AOS1 U2 Health - Considerations associated with becoming a parent

Parental responsibility

• Protect their child from harm

• Provide their child with food, clothing and housing

• Financially support their child

• Provide safety, supervision and control

• Provide an education

• Provide medical care

Sacrifices, lifestyle adjustments and child needs

• Making necessary diet, health and lifestyle changes to ensure a healthy pregnancy.

• Stepping back from previous social routines, hobbies and spontaneous activities to care for a newborn

• Managing shifts in partner relationships, increased household duties

• Shifting financial priorities, building savings prior to birth

How relationships change with a new baby

• Conversations move from emotional connections to task-oriented things like schedules, fees, sleep.

• Less individual time and lower energy levels can lead to feelings like distance and disconnection.

Stressors

• A lack of sleep can have a major effect on mood, energy and the ability to think clearly.

• Previous choices about dining out, travel and use of leisure time will be re-evaluated and most often reprioritised.