Adjusting to parenthood

Adjusting to the responsibilities of parenthood takes some time, particularly if it means dramatic changes to your lifestyle. But you'll soon find that watching your baby grow and develop will bring you great joy as you start to experience the closeness that only a family can bring.

You and baby: the first weeks

At one time women weren't expected to appear in public for some while after giving birth. They spent this time getting their strength back. A period of peace and relaxation in the days immediately following the birth of a baby is vital. It gives both partners a chance to celebrate the birth,...
Read the article
Making love again after pregnancy

You probably won't feel like making love in the first days, or even weeks, after giving birth. The sheer physical exhaustion of labour and the drastic changes in your hormone levels after delivery combine to lessen sexual desire.
Read the article
Changes to your lifestyle as parents

Caring for a new baby is a demanding, exhausting job that can turn your lives upside down. Fitting in all the demands on your time and energy can be difficult, but if you approach the situation sensibly and make plans together before the birth, you'll find you can cope with the disruption and...
Read the article
Making time for yourselves

At first, it may be more difficult than you'd thought to settle into your new roles as parents. One of the most difficult changes to manage is lack of time. Most of your waking and sleeping hours will be devoted to the care of your new baby at first.
Read the article
Miriam's casebook - First-time dad

Emma is James and Sarah's first baby. She was born in hospital one day before Sarah's due date. The medical staff had undertaken routine examinations and decided that the baby was “small for dates”. They advised James and Sarah that it was better to induce the birth rather than wait for nature to...
Read the article
The baby clash: couples on the rocks

Is it myth or reality that more and more couples split after the arrival of a baby? Some psychologists even talk of a ‘baby clash’ to describe this phenomenon…
Read the article