4 Reasons Why Intimacy Matters

Why is intimacy important for new and experienced parents? We spoke with Julie Sharon, a licensed clinical counsellor who offers individual, couples and family therapy at her private practice in Amsterdam. She specialises in supporting people as they move into parenthood, including those dealing with pregnancy, birth trauma or postnatal adjustment; couples who feel disconnected but want to make their relationship work; and parents who feel overwhelmed or are looking for parenting support.

What justifies a lack of sex? Nothing.

Julie explains: If sex and intimacy are vital ingredients in a healthy, loving relationship, they deserve our attention. As a new or experienced parent, however, you may have plenty of understandable reasons for the lack of sex. You are exhausted. You have no time for each other. You do not feel sexy, or you no longer feel like having sex. Even so, there are many reasons to keep the spark alive. Once you become a parent, working on the wellbeing of your relationship matters more than ever. Here are four reasons why:

1. Becoming and being a parent can be physically and emotionally demanding. If you can rely fully on one another when caring for your children and support each other through difficult times, the path through parenthood becomes easier to navigate.
2. Your children benefit from your loving relationship. Children learn a great deal about love by example. Couples with a satisfying sex life tend to feel closer and show more affection, such as kissing or touching, around other people, including their children.
3. Your relationship with your partner affects your children’s happiness, health and performance at school.
4. A strong relationship between partners has a positive influence on the parent-child relationship.

Listen to the full Mum’s The Word podcast here.