Transition to Parenthood: How a First Baby Changes a Marriage by Jay Belsky
More than half of marriages go into decline once a couple becomes a family. The new tensions which arise during the three years after a first baby's arrival - the division of domestic work, financial worries, chronic fatigue, and the loss of personal freedom - can rock even the happiest of marriages. In this least understood phase of the marital cycle, Belsky and Kelly's study shows that these are not pressures caused by the baby, but by five key variables which are present in a couple's relationship from the moment they meet. It is the ability to make these variables work for you which can be the difference between success and failure in the transition to parenthood. Belsky and Kelly - with the help of many case histories - show how you can preserve and enhance the most important relationship in your life.