Pregnancy Care Center Blog
How Healthy is My Relationship?
by PREGNANCY CARE CENTER on December 8, 2020
Have you ever wondered how to tell if you’re in a healthy relationship? While a healthy relationship is important at any stage, being pregnant may especially cause you to evaluate your relationship. After all, more lives will now be impacted and you and your partner will be faced with new decisions. It is helpful to know you are with someone who is safe and reliable. In order to recognize red flags and protect yourself from an unhealthy relationship, it is important to be aware of some indicators of what a healthy one looks like. The following signs will help you determine if your potential or current relationship is healthy or needs help.
This is number one, because if abuse is present, that is the biggest warning sign of an unhealthy, damaging relationship. Whether it is verbal, physical, or emotional, a healthy relationship does not tolerate any kind of violence. Whether big or small, violence is not acceptable in any form, towards you or your baby.
This doesn’t mean that you will not have disagreements and fights—all healthy relationships have these, but the healthy ones talk through disagreements without becoming violent. If you are currently in an abusive situation, don’t be afraid to take whatever steps you need to leave right away to protect yourself and your baby. You do not deserve to be abused in any way.
A healthy relationship is built on respect for one another. Before entering into a new relationship, it is a great idea to discuss each other’s feelings, desires, and needs. If you have never had that conversation in your current relationship, it is not too late! Make time to talk about each other's needs as a couple and as parents to start building a strong foundation of trust. Having mutual respect for one another will also set a positive example down the road for your baby as he or she gets older. If there are any areas that are non-negotiable for you that your partner cannot respect and a compromise or understanding can’t be reached, that is a sign that the relationship will struggle at some point.
Being able to completely trust your partner means you believe they are reliable and honest with you. When you trust someone, you believe the best about them because they have not given you any reason to question their motives or reasoning. Trust is something that is built over time and is a strong indicator of a healthy relationship. If you truly trust your partner, it will also have a positive impact on your parenting because you will feel safe leaving your child in his or her care. If you or your partner are not being completely honest to each other, it will eventually weaken or break the relationship because trust will be broken.
Boundaries are not limitations; instead, they provide a safe place to help a relationship thrive. It is important to discuss what is important to each of you so you will know what boundaries are appropriate for the relationship, as well as the boundaries you want to put into place to protect your baby. If you do not take time to establish boundaries, there is a possibility you will hold unrealistic expectations over your partner’s head. They become unrealistic because you want them to do something or act a certain way without ever communicating it to them. It is unfair and damaging to a relationship.
Boundaries help avoid unrealistic expectations and also protect the relationship as a whole. Do not feel embarrassed about any expectations you may have—it is important to be vulnerable and explain to your partner why you think a certain boundary would be beneficial to the relationship. The same is true with any boundaries you may feel are important to protect your baby or in your parenting. It is also good to remember you should listen to your partner with an open mind and seek understanding if they are requesting a certain boundary that may not make sense to you. However, if a requested boundary is something that would hurt you or your baby in any way, that is a red flag.
If you have never set boundaries before in any type of relationship, it may be hard to know which ones can help keep a relationship healthy and can help you succeed as a parent. At Pregnancy Care Center of Grants Pass, one of the topics we cover in our free Pathways parenting classes is “Healthy Boundaries.” These individual support and group classes are offered to prepare and equip parents during pregnancy and early parenthood to make healthy decisions for themselves and their families. Call us today at (541) 479-6264 to learn more.
This one may seem like a no-brainer, but it is a MUST. Good communication is at the foundation of every healthy relationship! You should feel secure and safe to talk about life, the good and the bad, with your partner—and especially your new life as parents and decisions you make for your baby on a daily basis. And this goes both ways—you should be a safe place for your partner to talk with as well. Good communication is not just about talking to one another; it is also about being a good listener. By taking time to stop and actually listen to what your partner is saying, there is less room for misunderstanding and it helps each person in the relationship feel valued and heard.
These 5 signs are a great guide to check the health of a relationship you may currently be in or are considering being in, but keep in mind these are not the only indicators of a healthy relationship. There is no formula for a perfect relationship, and even if you follow these 5 signs and apply other healthy practices, it is still possible for a relationship to not work out.
Relationships are made up of people who come from different backgrounds and experiences, so there is no cookie-cutter way to make sure it will last. However, these 5 signs are useful in helping you check the health of a relationship, because no matter what, we all have similar needs and desires and deserve to be treated with respect and be valued. If you would like to learn more signs and characteristics of what a healthy relationship looks like, at Pregnancy Care Center of Grants Pass, we also offer free parenting classes in our Pathways program that can help. One of the topics covered is “toxic relationships,” which may be helpful as you evaluate your relationship.
If your current relationship or potential one is struggling in any of these areas, it may be a sign that you need to evaluate if it is a good one for you to be in or not. If you need someone to talk to, the compassionate staff at Pregnancy Care Center of Grants Pass are ready to listen as you work towards your next steps in pregnancy. We can also connect you to our Pathways parenting classes where you will learn about valuable parenting information, including how to set healthy boundaries.
Give us a call at (541) 479-6264 to schedule your free appointment or schedule an appointment here. We are here to provide a safe place for you.
back5 Signs of a Healthy Relationship:
· Violence is Not Tolerated
This is number one, because if abuse is present, that is the biggest warning sign of an unhealthy, damaging relationship. Whether it is verbal, physical, or emotional, a healthy relationship does not tolerate any kind of violence. Whether big or small, violence is not acceptable in any form, towards you or your baby.
This doesn’t mean that you will not have disagreements and fights—all healthy relationships have these, but the healthy ones talk through disagreements without becoming violent. If you are currently in an abusive situation, don’t be afraid to take whatever steps you need to leave right away to protect yourself and your baby. You do not deserve to be abused in any way.
· Respect for One Another
Respect is defined as: “due regard for the feelings, wishes, rights, or traditions of others.” It has been said in order to receive respect, you must first respect yourself and others. It is important to know that you matter, and you do not deserve to be treated poorly or ignored. If you don’t deserve that, neither does someone else.
A healthy relationship is built on respect for one another. Before entering into a new relationship, it is a great idea to discuss each other’s feelings, desires, and needs. If you have never had that conversation in your current relationship, it is not too late! Make time to talk about each other's needs as a couple and as parents to start building a strong foundation of trust. Having mutual respect for one another will also set a positive example down the road for your baby as he or she gets older. If there are any areas that are non-negotiable for you that your partner cannot respect and a compromise or understanding can’t be reached, that is a sign that the relationship will struggle at some point.
· Trust
Being able to completely trust your partner means you believe they are reliable and honest with you. When you trust someone, you believe the best about them because they have not given you any reason to question their motives or reasoning. Trust is something that is built over time and is a strong indicator of a healthy relationship. If you truly trust your partner, it will also have a positive impact on your parenting because you will feel safe leaving your child in his or her care. If you or your partner are not being completely honest to each other, it will eventually weaken or break the relationship because trust will be broken.
· Clear Boundaries
Boundaries are not limitations; instead, they provide a safe place to help a relationship thrive. It is important to discuss what is important to each of you so you will know what boundaries are appropriate for the relationship, as well as the boundaries you want to put into place to protect your baby. If you do not take time to establish boundaries, there is a possibility you will hold unrealistic expectations over your partner’s head. They become unrealistic because you want them to do something or act a certain way without ever communicating it to them. It is unfair and damaging to a relationship.
Boundaries help avoid unrealistic expectations and also protect the relationship as a whole. Do not feel embarrassed about any expectations you may have—it is important to be vulnerable and explain to your partner why you think a certain boundary would be beneficial to the relationship. The same is true with any boundaries you may feel are important to protect your baby or in your parenting. It is also good to remember you should listen to your partner with an open mind and seek understanding if they are requesting a certain boundary that may not make sense to you. However, if a requested boundary is something that would hurt you or your baby in any way, that is a red flag.
If you have never set boundaries before in any type of relationship, it may be hard to know which ones can help keep a relationship healthy and can help you succeed as a parent. At Pregnancy Care Center of Grants Pass, one of the topics we cover in our free Pathways parenting classes is “Healthy Boundaries.” These individual support and group classes are offered to prepare and equip parents during pregnancy and early parenthood to make healthy decisions for themselves and their families. Call us today at (541) 479-6264 to learn more.
· Great Two-Way Communication
This one may seem like a no-brainer, but it is a MUST. Good communication is at the foundation of every healthy relationship! You should feel secure and safe to talk about life, the good and the bad, with your partner—and especially your new life as parents and decisions you make for your baby on a daily basis. And this goes both ways—you should be a safe place for your partner to talk with as well. Good communication is not just about talking to one another; it is also about being a good listener. By taking time to stop and actually listen to what your partner is saying, there is less room for misunderstanding and it helps each person in the relationship feel valued and heard.
These 5 signs are a great guide to check the health of a relationship you may currently be in or are considering being in, but keep in mind these are not the only indicators of a healthy relationship. There is no formula for a perfect relationship, and even if you follow these 5 signs and apply other healthy practices, it is still possible for a relationship to not work out.
Relationships are made up of people who come from different backgrounds and experiences, so there is no cookie-cutter way to make sure it will last. However, these 5 signs are useful in helping you check the health of a relationship, because no matter what, we all have similar needs and desires and deserve to be treated with respect and be valued. If you would like to learn more signs and characteristics of what a healthy relationship looks like, at Pregnancy Care Center of Grants Pass, we also offer free parenting classes in our Pathways program that can help. One of the topics covered is “toxic relationships,” which may be helpful as you evaluate your relationship.
We Are Here for You
If your current relationship or potential one is struggling in any of these areas, it may be a sign that you need to evaluate if it is a good one for you to be in or not. If you need someone to talk to, the compassionate staff at Pregnancy Care Center of Grants Pass are ready to listen as you work towards your next steps in pregnancy. We can also connect you to our Pathways parenting classes where you will learn about valuable parenting information, including how to set healthy boundaries.
Give us a call at (541) 479-6264 to schedule your free appointment or schedule an appointment here. We are here to provide a safe place for you.
