ABSTRACT
It is rare for a baby to enter a household without causing some kind of anxious disruption along with excitement. No matter how well a couple functions before a baby arrives, the baby brings an unprecedented set of issues to deal with that can cause anxiety. One or both parents might be surprised and worried by the weight of their responsibility for the baby’s survival or by feelings of jealousy when the couple’s focus moves from care of each other to care for a third. In addition, many couples have unresolved relational dif˜culties before the arrival of a baby that, without attention, can worsen and grow to threaten the fabric of their partnership. In their anxious state, the parents often cannot create enough safety and comfort for the baby. Then, the baby’s anxious state increases, and, in a vicious cycle, escalates the parents’ anxieties.
