Relationships After Baby: The Piggy Bank Theory with Miranda Bayard Clark

Struggling to stay connected after having a baby? Licensed counselor Miranda Bayard-Clark shares real tools for rebuilding your relationship postpartum.Having a baby changes everything, including your relationship with your partner. In this episode, Dr. Emily Spaeth talks with licensed counselor and relationship coach Miranda Bayard-Clark about what really happens to couples after baby arrives, and how to protect your connection through it. They cover rebuilding rituals after a baby, managing resentment and mismatched expectations, setting boundaries with extended family, and recognizing postpartum depression and anxiety from a partner's perspective. Miranda also introduces her "piggy bank theory," a simple framework for keeping your relationship's emotional reserves full before conflict hits.If you're expecting, newly postpartum, or just trying to reconnect with your partner after the fog of early parenthood, this conversation is full of practical tools for marriage after having a baby that you can start using tonight.What You'll Learn in This EpisodeWhy "preparental" conversations matter as much as premarital onesHow to rebuild connection rituals after a baby disrupts your routineTools for navigating conflict and resentment between new parentsHow to recognize postpartum depression and anxiety symptoms in your partnerWhat to say (and avoid saying) when your partner is struggling postpartumSetting healthy boundaries with extended family after babyAbout Miranda Bayard-ClarkMiranda is a Licensed Professional Counselor (Oregon #C4122), Gottman-trained Bringing Baby Home educator, and founder of Love After Lullabies, a coaching practice and podcast helping couples navigate the transition to parenthood. She holds a Master's in Counseling Psychology from Lewis & Clark College and has been in private practice since 2012, supporting adults and couples through life transitions and mental health challenges. Miranda lives in the Pacific Northwest with her partner and their two daughters. Learn more: loveafterlullabies.comAbout Dr. Emily SpaethDr. Emily Spaeth is a physical therapist, IBCLC, and certified neonatal therapist, and founder of Be Well Baby, a multidisciplinary perinatal and infant care practice in Portland, Oregon. Be Well Baby offers in-home physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, lactation support, craniosacral therapy, and infant massage for families navigating pregnancy through early parenthood. Learn more: bewellbaby.orgA Note on This EpisodeThis podcast is for educational purposes only and isn't a substitute for personalized medical or mental health care. If anything in this episode brings up something you're struggling with, especially around postpartum mental health, please reach out to a provider you trust.