Marriage can be hard, especially when you toss a baby in the mix.
I remember my married pre-baby days well. We used to sleep in on the weekends, have long talks in the evenings, and going out to eat on a whim. Things changed after our first one came along. I had read the Babywise book and became gung-ho about getting my newborn on a regular feeding and sleeping schedule. As a result, my whole life became scheduled. I needed a routine to maintain my sanity, but I lost our let’s-go-out-on-and-do-something-on-a-whim aspect of our relationship.
So I decided to bring it back (some) aspects of surprise in my marriage (within “mama-with-a-baby” reason, of course!) Here are five way you can thrive in your marriage after a baby:
- Know it’s only for a season. Babies grow up, get on sleep schedules (we hope!), and learn to tie their shoes. But really, the newborn/baby stage will come to an end. If you keep this in mind, it will give you some perspective.
- Order pizza. That’s right. Don’t feel like you have to be superwoman. Having pizza on the couch after the children are asleep is a great time to have some bonding time.
- Get wild and wear clean pajamas to bed. Basically, look presentable! This is my struggle and I talked about it in this post. Maintaining good appearances keeps things fun
- If you have to outsource something to have some couple time, do it. Hire a babysitter. Get on a meal exchange with some friends. Or have someone come in and clean your house if you can afford it. Delegating some activities will free up your time for maintaining your marriage and your sanity!
- If you need to talk it out with a counselor, do that too. (Or attend a marriage retreat!) A lot of times negative patterns arise in our relationships during times of stress and change, and having a baby is a big change! Spending time with a trained professional can help you and your spouse get through that tough baby stage.
{This post is part of the Thrifty Thursday Link Up!}
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