Having a baby challenges couples with many changes in their routines and relationship. In a matter of hours, a family goes from an adult couple whose life often revolves around their own interests, to a three-person family with a little one requiring twenty-four hour care. I remember one of my friends exclaiming when she found she was pregnant, “I’ll need to tap into my friend and family networks for help!”

And, research supports her intuition. Couples’ social networks can help new mothers and fathers adjust to parenthood. In the Journal of Marriage and Family, researchers reported that new parents with largerfamilynetworks were better adjusted—they were positive about life, enjoyed others, and got involved in activities, even during the busy and demanding transition to parenthood.

Having supportive friends also helped ease the adjustment to parenthood, especially for women. Those new mothers who had satisfying friendships as well as family relationships were less likely to be depressed.

The support that husbands and wives offered each other was also important. Those who reported more give and take with their spouses were less depressed. Unfortunately, both husbands and wives became less satisfied with their spouse’s support over the two-year period.

All these findings suggest that “support from close family members” is very important during the transition to the birth of a child because this support protects against postpartum depression and related problems (p;. 527, 528). New mothers and fathers do need support as they take on their new roles and responsibilities as parents. Reaching out to family, friends, and each other can help make this transition easier.

Listening, learning and living together, it’s the science of life. “Family Album” is a co-production of University of Florida IFAS Extension, the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences and of WUFT-FM. If you’d like to learn more, please visit our website at familyalbumradio.org.

Podcast: Social Networks and New Parents
Written by Suzanna Smith
Reviewed by Donna Z. Davis

Reference

Bost, K.K., Cox, M. J. & Payne, C. (2002). Structural and supportive changes in couples’ family and friendship networks across the transition to parenthood. Journal of Marriage and Family, 64, 517-531.