If you’ve been reading this blog for any period of time, you likely know my pathway to children has been a windy one.  That’s why I’m so grateful for all the wonderful contributors of this club who give a beautiful perspective on remaining blissful in marriage…even after children.

Enjoy one of our favorite bloggers, Paula Rollo.

Until tomorrow…make it a great day!

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Life with a newborn can be challenging, never mind trying to keep the romance alive in marriage, knowing full well that the baby could interrupt at any moment. So what’s a couple to do?

Alex and I have successfully made it through the newborn stage twice in less than 3 years, so I’m here to share a few tips for keeping the romance alive and the marriage strong, even with tiny babies!

1. Plan Ahead -  Before kids, you could go out on a date whenever you wanted or stay up all night chatting, with a baby, it takes a lot of planning ahead to make any of that happen, but it can still be done!
2. Expect Plans to change - All the planning in the world can’t change a sick baby or a sleepless night! Many times the best laid plans will fall to pieces, don’t get discouraged when this happens, just keep trying!
3. Date Night - After baby comes along, date night becomes much more complex; organizing babysitters, bottles and bedtimes it can sometimes seem like more of a hassle than it’s worth, but don’t neglect it! If you don’t have a sitter, there are some fun ways to bring date night to your house, and have a romantic night in! All it takes is a little imagination and the desire to make it happen.
4. Take a Nap - It sounds silly but sometimes napping can be important to a marriage! If you run yourself ragged taking care of kids all day (and night), by the time your spouse comes home you have nothing left to offer. Don’t let yourself feel guilty if you need a nap, taking time to rest is good for you, and your marriage!
5. Talk about it - Keeping the lines of communication open is important now, more than ever before. Discuss the challenges you are each facing as you create your new life, warn each other if you are having a rough day and find creative ways to support each other through it all! A little chat can go a long way in keeping the romance alive.
6. Remember your spouse - After my kids were born, it was so easy for me to get wrapped up in their needs, and even my own that I would forget that my husband had needs too. Take time to think about your spouse and ways you can show him love, the extra effort may take a bit of energy, but it will be well worth it to let him know how much you love and appreciate him!
7. Be patient - Even though it feels like it might, this season of life won’t last forever, the baby won’t always keep you up all night and you will have energy again (yes, even before the kids are out of the house!).

Marriage does change a lot after baby, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing!  Take it from Alex and me, we know.

QUESTION: How do you keep the romance alive with kids?

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