work schedules are just a few of the challenges that new parents might encounter. Some of the programs that have popped up to help new couples adjust to life recommend that married couples spend at least twenty minutes per day talking to one another.

In some situations, the damage is too deep. If you find out after the birth of the child that you and your partner feel differently in key areas, you might be thinking about whether ending your marriage is best for the child. If you want to talk over your options, contact an Illinois divorce attorney today.