How to ask for Parenting Support & Emotional Support in a Way Your Partner Can Actually Hear

How to ask for Parenting Support & Emotional Support in a Way Your Partner Can Actually Hear

Author: Evie Mpras, MS, LMFT March 13, 2026 Duration: 21:57

Why does asking for help feel so hard as a new parent? You may feel overwhelmed but still hesitate to reach out because past family patterns taught you to keep your emotional needs quiet, or earlier attempts did not bring the emotional support you hoped for.

When needs are shared with care, couples can build trust and begin repairing trust. These moments of openness help strengthen bonds and create deeper emotional safety in marriage.

In this episode, I talk about why asking for help can feel so uncomfortable during pregnancy and early parenthood, even though this stage puts real pressure on maternal health and relationships. It can feel easier to carry everything alone, but reaching out is actually a healthy bid for connection that strengthens family connection.

We also look at how marriage communication can get stuck, especially when one partner fears rejection and the other is overcoming defensiveness. I talk about the everyday reality of sharing the mental load, and how active listening in marriage can turn a request for parenting support into an opportunity for relationship repair.

This conversation is an invitation to see your needs differently, not as a burden, but as part of building a more supported postpartum relationship.


I'm here for you and your family, 

Evie


Connect with Evie

If you want to start a podcast or grow your existing one, visit https://julianabarbati.com/ and let them know I sent you!

This Podcast is not an alternative for mental health assistance and/or counseling with a licensed professional. For any specific medical questions about your condition and/or concerns, please contact your healthcare provider. This Podcast should not be considered mental health advice, rather for the sole purpose of information and education.


There's a quiet shift that happens after a baby arrives, where the focus understandably turns to the newborn, yet the foundation of the family-the partnership-often strains under new pressures. Bonds after Baby: Rebuild your marriage, reduce postpartum resentment & guard maternal mental health speaks directly into that space. Hosted by Evie Mpras, a licensed marriage and family therapist, this podcast is a resource for parents who find themselves navigating unexpected conflict and a sense of disconnection even as they manage all the practical preparations. It’s for those who sometimes feel resentment, isolation, or a fading spark, and who long to reclaim a sense of teamwork and intimacy. Each episode offers grounded, professional insights from Evie’s practice, focusing on actionable communication strategies, managing mental load, and fostering emotional safety. You’ll hear discussions on repairing ruptures, dividing unseen labor, and protecting maternal well-being as a cornerstone for the whole family. This isn’t about adding more to your to-do list; it’s about transforming the quality of your connection from the inside out, turning postpartum challenges into a pathway for a stronger, more resilient partnership. Tune in for honest conversations that help you guard your mental health and rebuild the bond that started it all.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 36

Bonds after Baby: Rebuild your marriage, reduce postpartum resentment & guard maternal mental health
Podcast Episodes
My Summer in Greece: What Community Does for Moms [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:32
I'm sharing my personal experiences of my 2.5 month long time in Greece with my family- and relating my personal experience to why Momming is so much easier with a solid community of people. I was literally in a village…
How It Hurts Relationships When We Don't Ask For Help [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:13
One of the most common issues I see in parents is discomfort asking for help. We can learn along the way that it's emotionally safer to cope on our own, but how does that affect us and our relationships? Especially at a…
Family Vacation: Deepen your Opportunity for Connection [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:00
Family vacations are more than scheduled activities and changing scenery. What do you want you & your family to emotionally experience on your adventures? Do you want to come home feeling more connected? In this episode,…
It's OK to Have Mixed Feelings Towards Children & Loved Ones [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:39
In my practice I see a lot of resistance and discomfort around having natural mixed feelings towards partners, family members, and especially children. Shoving feelings below the surface ends up causing a lot of distress…
Most Common Regrets I Hear From Parents [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:54
We have hopes of how our experience of parenthood and family life will be when children come. It's incredibly painful to look back on this special time as lost opportunities for joyfulness and connection. Today I'm shari…
Preparing for Baby Checklist: What to Discuss with Your Partner [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:03
The nursery design and what brand of baby carrier is part of the fun prepping for baby- but partners often forget that the biggest impact on them and their child post-birth is family dynamics. I'm going to share 8 discus…
How Family Relationships Affect Postpartum Anxiety & Depression [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:48
Anxiety, depression, & other mood disorders are the most common complication of childbirth. If untreated, the symptoms can last years beyond birth. Even though research has consistently indicated how much relationship sa…
Identify Your Family's Strengths & Growth Areas [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:32
Get an inside understanding of what family therapists and researchers know about healthy family dynamics. I'm Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist Evie Mpras, and I'm here to help you and your family relationships in pre…
How Shame Spirals Hurt You & Your Relationships [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:45
Being hard on yourself and getting into shame spirals is an all-too-familiar state in Moms & parents. Not only is it harmful to us, but it's also harmful to our relationships. I'm Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist Evi…