Dare to Connect

If your idea of a steamy date has become shared diaper duty, turn up the heat by picking one of these bonding activities from relationship expert Julie Schwartz Gottman, Ph.D., author of And Baby Makes Three.

Have a romantic night in: Spread a blanket on your bedroom floor, light candles and play soft music, then uncork a bottle of wine and share a cheese plate. When you change up the look and feel of dinner (and your focus isn't on getting your little one to eat his peas), dining at home can actually be pretty flirty.

Watching Hollywood's latest sexy pairing can be fun, but it's not very interactive. Turn up the heat by having a sexy movie night at home. Screen a racy DVD in the privacy of your bedroom--giggling, whispering, and full-on making-out encouraged!

Instantly transport yourselves back to your wedding night. Put on a few slow songs, then place your head on your partner's shoulder. With your eyes closed, enjoying the intimacy of the sweet embrace, it could be your first dance all over again.

Shake up your workday routine by planning a midday rendezvous with your husband. Eat sandwiches on a park bench at lunchtime or just grab an afternoon cup of joe. Take turns sharing something that's been stressing you out at work, then listening while your partner speaks; empathise first and save problem-solving for later.

Nothing makes a better setting for sweet nothings than a blanket under the stars, whether it's at a local park or in the backyard. Let the dreamy setting inspire you to share your hopes for the future--like predicting which of each other's best traits you hope your child will inherit.

The more you and your partner share skin-to-skin contact, the more oxytocin you both release, which helps you feel bonded. Trade off giving foot and shoulder rubs, brushing or stroking each other's hair, or simply cuddling in your skivvies.

Capture the feeling of a high-class vacation--without the expensive airfare. Get dressed to the nines, then meet up in a fancy hotel lobby, and pretend you're guests. Head to the bar, nab a couch in the corner, then spend the evening whispering over a cocktail or two.

Pick an evening for a date and hire a sitter--but don't tell your partner what exactly you two will be doing. Send him a text a few hours beforehand instructing him where to meet you and when; the element of surprise will turn up the heat.

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