Although being pregnant is typically a very exciting time
in a woman's life, it may become stressful if you begin to feel an
uncomfortable distance between you and your spouse. During pregnancy, it is
more important than ever that you keep a good bond between you and your partner
in order to stay connected before the challenges of raising a newborn disrupt
your time together. In order to reconnect with your husband while pregnant,
invite him to your doctor's appointments, express yourself, make him
comfortable through the changes you are experiencing and create relationship
boundaries.
One basic way to reconnect with your husband during
pregnancy is to invite him to your doctor's appointments, where he will get the
opportunity to listen to the baby's heartbeat and keep up to date on her
growth. You may choose to find out the sex of the baby and view the ultrasound
together. Your husband may even ask how he can help out during delivery when
the third trimester approaches. Including your husband in your doctor's
appointments will show him that you want him involved during this special time
and that pregnancy is not all about you and your individual experience as a
woman.
Express Yourself
Talk to your husband about all the emotions you are
experiencing during your pregnancy in order to bond with him and keep him aware
of how you are feeling. Ian Kerner, a sex and relationships counselor and
author of "Love in the Time of Colic," reports on "Baby
Center" that a woman tends to silence her emotions in times of stress,
which is unhealthy and may even lead to high blood pressure and heart disease.
Instead, choose to live harmoniously with your husband by improving your
communication with him and setting aside time each day to reconnect.
Make Him Comfortable
As your body and emotions are undergoing rapid
transitions during pregnancy, keep your husband comfortable by informing him
about what is going on with you and allowing him to bond with you in a physical
way. According to the "Family Education" website, you and your
husband should sign up for a couple's massage class or even take showers together
in order to discourage boundaries that may have formed because of the changes
in your body. The more comfortable your husband is with all of your personal
transformations, the more fun both of you will have during this season in your
life and the less inhibited you will feel in your marriage.
Create Boundaries Ahead of Time
The changes a baby will bring to your relationship are
drastic, so it is important to remember that you are a couple first, and
parents second. Patty Brisben, noted expert in the fields of intimacy and
relationships and CEO and founder of the "Pure Romance" website,
recommends in "Hitched" magazine that you resist talking about the
baby with your husband all the time. Instead, recognize that the relationship
you have with your partner is separate from the relationship you will have with
your child and that you make nurturing your marriage a priority. Establishing
this distinction early on will go a long way in keeping you two connected
during pregnancy and after your baby is born.