Since I'm a marriage life coach and a doula, I tend to see a lot of parallels between being a newlywed and a new parent. Take the moments following getting married and giving birth.

Although there is something incomparably beautiful and life-affirming about both experiences, the first two years of having a spouse or a toddler can also totally turn your world upside down. If you're ill-prepared, that is.

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Speaking specifically on marriage, there is scientific data to support that there are certain things newlyweds can do to make them high candidates for divorce. Some make total sense, like withdrawing during conflict or always bashing your relationship. Others seemed interesting, like getting married in your teens or after 32 or not completing high school. One, in particular, seemed straight up odd: being too affectionate during your first two years of marriage.

But my list is a little bit different. Personally, I think it's the "little" things — meaning, things that don't seem like a big deal when you're engaged but could make or break your union up the road — that can rock a marriage to its core.

So, if you're about to jump the broom or you recently said, "I do", here's a bit of a cheat sheet on newlywed challenges. Ones that, so long as you're mentally and emotionally prepared for them, can significantly decrease your chances of being a divorce statistic.

6 Challenges Couples Encounter As Newlyweds

1. Adjusting to "Hidden Habits"

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If you lived together before getting married, this one won't be as much of a factor. But if you waited until after the ceremony to become "oneness roommates", chile, this point alone can be the ultimate kind of culture shock.

Nothing says the-mystery-is-gone like sharing a bathroom with someone, doing another person's laundry, or finding out the hard way how they handle mucus when they have a cold, or what their clean-up strategy is during their period.

You can love someone all day but hair shavings, bodily fluids, and how they clean a tub can make still finding them sexy a challenge. It might be gross to think about but the sooner you accept this reality check, the better off you and your marriage will be.

Featured image by Getty Images.

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