The “baby clash” causes the separation of a couple out of 4 in the first years following the birth of the baby.
- On average, nearly 130,000 divorces are pronounced each year in France.
- Over 1.6 million children now live in blended families.
The notion of baby “clash” (“clash” means in English a confrontation) refers to the shock and tensions involved in a birth in a couple.
According to a survey carried out by the Elabe Institute for WeMoms, two out of three couples experience a baby clash, which corresponds to 66% of the mothers questioned. And for 20% of them, their relationship almost stayed there. Bernard Geberowicz, psychiatrist, estimates that 20 to 25% of couples separate in the first months after the birth of a baby.
What are the causes of the “baby clash”?
Aude Lafont, psychotherapist, cites in Santé Magazine some recurring causes of “baby clash”: unresolved childhood wounds that come to the surface, a mother who feels misunderstood or even a father who feels excluded from the close relationship. mother-child. Fatigue and the decline in passion in the couple can also be factors of relational instability.
In the same way as ante and postpartum depression, baby clash is still a taboo subject in France. “There is a sense of shame in sharing the difficulties that accompany a moment that is supposed to be perfectly happy”, explains Bernard Geberowicz.
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