One of the most common complaints from new mothers is that they feel unsupported by their partners. This may be to do with the fact that often it is the father who returns to work first, leaving the mother to deal with what feels like around-the-clock baby care.

Try to make sure you make time for each other. Considering that in many countries, a new mother has the support of another female relative for the first month at least, it is hardly surprising that in the UK where women are expected to get on with it (often alone), new mums often feel a little isolated as they try to adjust to life with a new baby.

In 2004, BBC news reported the findings of a survey that demonstrated that half of all fathers ‘hardly ever’ or ‘never’ get up in the night to tend to their crying babies. The results showed that ‘six out of ten of the mothers said they resented their male partner for not getting up when the baby cried in the night’. If this is the case within your relationship, it would be prudent to address the issue, as lack of sleep can cause great resentment if one partner is always receiving more.

If your partner is working during the week, then perhaps you could negotiate at least one night a week where you are given the opportunity to sleep all the way through, uninterrupted. A crying baby in the wee hours can be difficult to deal with alone and team-work ought to be the order of the day. If you don't address important issues like this, strain on the relationship will become apparent. 

There are, of course, other ways that your partner can support you and these are not always practical. Sometimes, just having the emotional support of someone around you is very important. If you have a shoulder to cry on, you will be able to meet your day to day challenges with much more ease and confidence, so make sure you tell your partner what you need from him.

Why not chat to other mums about this, or other topics, by leaving a message on the Relationship area of our chat forum. Alternatively, if you want to meet other mums in your area with similar age babies, visit our people section of the site to find out what is happening in your area, or join or start one of our groups.

If you have any unanswered questions, use the Guide to Baby area of our questions page to gain wisdom from other mums or our resident experts. Also, have a look at our Kit section where we list our top-rated baby equipment.

Don't forget that we have many galleries into which you can upload photos of your baby; you could choose from Newborn, I love my baby, Just like my Dad or Funny Photos!

The information in this feature is intended for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a doctor or other healthcare professional.

Last Modified: 20/06/2007