The study we report in this book was designed to provide a comprehensive picture of couples' responses to the transition to parenthood. Based on attachment principles and on previous research into first-time parenthood, the areas we selected for study included relationship satisfaction, attachment, caregiving, sexuality, general psychological adjustment, coping resources and coping styles, and division of household labor. As described in more detail in the next chapter, we recruited two groups of couples: one group who were experiencing their first pregnancy (called the transition group), and another group who reported that they were not planning to have children in the near future (called the comparison group).

OVERVIEW OF THE DESIGN

In Chapter 1, we pointed out the importance of longitudinal studies, which allow researchers to observe couples as they experience pregnancy and new parenthood. The study we designed involved couples providing major sets of data at three points in time: during the second trimester of pregnancy, about six weeks after the baby was born, and when the baby was six months old (couples in the comparison group were assessed at similar time intervals). Between the second and third assessment points, spouses also completed structured diaries detailing their involvement in household and baby-related tasks over a four-day period. By following the couples throughout pregnancy and the first six months of parenthood, we were able to chart the course of their relationships and identify changes linked to this major event in the life cycle.