The Challenge for New Parents

Whenever a couple chooses to have a child, their life will go through many changes. Their hopes for the future are contained in a small bundle of joy, but they are also terrified that one wrong move will have the worst of consequences. Both parents are often suffering from a lack of sleep during those first critical months after birth, and few of them are willing to admit they are terrified they will be unable to keep their child safe. The stress they experience at this time can make or break their relationship.

It is often the smallest of things that will upset their fragile relationship with each other, and failure to recognize the stress both of them are experiencing can lead to a rift between them. Each of them is experiencing emotions that might not be familiar to them, and their self-esteem can become almost nonexistent. If their partner points out something they are doing incorrectly, it can lead to an argument between the two that can last for days, weeks or even years.

Hurt feelings can deeply affect anyone, and being vulnerable in this situation can last a lifetime for some. Their feelings of inadequacy, usually kept well-hidden, can burst out at any time. Their partner might not realize how terrified they are, so sharing their fears does not always occur unless an event brings them out. The rift between them can turn into a chasm if they do not know how to lean on each other at this time.

Few parents are truly prepared for all the adjustments necessary to adding children to their relationship, but the first one tends to be the most difficult. Feelings of personal inadequacy are often the cause of their emotional crisis, and lack of communication can turn their perfect joy into a cause to reassess their feelings about remaining together.