The transition from couple to parents can be joyous, but also scary and frustrating at times. Research shows that within three years after the birth of a child, approximately two-thirds of couples will experience a significant drop in their relationship quality and will have a dramatic increase in conflict and hostility. Many mothers experience emotional roller coasters during pregnancy and sometimes postpartum depression after the birth. This can wreak havoc on a couple’s relationship. Add this to sleepless nights, endless feeding and diaper changes - not to mention the fears associated with caring for a newborn - and it is understandable to couples can become overwhelmed and the relationship suffer.
Research also shows that a couple’s emotional connection is the real foundation for a baby’s development. Both a hostile parent-parent relationship and a withdrawn or intrusive parent-child relationship hold lasting negative effects on a child’s emotional, social, and cognitive development.
As a Bringing Baby Home (BBH) Educator and an Emotion Coach - the Heart of Parenting, I am prepared to help expectant couples and parents of infants and toddlers to equip themselves with the knowledge and skills needed to cope constructively with the changes brought about by the birth of a child. The BBH Program teaches couples how to strengthen their friendship, increase intimacy, and regulate conflict. Furthermore, couples learn about child development, learn how to co-parent with their partner, and discover ways to keep both parents involved. This program teaches sensitive and responsive parenting. It promotes the development of healthier infants and assists children in their emotional, social, cognitive, and physical development.
Bringing Baby Home and Emotion Coach - The Heart of Parenting are programs copyrighted by the Gottman Institute.
