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Supporting your partner/ wife while going through Menopause?
Menopause can be a challenging time for some couples. Couples typically don’t discuss how to be supportive once menopause arrives. It is often a transition for two people: the woman and her partner/ spouse. Knowing how to support your partner through menopause can make it easier for you both.
Learning about perimenopause and menopause, changes in hormones, and its effect on the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of your partner can help you understand what your partner is going through. This can help you better understand your partner’s experience and anticipate their mood. You’ll also benefit from fine-tuning your relationship skills and improving communication. Start by discussing menopause and your willingness to weather the changes it can bring.
If your partner experiences mood swings, remind yourself that they are due to hormones. But, rather than pointing this out, try to give your partner some grace. Focus on adjusting your response and try not to take it personally.
It is important to be able to talk with your partner about their menopause experiences. Tell your partner you want to be helpful, so they know that you are on their side. If you don’t know how to help, you can simply ask, “What can I do to make things better?”
The following tips can help.
Practice Patience: If your loved one tells you that they “cannot control themselves,” believe them and be patient. Patience is vital in both the short and long term.
Keep a Sense of Humor: A sense of humor can help couples weather challenging times. At the same time, use good judgment. Avoid jokes that may offend your partner or make them feel like you are laughing at them instead of with them. Also, be careful not to use humor as a weapon to express sarcasm or to vent.
Avoid Personalizing Moods: If your partner gets upset, don’t turn their upset into your upset. Allow your partner to be angry, sad, or frustrated, and try to listen without judgment. Expressing understanding goes a long way toward turning a mood swing into a confrontation.
Show appreciation: Don’t leave things unsaid. If your partner looks attractive, say so. Remind them what qualities drew you together—and still hold you together—as a couple. You can even plan the occasional surprise gift or dinner outing to show your appreciation.
https://www.instagram.com/bloom_demystifying_menopause_/Offer to Help : Menopause can trigger anxiety and cause your loved one to become easily overwhelmed. Doing simple things, offering to share the chores can go a long way in showing understanding and support.
Manage Sleep Problems: Sleep issues like insomnia are common during menopause.2 Discuss how to deal with them together.
Get Healthy Together: Research shows exercise and good nutrition help to ease menopause symptoms and improve moods.4 You can support your loved one in making healthy changes by doing it together.
Intimacy: Sex is a common relationship struggle during the menopausal years. It is common for libido to wane. Focus for a while on staying physically close rather than having intercourse. Ask what makes your partner feel good and offer to do it. Sometimes, it may be a simple foot rub or shoulder massage that keeps you both connected.
Menopause is not a “problem” to get over. It is a change in life that allows you to prepare for this next stage in your relationship as a couple. It can lead to a stronger bond between a couple as you can help your partner/ wife in managing this new phase of life better.
Join the #bloommovement, and learn more about Menopause.
Author
Malvika, a bloomdiva