Dating tips for new parents
With all the diapers, laundry, and night feedings currently crowding your world, date night with your partner may seem like an unnecessary luxury. It’s not.
Believe it or not, spending time together on a date is almost as important as all that diaper changing, says Carolyn Pirak, director of Bringing Baby Home, a program that focuses on relationship building for new parents.
“Research shows that reconnecting as a couple is crucial to surviving the transition to parenthood — and it has implications for the long-term health and well-being of the family and child,” Pirak says.
Granted, your dating priorities have probably changed. Instead of worrying about what you’ll wear, eat, and talk about on your date, you’re more likely to worry about what your baby will wear, eat, and, well, gurgle about while you’re gone.
Sometimes these worries can feel overwhelming, but with some planning they don’t have to be. Here’s how to make those first post-baby dates enjoyable — even if you end up not remembering much about them!
Dating tips
Find a trustworthy sitter
Plan ahead for feedings
Lose the guilt
Have realistic expectations
Forget the fighting