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Pregnancy and Relationships: Your Marriage

For the final installment of my Pregnancy and Relationships series, I am going to talk about marriage. I’m saving the best for last, since pregnancy will have the greatest impact on the two people who started it. It’s hard to describe in 500 words or less the kind of changes that will take place when two people move from being a couple to a family. Suddenly, your whole world revolves around the well being and development of an eight pound, crying, pooping, drooling mess with big round eyes, dimples and a smile that will make you melt every time. The … Continue reading →

Pregnancy and Relationships: Parents

“The reason grandchildren and grandparents get along so well is that they have a common enemy.” ~Sam Levenson I can’t speak from personal experience on this topic. I can only say good things about the positive impact that having a child has had on an already great relationship with my parents. Becoming a mom has given me a clearer understanding of my childhood, of my parents as people (not just as “my parents”) and the sacrifices they made. During my pregnancy, we had a lot of fun preparing and celebrating. It was everything I ever wanted it to be, if … Continue reading →

Pregnancy and Relationships: Friends

An interesting phenomenon happens when a woman announces her pregnancy to her friends. Some will be genuinely excited. Some will experience heartbreak in the midst of infertility. Some will feel jealous if they have not yet reached the “baby stage” of life and would like to. Some may not feel much of anything. When a friend experiences anything other than genuine excitement, the potential for drama arises. Add some pregnancy hormones into the mix and you have recipe for disaster, but no relationship has to be doomed because there is a baby on the way. Pregnancy can cause heartbreak between … Continue reading →

Pregnancy and Relationships: In-Laws

For many women, the relationship they have with their spouse’s parent or parents can be a tedious one. When a new bride steps into the picture, she is entering established territory: a family with a long history and its own set of rules, expectations and hang-ups. Sometimes you see a woman form a strong friendship with her new mother-in-law, but more often than not, there is a little turbulence. It’s understandable; his parents may feel like they are losing a family member or they might be concerned about his new life. Some moms have a difficult time letting go and … Continue reading →

Pregnancy and Relationships: Introduction

There are milestones in a person’s life that dramatically impact her relationships with the people around her: learning to drive and gaining independence, going off to college, getting married, and having children are just a few. Her first pregnancy, the prelude to parenthood, has the potential to inspire, alienate, divide and strengthen the relationships in her life. How she copes with these changes can affect the bond between her and her child, her spouse, her parents, her in-laws and her friends. In the spirit of Christmas and family-togetherness, over the next few days, we’ll be discussing how pregnancy impacts each … Continue reading →

Helping Kids have a Clearer Vision of both Pregnancy and Parenting

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I’ve recently shared that statistically, as a group, teen mothers who place their babies for adoption fare better (in terms of staying in school and off the welfare rolls, and avoiding another premature pregnancy). I should also say that there are many young mothers who do a very good job of raising their babies. (To see one of our dedicated blogger’s series on being a young parent, click here.) I admit that I used to think two parents were always better than one. I now realize that being adopted does represent a loss for the baby as well as for … Continue reading →

Who Should Hold My Crying Baby?

I’m struggling with a seemingly never-ending dilemma of how long to let my baby cry when others are holding her. I want her grandparents, aunts, uncles, and others to be able to spend time with her. I realize that by holding her, they are able to bond with her and get to know her. However, I also don’t want this to happen at the expense of my daughter feeling secure and safe. Yes, she loves them, but there is no substitute for the kind of comfort and security a mother can provide. I’ve come up with a few ways to … Continue reading →

Book Review: Adopting After Infertility

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Adopting After Infertility differs from other adoption books in that it goes more deeply into the losses of infertility, attitudes toward family, and decision making, as well as parenting adopted children if that is the option chosen. The book is divided into three sections. Part One deals with the losses experienced by persons who are infertile. There are tips on self-care, dealing with the stresses of infertility, and handling family events and relatives’ baby showers. Rather than specific medical information on options, this book offers ways to consider the emotional impact of the various options such as hormone treatment, in … Continue reading →

In the News: Women Have Choices, Men Apparently Don’t

This is a difficult topic for me to write on and I ask for your patience as I try to explore it in all fairness. Today, I read an article about new legislation that was passed in the state of Michigan. House Bill 5882 puts into effect the Coercive Abortion Prevention Act. This law, for me, takes an ethically gray area and potentially explosive atmosphere and makes it a thousand times more dangerous. So what does this law do? The purpose of the law is to prevent and prohibit the putative father of a pregnant woman’s baby from intimidating or … Continue reading →