Some stresses are to be expected. Newborns will always cry in the middle of the night and wake up their parents, leading to little or no sleep and lots of cups of coffee. Sometimes, a diaper has to be changed a few hours before an important meeting in the morning. Such is the life of parenting.
Sleep deprivation can make parents irritable, leading to them taking their frustrations out on each other and straining their relationship. It is not impossible to overcome; it just take patience and communication.
Socially, babies can have a pretty big impact. People are always going to want to see the baby, including relatives who live far away yet still expect you to make the time to visit.
Some friendships suffer with the arrival of a baby. A new parent just does not have the time they used to have anymore, and friends who don’t have kids will most likely not understand how stressful your life has become. On the bright side, this is an opportunity to see who your real friends are.
Mothers find themselves worried about their kids, sometimes for no reason, and may become overwhelmed. This is just the maternal instinct kicking in, and is nothing to worry about.
Men also get protective of their children, feeling the responsibility and rising to the occasion.
And most important, the needs of one become the needs of two or three. People can no longer afford to be focused on just themselves; they have a little one to think about now.
The changes that come with being a parent are numerous and drastic; no one should face them unprepared. With the support of your partner behind you, you can face it head-on.
