Photo: Jeff Jacobson
No relationship is free of challenges. Every couple — even the strongest and best of them — goes through hard times at least once in a while. Whether you have financial problems or are simply having trouble communicating effectively, your relationship will have a hiccup or two.
And while couples trying to have a baby are the last you might expect to have such hiccups, conception problems can put undue strain on an otherwise healthy relationship. Follow these simple pieces of relationship advice to get you through a potentially rough patch.
Start with a good foundation
Presumably (and hopefully), the reason you’ve decided to have a baby is you want to share the strong love you have for each other with a new addition to your family. A relationship built on love and trust can survive just about any hardship. As you struggle with conception and/or fertility problems, remember your reasons for wanting a baby to begin with, and you will pull through together.
Remember that there is likely more than one answer
The last thing you want to do when you’ve struggling with infertility is to play the blame game. Today’s world is busier and more stressful than ever, and we’re learning more and more that fertility problems exist in both men and women. From work-related stress, to poor eating habits, to what kind of underwear you prefer, the number of factors involved in fertility issues is seemingly infinite. Instead of looking for something or someone to point the finger at, focus instead on the solutions. Together, you can both work it out.
Ask for help
Conception problems can be caused by a wide range of factors. Thankfully, the options for diagnosing and treating the causes are equally plentiful. From dietary supplements to acupuncture sessions to IVF treatments, the possibilities are endless. Chances are good you’re not a fertility expert. So don’t act like it. If you’re having trouble for an extended period of time, seek professional advice.
Pressure grows with time
After the first unsuccessful month of trying, you most likely won’t even give it a thought. Ovulation cycles can be tricky to track, and it’s rare to hit the bullseye on the first throw. But by the time several unsuccessful months have passed, the pressure can start to build. Both you and your partner will feel anxious, frustrated, or even discouraged. When this happens, try to remember that it sometimes takes a good bit of time for no apparent reason (it took my wife and I almost eight months), and that there are available treatments for when your patience does run thin. And don’t forget: being with your partner wasn’t always about making a baby. Intimacy and a good sex life go hand-in-hand with a sound mind and body, and keeping that in mind can help with fertility issues, too.
Relax
When the day finally comes that you learn of your upcoming arrival, all the angst and frustration will melt away in an instant, and you will be left with the same loving partner you had during, and before, the whole ordeal. And if, for whatever reason, you are unable to conceive, you and your partner will need that love even more than ever. And if that’s the case, you’ll be even more grateful for each other.
About Jeff Jacobson
Socrates understood himself to be the smartest man in Athens because he knew at least enough to know he knew nothing. That's me. I'm an inconsistently successful father, stepfather, husband, and writer. But at least I know it.
Web | More Posts (62)Related posts: