ABSTRACT
A newborn can alter the household division of labor from whatever comfortable arrangement was in place before she came along. Today couples have more choices about how to organize their lives once they have children. For many women, the birth of a first child is the most profound of all emotional experiences. Primary maternal preoccupation is only a temporary state. But the birth of a baby can lead to a more permanent shift in family priorities. The arrival of a first baby often results in a decline in marital satisfaction, particularly for women, but the news is not all grim. Women experience a greater decline in marital satisfaction following the birth of a first child because they face more physical and emotional demands, assuming more of the housework and childcare responsibilities.
