The Transition to Parenthood - Hardcover

Kelly, John

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0385306164 ISBN 13: 9780385306164

Publisher: Delacorte Press, 1994

Synopsis

Reveals the stunning effects of a new child on a marriage, discussing how a couple can tell if their marriage is at risk, how they can change a destructive course, what creates friction, and what qualities in a couple cause problems. Tour.

About this title

From the Publisher:

Featured on Oprah and excerpted in Glamour magazine in its hardcover edition, this exploration of the positive and negative effects the birth of a child has on a marriage is based on the largest, most comprehensive study of couples entering parenthood ever conducted. After the birth of a first baby, a marriage will never be the same financially, emotionally, physically, and sexually. But is that a good thing, or a bad one? Over a seven-year period, Dr. Jay Belsky conducted a major study of 250 couples entering the world of parenthood and concluded that the blessed event makes some marriages stronger than ever, while for others the impact is supremely negative. The Transition To Parenthood explodes the myths of parenthood and marriage and provides a crucial examination of both addressing many issues. Couples will find not only answers to their many questions but also comfort in knowing that they are not alone in feeling confused during a time that they expected to be one of blissful contentment.

"A moving book...I am impressed with [Dr. Belsky's] delightful style and with the insights he brings to it."--T. Berry Brazelton, M.D.

"Will certainly help couples...deal with the Reality, and not the fantasy, of becoming parents."--Elisabeth Bing, author of Six Practical Lessons For An Easier Childbirth

From Kirkus Reviews:

Penn State psychology professor Belsky and writer Kelly team up to produce a lively and realistic appraisal of the crucible of first-time parenthood. Studying 250 married couples in central Pennsylvania over a seven-year period, Belsky concludes that the first year of parenthood is the most stressful, as mothers and fathers grapple with everything from changing work schedules to going without sex and sleep. Belsky's findings--among them, that one out of every two marriages declines after an infant's arrival and that career women are particularly vulnerable to marital unrest after childbirth-- will surprise some readers, particularly those who romanticize parenthood. Much of Belksy's study centers on interviews with three young couples--Ron and Sue Akers, Jennifer and Calvin Renselear, and Lem and Tina Carlson--as they move from the gladness of late pregnancy to the madness of caring for a new baby. All the couples are still together seven years later, but only the Akerses appear to have grown closer through parenthood. Although focusing more on parenthood's agony than its ecstasy, this should nevertheless provide food for thought for anyone who is expecting. -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

About this edition

• Publisher: Delacorte Press
• Publication date: 1994
• ISBN 10: 0385306164
• ISBN 13: 9780385306164
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 288