There are many books on the market today that focus on one of the most significant life experiences a woman can go through – pregnancy. For some women the experience is one of the most rewarding they have ever had, for others, it is a time of fear and dread. Dealing with the unknown can send us on a search for as much information as we can get, somehow being knowledgeable helps us feel a little more in control. A lot of mothers-to-be enjoy reading every scrap of information they can find about the developing baby. Most pregnancy articles focus on the mother and child, on what to eat, how to stay physically healthy and avoid stretch marks. Of course, these are very valuable and informative.
Rarely do the articles focus on keeping the marriage relationship healthy during this period of change or on giving children one of the most important gifts we can give them for their growth – stability.
“The most important thing a man can do for his children is to love their mother.”
Your Daily Walk through the Bible’ by Bruce H. Wilkinson
Bruce Wilkinson says “The most important thing a man can do for his children is to love their mother.” It can also be said that the most important thing a mother can do for her children is to love her husband. God created marriage as the foundation of the family when the foundation is secure; you are providing a healthy environment for your children to grow and develop.
Pregnancy can place a lot of strain on a marriage relationship. The physical and hormonal changes that a woman goes through are huge. The once level headed woman can appear to have changed into an emotional mess. Here are some tips for keeping a stable, loving relationship in the midst of change.
Tips
Get enough sleep: Everything seems so much worse when you are tired so don’t be tempted to try keeping the same hours as you did before becoming pregnant.
Make time for each other: It is easy to become distracted and neglect to put time into your relationship.
Communicate: Express how you both are feeling, don’t just talk about the baby.
Make Love: Physical intimacy is a necessary part of the marriage relationship, don’t neglect each other (if you have been advised to abstain due to medical reasons then make sure you express your love for each other in other ways).
Be Understanding: Be considerate and understanding with each other during this time of transition, don’t be self-centred be relationship centred.
Pray: Pregnancy can be a time of worry and concern, perhaps you are concerned about how you will cope as parents or how you will cope financially. Remember that you can bring everything to God and He will help you through.
by Lainey Hitchman
