Here’s a little story for you: Christine was about a few months pregnant when she discovered that her partner, Michael, was actually having an affair with someone.
She was so sad but she decided to buck up and confront him about it. After a little pressure, he confessed everything. And now, after more than a year later, she is raising a young daughter on her own and she still hasn’t revealed to those closest to her the real reason why she ended things with Michael in the first place.
Studies have shown that pregnancy can actually lead to improved intimacy in the relationship. However, it also has a tendency to triggers some very unpleasant changes in the dynamics of a relationship as well.
You don’t really hear much about men who stray away from a relationship when their women are pregnant because it’s a really uncomfortable topic to talk about. But the truth is that it’s something that happens a lot more often than people would typically think.
You have to know that the cheating isn’t necessarily going to be about sexual needs or cravings. It can also come from some very emotional needs that need to be fulfilled.
Sometimes, people just want to feel validated and cared for. There are plenty of changes that take place in a relationship whenever there’s a pregnancy. And sometimes, a lot of the attention is placed on the pregnant woman and a man can feel like he’s being ignored and disregarded.
A lot of men think that sex is also a form of emotional engagement and intimacy. And whenever these men feel like they’re not being taken care of by their partners, they can seek that stimulation elsewhere.
However, it shouldn’t be taken to mean that men get a free pass. Just because they aren’t feeling emotionally fulfilled in their relationship doesn’t mean that they can just cheat on their women.
Cheating is never going to be something that is justifiable in whatever circumstance. However, it’s always best to try your best to understand the minds of cheaters so that you know what triggers you need to be keeping track of in your own relationship.
1. Keep Track of the Signs
Infidelity during the pregnancy is going to be very common but it’s still something that flies under the radar. However, you shouldn’t also take that to mean that you need to be suspecting the people you are with on a daily basis. You should stay alert and vigilant. But you shouldn’t be doing so at the expense of the quality of your life and relationships.
Based on the advice of Ruth Houston, the founder of InfidelityAdvice.com, expecting mothers should still find a way to stay mindful of their relationships even when they’re focusing on their pregnancy.
“It’s very important for women to be aware that this is a critical time and to be vigilant,” says Houston. Also, you have to stay aware that a lot of your hormones might be affecting the sharpness of your minds.
This is based on the advice of many experts. So, instead of jumping to conclusions and dreaming up worst-case scenarios in your mind, you need to make sure that you are able to process your feelings as healthily as possible.
You don’t want to be overly confrontational to the point that you’re very aggressive. But you still want to be able to tackle the issue head-on.
Experts also say that the only way you can ever really know for sure what’s happening is if you do a lot of investigating. You need to get to the bottom of the matter on your own.
Perform some snooping and gather all of the facts. You can’t just be acting on a whim. You need lots of information. You need to know as much as you possibly can.
Always Focus on Prevention
There are many challenges that pregnancy can present to a relationship. And infidelity isn’t something that is inevitable. You are always going to be safe. Infidelity can strike anywhere and it can strike anyone.
What you can do is just sit down and talk with your partner. Throughout your pregnancy, you need to always be talking to your partner about your feelings and your expectations.
At the end of the day, you need to know that communication is going to have the power to solve a lot of the problems that might be in your relationship. If you are able to meet each other’s needs, then you won’t find yourselves in a position where either of you will be tempted to cheat.
