Maintaining a Healthy Relationship with Spouse During Pregnancy - Social Emotional

There are many ways to nurture relationships between significant others during pregnancy that can address the needs of both partners. Even though the focus is often on the pregnant mother, care needs to be taken to account for the emotional challenges her partner is also facing.

• Checking with the obstetrician for any concerns related to the well-being of the baby
• Talking with each other about concerns, comforts, and needs
• Respecting the body changes that the pregnant woman is going through during pregnancy
• Finding new ways to express and receive their physical needs

Keep the intimacy – Relationships often suffer during pregnancy as the physical intimacy levels or experiences change. Sometimes these changes happen because of physical requirements (change in size or comfort levels), medical necessity (an obstetrician places limits or restrictions on physical intimacy for the sake of a healthy pregnancy), and emotional reasons (changes in self-esteem). Physical intimacy is often a key ingredient in relationships, and when it is changed, can have negative impacts that pull at the close ties that once existed between significant others