By: Jessica Stanford
Let’s face it, the moment you give birth to your wonderful new baby, the last thing on your mind is romance. You are completely exhausted and filled with so many new thoughts that whether or not you’re going to miss Victoria’s Secret next sale, is completely beyond insignificant.
I know there are many couples that are probably concerned about where this particular road will take them. For one, my husband and I were newlyweds when we started trying to conceive. Yup, we just jumped right into it. When I finally became pregnant, I began to wonder how our new baby would affect our relationship in that taboo department. I knew our baby would bring us closer, but would my husband also feel left out when my days and nights would be devoted almost entirely to someone else?
Truthfully, I started reading up on this very subject and everything seemed to point to the same direction; a couple needs to communicate and share child rearing responsibilities to ensure that there’s time for each other.
To help with this process and the delivery, we of course took birthing classes. I think my husband was actually quite fascinated with all of the new things he was learning; perhaps too fascinated as he would actually talk to our friends about the fetus’ developmental stages.
We also made it a point to work on the baby room together, continued going out on dinner dates and he would often accompany me during my walks for exercise. Through those walks, we would talk about our expectations, excitement and concerns. I think it was also a great way to bond and he was able to put me at ease on the things I was worrying myself mad about.
After I delivered Harrison, I had a bit of post partum and was exhausted from a complicated labor. As the days drew out and I was able to start truly enjoying motherhood, I found my husband and I spending more time together. I could see all of the emotions I felt during my pregnancy coming to life in him.
To boot, suddenly, I started noticing little things he was doing that I felt so grateful for. A man (honey I love you) who had difficulty putting his used coffee cup in the sink was actually running the dishwasher. He also started vacuuming (music to my ears) and even bought Swiffers so that he could help dust! From time to time, especially during the weekends, he would also volunteer to take care of the late night feedings so I could catch up on some almost-uninterrupted sleep. Which, by the way, I have to thank Prince Lionheart for making great bottles.
So romance? Romance for us took on a completely new meaning. It was not just about fancy dinners or Hallmark cards. Romance became an appreciation for deeper respect. Now, don’t get me wrong, we work very hard to keep a flame burning and cherish nights when we can just escape to each other, but when you have a child, little things like washed dishes can make you cry with happiness.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I know there are many couples that are probably concerned about where this particular road will take them. For one, my husband and I were newlyweds when we started trying to conceive. Yup, we just jumped right into it. When I finally became pregnant, I began to wonder how our new baby would affect our relationship in that taboo department. I knew our baby would bring us closer, but would my husband also feel left out when my days and nights would be devoted almost entirely to someone else?
Truthfully, I started reading up on this very subject and everything seemed to point to the same direction; a couple needs to communicate and share child rearing responsibilities to ensure that there’s time for each other.
To help with this process and the delivery, we of course took birthing classes. I think my husband was actually quite fascinated with all of the new things he was learning; perhaps too fascinated as he would actually talk to our friends about the fetus’ developmental stages.
We also made it a point to work on the baby room together, continued going out on dinner dates and he would often accompany me during my walks for exercise. Through those walks, we would talk about our expectations, excitement and concerns. I think it was also a great way to bond and he was able to put me at ease on the things I was worrying myself mad about.
After I delivered Harrison, I had a bit of post partum and was exhausted from a complicated labor. As the days drew out and I was able to start truly enjoying motherhood, I found my husband and I spending more time together. I could see all of the emotions I felt during my pregnancy coming to life in him.
To boot, suddenly, I started noticing little things he was doing that I felt so grateful for. A man (honey I love you) who had difficulty putting his used coffee cup in the sink was actually running the dishwasher. He also started vacuuming (music to my ears) and even bought Swiffers so that he could help dust! From time to time, especially during the weekends, he would also volunteer to take care of the late night feedings so I could catch up on some almost-uninterrupted sleep. Which, by the way, I have to thank Prince Lionheart for making great bottles.
So romance? Romance for us took on a completely new meaning. It was not just about fancy dinners or Hallmark cards. Romance became an appreciation for deeper respect. Now, don’t get me wrong, we work very hard to keep a flame burning and cherish nights when we can just escape to each other, but when you have a child, little things like washed dishes can make you cry with happiness.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jessica lives in Marblehead, MA and spends her time taking care of a 7-month old Harrison, an understanding husband and a small home business.She has recently found a fascination with homemade baby food recipes and would appreciate any good ones. During her “me” time, she can be found painting or indulging in fashion magazines, in hopes that her feet will one day return to a 6.5 so that she can fit her old pumps again.
She is embracing every moment of motherhood and enthusiastic about what new adventures it brings.
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