And Baby Makes Three: The Six-Step Plan for Preserving Marital Intimacy and Rekindling Romance After Baby Arrives Paperback – Illustrated, January 22, 2008

I read this book soon after having my baby and was WOWED at how right the authors got it ALL. I wish I'd read it during pregnancy, but fortunately my husband and I were already communicating well and preparing to be a team as parents (we'd been married for nine years at that point).But even then, the book provided good reminders. Also, this book does such a great job creating a sense of normalcy out of what feels like very ABNORMAL situations (screaming baby, two testy parents, no sex, etc.). Every single chapter resonated with me, and I found the parenting advice to be great too. The advice to love and delight in your baby seems so obvious, and yet I think it's so easy for new parents to feel burdened by the new demands and miss all the joy. I also really appreciate the emphasis they put on husbands becoming involved fathers. I really think that the advice in this book is RIGHT ON.I loved this book so much that I bought a bunch of extra copies and have been giving them to friends as they become pregnant. I recommend it to EVERYONE who is expecting a baby or has a new baby in the house.

This science-based book tells you how to remain happily partnered after a child is born, through a learnable set of behaviors and shifts in mindset. This is vital: 2/3 of couples become permanently less happy after a baby enters the scene. As a science-based dating and relationship coach, I want all my clients who become parents to remain in the happy 1/3rd. This book is a huge help to them!

Great for learning about positive communication techniques. Things you may not think of before the baby comes. Dynamics that will change for the good, bad or indifferent, but need addressing. You may find parts dry, as I did, but concepts are there that will make a relationship stronger for having thought and discussed them. I have been a counselor for years and it's funny how easy it is to forget the simplicity in being on the same page as your spouse. Good buy for an a read that will benefit you for many years. Good gift too.

I purchased this for a class, but I am keeping it for personal and future professional use because it is just that good. This is not a textbook. It's a practical guide to keeping your marriage strong and healthy even after you become parents. The Gottmanns are brilliant marriage researchers and counselors, and they know what they're talking about. This book is the result of years of research and studying couples to find what works and what doesn't. My husband and I are expecting our first baby in a couple months and this is one of the books I've been reading in preparation for our baby's birth. I would recommend it to all couples, whether you have kids or not, as well as family counselors and therapists, marriage counselors, pastors, etc. Excellent book.

Okay, I was married and divorced before Gottman did his research. If I had known....Really. It is true. It all might have been different. Instead, even though my son's father and I had been relatively happy the five years before the baby was born--and he really wanted the baby-- somehow or other he didn't bond with baby and me. As I was in labor he really truly said,"Don't let anything change..." The Christmas before he gave my sister something pretty sexy and explained to me that he would get me something sexy too once I had the figure for it. Etc. so needless to say after the birth when he was no longer the center of my attention, he got lonely, found solace elsewhere, and my not being Hillary Clinton, I didn't say whatever it was she said to keep Bill around. And my son was a child of divorce from age two on. No one but Gottman has ever asked the important questions about why this scenario is the most common divorce scenario nor gotten answers from those who have gone through these life transitions successfully or not about what happened, what they felt, thought, did. So when my son and his wife talked about babies, I was able to send them this book. They have taken on having a child in a considered careful way. AND they are well into it! They have known what to expect and have dealt with it. Along with childbirth classes, this book ought to be required reading. At the very least it should be in every doctor's office.

I had a hard time adjusting to parenthood. My husband and I had very different expectations and when they weren't met, things went downhill. This book was recommended by our couples counselor and has some great content and activities that really helped us better understand one another. It gave us perspective and made us realize that we weren't the only ones with challenges.If you're preparing for a baby, check out this comprehensive baby registry must-have list at AllMomsArePerfect. Search for Baby Registry.It covers the first 3 months and helps you decifer what you really need and what you can live without.

This book was just OK...while it has a good outline of tips for making sure you and your partner keep that fire going after you have baby number one, it could have been summed up in one sentence...make sure you take time to remember you are in a relationship with your partner, not just your baby. There, simple and to the point. With that said, I do think that this is an important book that all parents/soon-to be parents might want to glance at. If you read this book, remember that what works for one couple, will not work for all couples. People have to find what works for their unique relationship...and not follow steps like they are law. To be honest, I found reading the reviews more helpful than reading the book. So kudos to the amazon reviewers!Bottomline, if you are in the middle of reading this book and your spouse says, "wanna go to dinner and a movie?" You might want to put the book down...you can always pick it back up (or not!).