Study reveals steep decline in postpartum relationship satisfaction, though ‘adaptation process’ said to be faster for second child
A new baby always puts a strain on a couple, but a study suggests that relationships do not recover for two years after the birth.
Researchers found that first-time fathers experience a significant fall in how satisfying they find their relationship, which does not pick up for an average of 24 months.
However, for those wanting to have larger families, the transition back to happiness is quicker the second time around, academics found.
Second-time fathers found that their relationship bounced back to pre-baby levels after just 14 months.