The Psychology of Everyday Life:Love, Marriage, and the Baby Carriage

Pregnancy

How do parents’ relationships with their own parents tend to change with a pregnancy?

Overall, families tend to become closer when a new generation is born. Mothers and daughters, in particular, come together as new mothers need considerable support and information during this period. Early adulthood is often a time during which adult children and their parents lead fairly independent lives, as young adults aim to establish their separate life and identity. In pregnancy, however, that trajectory is reversed. Expectant parents need furniture, baby clothes, maternity clothing, advice, and even help with everyday tasks if the pregnancy becomes physically demanding. At this point, grandparents often step back into a caretaking, or at least supportive, role. In some cases, this can lead to control battles, but frequently the shared devotion to the new baby enhances the relationship between new parents and their own parents.



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