If you read my Fourth Trimester blog post, you know my baby’s newborn phase was peppered with some intense moments:

A friend of mine had a baby after she’d been with her partner for ten years, and she reported that it hadn’t shaken their relationship because after all those years together they were totally in sync. Richard and I have been together for seven years, and I thought we’d be the same. Nope. Babies are warm, soft, squishy wedges that drive themselves between partners, and we had some pretty brutal fights in the first six weeks.

As we’ve grown into our new roles as parents, my husband and I have been getting more graceful about our disagreements, and although we still fight sometimes, we do our best to do so compassionately. Inner Fire Apparel recently published a post I wrote inspired by this experience. Here’s an excerpt:

6. Press pause. The old adage is, “Never go to bed mad,” but sometimes fatigue, hunger, or other external factors can push an argument into ugly territory. It’s okay to take a break from the discussion and come back when all parties are rested, fed, and comfortable. Instead of completely dismissing the topic, which can feel disrespectful if it’s important to your partner, set a specific time to return to it.

Read the rest of the article here.