LOS ANGELES, CA, November 04, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marie-Claude Hamel understands that the arrival of a new baby is one of life's most profound transitions. Amid sleepless nights and shifting routines, many couples experience strain in their relationship. Often, this stress is quickly attributed to postpartum depression—a real and serious condition that deserves careful attention. But sometimes, what's happening isn't a mood disorder in one partner; it's a couple's issue revealing itself under new pressure.

Recognizing When It's a Couple's Issue
After birth, emotional volatility is expected. But when resentment, miscommunication, or emotional distance take center stage—beyond what can be explained by hormonal changes or sleep deprivation—it may point to underlying relational dynamics. Clues that it's primarily a couple's issue include:

Both partners feeling misunderstood or unsupported.

Recurring arguments about roles, fairness, or parenting styles.

A sense that the "old wounds" or pre-baby issues are resurfacing.

One partner blaming the other's "postpartum mood" for all tension, when both seem entrenched in conflict.

A good therapist will assess for postpartum depression and relational distress. Sometimes both are present, but the treatment focus shifts depending on what's driving the disconnection.

Teasing It Apart
To distinguish the two, therapists look at patterns. If one partner's emotional tone, motivation, and ability to experience pleasure are globally diminished, postpartum depression may be at play. If, however, mood changes are situation-specific—mainly showing up in interactions with the partner—it may be a couple's dynamic in need of repair.

Assessment should also include both partners: listening for changes in empathy, communication, and shared meaning. Couples therapy at this stage can offer containment, clarity, and structure when life feels chaotic.

Taking Away the Stigma
Seeking help after a baby arrives does not mean your relationship is failing. It means you're human. Parenthood magnifies every crack and every strength in a relationship. Normalizing therapy as part of postpartum care—just like medical checkups—can help couples see it as maintenance, not crisis management.

Steps to Calm and Reconnect
Responding instead of reacting. Fatigue fuels reactivity. Try taking a few deep breaths in order to pause before reacting. This will help you respond from a less reactive place.

Name what's happening. "We're both overwhelmed" is more connecting than "You're not helping."
Carve out micro-moments of connection. A five-minute check-in, shared laugh, or touch on the shoulder can re-anchor intimacy.

Divide roles with compassion, not fairness. Instead of 50/50, think "we're both giving 100% of what we can today."

Seek professional support early. Couples therapy can help untangle emotional knots before resentment hardens.

Marie Claude- Hamel understands bringing a baby home transforms a couple into a family—but it also tests the foundation beneath that bond. Recognizing when stress is relational, not just hormonal, can empower partners to grow closer rather than drift apart. The goal isn't to go back to how things were, but to rebuild a connection that fits who you've both become.

To learn more visit: https://hameltherapy.com/

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