• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Pregnancy Logo 2018

Pregnancy Magazine

Pregnancy and infancy news, tips, and reviews

“Great
  • Pregnancy
  • Labor & Delivery
  • Baby
  • Breastfeeding
  • Buyer’s Guide
  • mom

3 non-negotiables for romance (even with a baby)

by Kristy Rodriguez Leave a Comment

When parents truly love each other, it’s the best gift a child can receive.

Having a baby is the most joyous and challenging time. Everything changes from your schedules to how you view the world. It’s a big adjustment.

With a newborn, SLEEP becomes a priority. Nights are full of feedings and mornings start early. With a few practices, keep your romance burning brightly (no matter how many times the baby cries).

In honor of Valentine’s Day, I’m sharing my three non-negotiables for romance, so you can keep your relationship a priority.

  1. Speak Your Partner’s Love Language.

Knowing your partner’s love language will deeply nourish your relationship. The Love Language Quiz by Gary Chapman explains how someone can fill your love tank based on your romantic preferences. When you figure out yours and your partners’, you may be unknowingly upsetting them. Or thinking you’re being helpful when you’re doing something they don’t appreciate.

Think about past relationships. Just because someone didn’t love you in the way that you wanted them to, doesn’t mean they didn’t love you. They weren’t speaking your love language.

According to Gary, there are five love languages: 1) Physical Touch, 2) Quality Time, 3) Acts of Service, 4) Gifts, and 5) Words of Affirmation. Examples of physical touch are: holding hands, putting your hand on their leg while driving, hugs, and massages. Examples of quality time are cuddling on the couch watching your favorite show (Ours is Modern Family!), or going for a walk together. Acts of Service can be booking their spa appointment, doing the laundry (actually folding it and putting it away in 48 hours!), or washing the car. Gifts can be sending flowers, buying their favorite bread, or paying for dinner. Words of Affirmation are words of praise, appreciation, and love. You can say things like, “I’m so grateful to have you in my life, because you make me laugh!” or “I’m so lucky to have you, because you always listen to me when I’m upset. I really appreciate how much you care for me.”

Photo credit: https://www.5lovelanguages.com

Click here to learn your Love Language and have your partner take the quiz, too.

Was it what you thought it was?

Let’s say your partner’s love language is Acts of Service and yours is Physical Touch. Then you won’t get a massage until you fold the laundry.

  1. Appreciate Your Partner

The secret glue that keeps your bond alive isn’t sex or booking a surprise trip to the Bahamas. Although they’re fun! It’s an APPRECIATION.

The next time your partner does something thoughtful, tell them! Say, “Honey, thank you SO MUCH for cleaning up after dinner! You know how much studying means to me and I appreciate you taking care of the dishes, so I can concentrate on school work. I love you!”

Acknowledging the other person’s efforts makes them feel seen, heard, and held. Even a thank you note goes a long way. In fact, doing so makes your partner want to do more good things for you. It’s a win, win!

  1. Gaze into Each Other’s Eyes

With a newborn at home, time is PRECIOUS. I remember those first few months after bringing ___ home. My husband and I were utterly exhausted! Thank God parenting is a team effort. We were so grateful to have each other and made sure we made each other a priority in little ways.

I lived for the last five minutes when my head hit the pillow at night. Sometimes that’s all the time you have to kiss your partner and say, “I love you!”

Eye gazing is such an effective (and easy!) way to create intimacy and connection.

Before you go to bed, set the timer for one minute, and just stare into each other’s eyes. It may sound weird. I invite you to try it. You may get emotional as you feel feelings of warmth rush over you. That’s OK! You may want to talk. Try not to and get lost in the moment.

You are loved. From me. Your partner. And yourself.

Someone once told me that you should take care of yourself first, your marriage second, and your baby third. Maybe it’s the other way around: baby, partner, then self. Regardless of what you think, when you take care of yourself AND your lover, romance will stay alive.

How do you keep your romance alive with a baby? Let us know in the comments! Your words may inspire others!

Filed Under: Relationships Tagged With: Baby, husband, romance

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Peaceful Discipline by Sarah Moore

More to See

parent coaching

Parent Coaching: 3 Ways to Create a More Joyful Home

By Sarah Moore

The perfect workout for pregnant women (sponsored)

By Isa Herrera, MSPT CSCS

how to be a good mother

How to Be a Good Mother: 5 Ways To Raise Children with Love & Respect

By Sarah Moore

Aligned Parents webinar

By Paul Banas

Footer

Copyright 2023 Pregnancy Magazine Group

Emails powered by Wishpond: PregnancyWishpond

Dedicated WordPress hosting: PregnancyFlywheel

WordPress Theme: PregnancyTheme

This website provides information of a general nature and is designed for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for an examination by your healthcare provider. If you have any concerns about your own health or the health of your child, you should always consult with a physician or other healthcare professional. Please review the Terms of Use before using this site. Your use of the site indicates your agreement to be bound by the Terms of Use.

 

Recent

  • A Beginner’s Guide to Gentle Parenting: 5 Ways to Lead with Love
  • How to Be a Good Mother: 5 Ways To Raise Children with Love & Respect
  • Best Parenting Books: 28 Books That Will Change Your Life for the Better
  • Aligned Parents webinar
  • How to make sure your home is ready for the new addition to your family

Search

© Copyright 2023 Pregnancy Magazine Group · All Rights Reserved

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
SAVE & ACCEPT