On January 8th, Central CT New Parent Resources Meet Up launched 2013 with the hope and promise of nourishing parent’  relationships with each other “after baby”.  My husband Andy and I had a great time speaking with these loving parents about their greatest gift to their babies: strong relationships with each other. Moms and Dads were eager to know how to keep their marital/partnership relationships strong while giving their babies the time and attention they need. It is SO important; two out of three couples report decreased satisfaction with each other after babies arrive.

Everyone “knows” that a strong couple’s relationship benefits babies, but many are surprised to learn that babies of unhappy parents can suffer developmentally and have a harder time learning to soothe themselves.  Babies who are cared for by parents who are content with each other have parents who are more attentive to them; who more easily respond to baby’s cues and are able to tolerate babies’ crying with more patience.  It is essential to give your relationship the time and attention that it deserves: it is the foundation of your growing family.

The core of our discussion included Dr.s John and Julia Gottman’s “3 As” of affection, appreciation, and admiration, along with our two additional “A’s” of  acceptance and attention. These are some of the essential ingredients for our “recipe” for a strong, loving relationship.  We will explore these principles and more in our spring workshop at Blue Back Square “From We to Three”: registration is limited, click here to register today.