8.
“I don’t think people really realize how much of a strain having kids can put on a relationship unless you really are working as a team. Sleep deprivation alone is enough to make anyone feel snappy. If one of you gets significantly more sleep than the other, resentment can build up. Moms often feel like they’ve lost their identity while, for the most part, the dads’ lives don’t change all that much. They go out to work almost straight away, and they can still go out or see their friends without too much forward planning. Then, being at home alone with a baby all day while your husband works can create feelings of loneliness and jealousy.”
“Moms often become the default parent if their kids need to be out of school for an illness or school holidays. They’re often left to carry the mental load of the day-to-day things and act as the household manager since their husbands only do things after being asked, like taking out the rubbish, cleaning up, etc. Fortunately, my husband and I have been a team since day one and always split the night feeds. I also had a lot of friends and family nearby, so my baby and I could spend time with them. Being in lockdown during my maternity leave was a blessing because my husband was there during the day to give me a break if needed. And we’ve always tried to have nights off with just the two of us, either for an evening or a night away if we can manage a babysitter.”