Should Parents-To-Be Draw Up Pre-Pregnancy Contracts?

Should Parents-To-Be Draw Up Pre-Pregnancy Contracts?

Expecting couples have a lot to prepare for. Who will feed the baby? Who will change the baby? Who will be the one to get up for those 4 a.m. wake up calls?

Because of all of these responsibilities, Slate writer Rebecca Onion has proposed creating a pre-pregnancy contract to ensure both parents will be sharing the tasks.

Relationship therapist Sherry Amatenstein thinks it isn't a bad idea. “It doesn’t hurt to draw something up,” she told HuffPost Live host, Nancy Redd. Divvying up the responsibilities beforehand can make life a lot easier when your baby arrives.

“Maybe you don’t need a formal contract, but you do need to prepare and take seriously what roles each person is going to play,” she said.

But as blogger Elena (who asked to have her last name withheld) pointed out, putting together a pre-baby contract may not always give you the results you want.

“What’s the enforcement? I mean what are you going to do if your husband doesn’t perform? Divorce him?” she asked. “Well, I mean you can do that anyways. It’s not like a contract will actually get your husband to do his duties. I think it’s more important to develop the kind of relationship where you don’t need the contract. Where you have the trust and support of the other person.”

Before You Go

Creative Pregnancy Announcements

Popular in the Community

Close

HuffPost Shopping’s Best Finds

MORE IN LIFE