Bringing Baby Home: A Workshop for New and Expectant Parents

Here is an Abstract of an article from the BBHonline website. The article was written by John M. Gottman, Ph.D., and Alyson F. Shapiro, Ph.C. from the Relationship Research Institute, and Joni Parthemer, M.Ed. from the Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, Washington

The article provides additional material about Bringing Baby Home Workshops. I am sure it will help you appreciate the background and research work that went into developing this workshop.

Click Here to read the entire article. You can also download the article in PDF format.

Abstract

For as many as 67% of new parents, the transition to parenthood is accompanied by sharp declines in relationship quality, significant increases in relationship conflict, increased depression and psychopathology, and decreased quality of the parent-infant interaction. There has been no known psycho-educational intervention that has successfully taught couples the skills that they will need to preserve intimacy in their relationship, keep fathers involved with the baby, and help parents understand and appreciate infant development. This article reports on a research based and research tested two-day psycho-educational workshop designed to teach couples these skills while experiencing the transition to parenthood.

Take Care Of Your Baby and Your Marriage

This is a transcript of a talk I gave to a group of expectant couples while teaching a class at Piedmont Hospital 3 years ago. Thus, there are no footnotes, but sources are listed in the References section of the last page. Further documentation is available upon request.

Click Here to read the entire article. You can also download the article in PDF format.

Abstract

This article describes normal adjustment issues that arise for many couples.It also offers suggestions to help strengthen the marital bond. Read it and discuss your reactions with your spouse so that together, you can plan strategies for how to handle the days ahead.

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As holidays approach, new parents may feel excess stress

Author, Barbara Meltz, writes for the Boston Globe. She wrote this article in December, 2006. In it she outlines many of the key points that Dr John Gottman has researched about the marital relationship, what weakens it, and what can make it strong.

Click Here to read the entire article. You can also download the article in PDF format.

Abstract

(Extacted from page 1...) "At any time of year, there's a strain couples rarely anticipate, and they don't have the time or the energy to fix it," says John M. Gottman, a Seattle psychologist and researcher who studied 172 sets of new parents over three years. At the holidays -- in addition to the stress of new responsibilities, a baby's unpredictable schedule , and sleep deprivation -- new parents also must juggle gift-buying, decoration hanging, and family visiting.

"There's less time than ever for articulating or processing problems," he says. "If hard feelings bubble up, they quickly go underground. Resentment can build up for years."

It was nearly three years before Soltzberg told her husband, Damon Barglow , that she had happily imagined him hitting the floor. By then, they had had professional help and were able to laugh about it. Ditto for the story of potholder.

Married seven years before becoming parents, Soltzberg and Barglow thought they knew each other, especially their shared nonchalance about gifts for "made-up" holidays such as Mother's Day. So Soltzberg was surprised to find herself hinting that she wanted her husband to honor her on her first Mother's Day. Barglow was even more surprised when he didn't and Soltzberg was angry. He went out and brought back a gift: a potholder.

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Nurturing baby's psyche: Parents' job includes understanding child's cues

This is an article, by Marsha King, was first published in The Seattle Times, July 28th 2004. This article discusses some of the results of the research done in preparation of the Bringing Baby Home workshops.

Click Here to read the entire article. You can also download the article in PDF format.

Abstract

A key indicator of infant mental health is the ability to self-regulate. The
baby can get himself to sleep and get himself to waken. When awake, he is
content and happy to take in the surroundings, Barnard says.

Parents help the baby learn those skills by being responsive. For example,
research shows the faster and more often you attend to a crying baby the
less he cries, Barnard says. In other words, it's not possible to spoil a baby.

Babies who don't have that trusting first connection, says Barnard, are at
greater risk for developmental delays and emotional and behavioral
problems. They can be less ready to learn. As teenagers, they might be
prone to depression or acting out.

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Resources for Postpartum Depression

The following resources are available nationwide. Please check with your local hospitals, public health departments, community colleges or religious organizations for additional services in your area.

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Resources for Information on Doulas

The following resources are available nationwide. Please check with your local hospitals, public health departments, community colleges or religious organizations for additional services in your area.

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Resources for Information on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

The following resources are available nationwide. Please check with your local hospitals, public health departments, community colleges or religious organizations for additional services in your area.

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Resources for Information on Infant Sleep

The following resources are available nationwide. Please check with your local hospitals, public health departments, community colleges or religious organizations for additional services in your area.

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And Baby Makes Three

This book is written by By John Gottman PH.D. and Julie Schwartz Gottman PH.D. This is their newest book. This book is for new parents and helps them normalize what is happening in their relationship and to open up topics for discussion. Many things now have to be renegotiated. This book generates conversation about these sensitive topic areas.

Click Here to get more details about the book and how to order.

Abstract

Having a baby is a joyous experience, but even the best relationships are strained during the transition from duo to trio.

Lack of sleep, never-ending housework, and new fiscal concerns often lead to conflict, disappointment, and hurt feelings. In And Baby Makes Three Love Lab™ experts John Gottman and Julie Schwartz Gottman teach couples the skills from their successful workshops, so partners can avoid the pitfalls of parenthood by:

• maintaining intimacy and romance
• replacing a culture of criticism and irritability with one of appreciation
• preventing post-partum depression
• creating a home environment that nurtures physical, emotional, and mental health, as well as cognitive and behavioral development for your baby

Complete with exercises that separate the “master” from the “disaster” couples, “And Baby Makes Three” helps new parents positively manage the strain that comes along with their bundle of joy.

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