Mom Cuddles With the Kids, But Won’t Touch You. What Gives?

“If caregivers are feeling touched out, that suggests there’s some kind of stress that has to be attended to,” says Susan S. Woodhouse, Ph.D., an associate professor of counseling psychology at Lehigh University who researches parenting and child development. “Where is it coming from? Is she feeling like her boundaries are being violated?”

It might sound silly when you’ve been together for a while, but it’s important to talk about your personal boundaries and needs as new parents. Maybe set a schedule so sex is only on the table one weekend morning, so the pressure’s off the rest of the week. Verbalize how and when you like to be touched, because, for the time being at least, things might have changed.