‘The Good Doctor’: Shaun Continues to Have Trouble Connecting With Lea
The Good Doctor’s Shaun Murphy is preparing to become a father. He wants to have a baby with Lea, but he’s struggling to form a connection with their unborn baby.
Shaun says he feels nothing for “Berry” (Lea’s name for their unborn child, since he’s the size of a blueberry at this stage). Some time has passed, and Shaun still feels the same way. Here’s what happens next on The Good Doctor.
Shaun and Lea clash over the new baby on ‘The Good Doctor’
During The Good Doctor Season 4, Episode 14, Shaun tries his best to get on the same page with Lea. However, he continues to have trouble adjusting. When Lea introduces Shaun to her doula, Teresa, Shaun has a negative reaction. Instead of saying hello, he replies, “Lea does not need you.”
However, Lea disagrees. She tells him it’s her birth experience. She wants to be able to do what she feels is best for her. Shaun insists he can help Lea feel safe during birth.
Glassman tells Shaun that he should just give Lea what she needs since she’s the one having the baby. From the sneak preview, it doesn’t seem like Shaun is doing such a great job with helping her prepare. His feelings of disconnection are affecting his ability to be fully present for her.
How Lea can help Shaun
During The Good Doctor Season 4, Episode 13, Shaun opens up to Lea and admits he feels lonely during this time. He’s tells her he doesn’t know how to deal with her pregnancy because it’s making her sick and she’s acting like she doesn’t want to be around him. Lea responds by saying he’s being really selfish. This might be true, but Lea should also stop and acknowledge how hard it must have been for Shaun to share that.
Zing’s Leah Moody says it makes things easier to try to help your partner feel included. Lea isn’t the only person in this relationship. She might feel hurt by what Shaun said, but it’s important for her to take a step back and acknowledge his feelings. They need to be a team now more than ever.
“I would say it’s a good idea to make your spouse feel equally as important to the process as you are and be mindful of their feelings and emotions, even if they try not to show them as much” says Moody.
“I would recommend classes for new parents that they could attend together, going to doctor’s appointments together, and being mindful of the limited time they have alone together before the baby is born,” she continues. “They should make time to spend together doing things they enjoy that they may not be able to do as easily once the baby is born.”
The Good Doctor airs Mondays on ABC at 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
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