Join me in celebrating The Greatest Pregnancy Ever, a newly published book by Tracy Wilson Peters and Laurel Wilson. Tracy, CEO of CAPPA, and Laurel, Executive Director at CAPPA, are doulas and national leaders in the world of childbirth education and early parenting. After years of working with pregnant and young families, they have teased out components of having a satisfying pregnancy and early parenting experience. Here are a few key concepts:
Has anyone ever told you that you can get to know your baby and bond with her before she is even born?
Do you know that your baby’s personality is shaped by your emotions, stress levels, and environment during pregnancy?
Are you looking for ways to address the physical challenges in pregnancy that don’t require prescriptions?
Are you aware that starting in pregnancy you can help your baby develop positive relationships with the important people in your life?
Finally, here is a book written by real pregnancy experts that provides keys to unlocking the secrets of having the greatest pregnancy ever! Extraordinary scientific findings shared in this book will forever change the way you view pregnancy and your growing baby.
The Greatest Pregnancy Ever offers advice for creating a peaceful, joyful, and positive beginning for your family. This book offers insights and tips for addressing fears and anxieties, managing stress, increasing comfort during pregnancy, and creating a way of life that will transform you, your baby, and ultimately the world you live in.
Authors and pregnancy experts Laurel Wilson and Tracy Wilson Peters know that parents do not need to read volumes of encyclopedic detail on pregnancy in order to learn what is important. Instead, The Greatest Pregnancy Ever offers real-life solutions to the emotional and physical issues pregnant women face.
This book is designed around four keys that can unlock the secrets to having the greatest pregnancy ever. The keys relate to specific time periods and concepts during pregnancy. When parents focus on incorporating these keys into their lifestyle, it positively influences the behavior and personality of their child. No longer should the information given to pregnant women focus primarily on the aches and pains of pregnancy; what is needed today is an understanding of how important the motherbaby bond is and how this bond forever impacts the family dynamic. The Greatest Pregnancy Ever is the only book that meets this need.
This book shares little known facts that can change the entire experience of pregnancy and parenting for families. For example:
· Chronic stress in pregnancy can lead to a baby who cries more, sleeps less, and is anxious.
· A mother’s thoughts and feelings create chemical signals that literally form her baby’s brain and develop into emotional intelligence.
· Only during pregnancy and the first few years of a child’s life can parents truly influence who their child will become, both emotionally and physically.
All moms want to do whatever they can to positively impact the development of their child. They want to have the greatest pregnancy ever, and luckily it is possible with the information and practices in this book.
The keys relate to the concept of being able to B.O.N.D. This connection is imperative to the baby, the mother, and the partner for overall health and wellness. Many parents find with their busy, overscheduled, and stressful lives that seeking connection is just one more item on their to-do list. The Greatest Pregnancy Ever solves this dilemma by providing very simple tools, techniques, and tips for parents to use. They not only make connection possible, but ease stress and improve parents’ daily lives and their relationships.
The book is organized into four parts:
B.O.N.D. - Keys to Bonding
· B-Be-ing - Conception, The Beginning
· O-Observing - The First Trimester
· N-Nourishing - The Second Trimester
· D-Deciding - The Third Trimester
There is no time more important than right now to introduce these concepts to expectant parents. With cesarean rates approaching 40 percent, preterm births steadily on the rise, and the increased stress levels of mothers, this information is vital to protecting future generations. The primary factors that increase the risk to pregnancy and the infant is chronic stress and disconnection between mother and baby. Babies are constantly tuned in to their mother throughout pregnancy and early childhood. Their mother’s thoughts, feelings, and actions lay the groundwork for how the baby perceives the world by molding the child’s brain, organ systems, and emotional development.
Start today by embracing motherhood in an entirely new way—start by having the greatest pregnancy ever!
Oder information HERE.
The Greatest Pregnancy Ever
Finland Professional Studying The HUG
It is always fun to be in touch with like-minded professionals from around the world. Awital Zingg-Bollag is a certified Hypnobirthing Practitioner and teaches childbirth preparation classes in Finland. See her webpage here. Because she is from Switzerland, lived in the States for five years and now lives in Finland, she mostly works with international women.
I love how she describes her journey to this work.
"In an effort to allow other mothers-to-be to become more educated on the miracle of pregnancy and birth, to enable them to critically question the status quo, and to help them achieve their goals of having a calm and peaceful birth, I started my training as a HypnoBirthing®
practitioner."
Though her life is busy with a 4- and 2-year-old and 9-month-old, she is in the process of becoming a post-partum doula. HUG training is part of this process. We wish her well in her important efforts to support and encourage women in her corner of the world!
Doulas Applaud Online Training
Doulas from across the USA have recently completed the HUG Your Baby (Part I) Online Training. As both birth and post-partum doulas, they understand what new mothers need and want. Nevertheless, they learned A LOT!
100 % say: This program gave me helpful tools and strategies for teaching parents.
100 % say: This online learning was easy to follow.
100 % say: I would recommend this course to colleagues.
One doula shares, "Awesome! Lots of things I didn't know!"
Another doula reports, "A wonderful way to help parents learn how to unlock the mystery of relating to a infant."
Obtain CAPPA, DONA or ICEA Credit.
Course Preview HERE.
"What's My Baby Doing?" Mom Wonders
Maria came into this world and bit sooner than expected. Maria was born by emergency c-section two weeks early when her mom started to bleed during early labor. Although she was a nice 7 lbs 3 ounces at birth, her entrance into the world a few weeks early presented her with a few extra challenges.
Maria seemed to "never know what she is doing," her mom explained. She would fuss and appear ready to eat. She'd get to the breast, take a few sucks, then fall back asleep. Mom's breasts were full, so she would pump while Maria slept. Maria would wake up in forty-five minutes, cry inconsolably, and Mom would have to give the pumped milk since her breasts had not filled up again. In one hour the process started again. Mom's milk supply was down, the baby seemed hungry, and Mom's nipples were sore. It was time to stop this downward cycle before Mom gave up on breastfeeding.
Mom's story suggested a baby who had not yet developed clear "Resting" and "Ready" Zones It is common for a baby born early to need his mom's help to figure out whether she is really awake or asleep. In addition to needing this help, Maria was also a baby with VERY active, "Active Sleep," which was being misunderstood by her mom as waking up to eat.
I had hoped to see this behavior in action, and I wasn't disappointed. As Mom and I spoke, Maria started to stir on the exam table. She cried suddenly and began to jerk her arms about but never opened her eyes. Since she had just eaten one hour before, I swaddled her and spoke quietly to her instead of putting her immediately to Mom's breast. She squirmed and fussed for a full five minutes. Then Maria relaxed and fell back into a deep, peaceful sleep for another hour and a half. Now she stirred again and repeated his performance. However, this time Mom swaddled her and spoke quietly to her, she calmed down, opened her eyes, and started to root around. She was now in the "Ready Zone," ready to eat. Mom put her to her breast, where she nursed a full twenty minutes and became calm and content as she gazed up at her mother.
It's normal for new parents to feel confused as they attempt to read an infant's early body language. However, learning to help a baby in "Active Sleep" calm back down and sleep a bit longer can be crucial for breastfeeding success. As Maria's mom practiced what we had discovered together, her supply of breast milk increased, her baby thrived, and she settled into a new comfort zone herself. Mom's timely action to help her child organize her sleep and wake cycles will really pay off in the months ahead.
© HUG Your Baby 2012
New Certified HUG Teacher Shares Her Story: Parents discover their own SOSs!
Ellynne Skove is a therapist and movement specialist focusing on somatic practices and birth psychology in New York. She developed the GoGo Babies classes teaching Developmental Movement, Tummy Time, & Baby Yoga for new parents and their babies to help parents understand the importance of movement in a babies physical, mental, and emotional growth. Bonding and attachment are of special interest to Ellynne as well, and she works with this from pre-conception through the pregnancy, birth, and beyond, especially with babies conceived through Assisted Reproductive technologies. For more information see: GoGo Babies or True North Wellness.
While teaching my first HUG class I overheard a father whispering to himself about his own S.O.S. (signs of over stimulation) behavior. Upon hearing this I quickly added to our post video discussion a query to all of the adults about their own S.O.S.’s. The couples began to tease one another and laugh, along with expressing frustration about when a spouse becomes “unavailable.” Of course we all deal with our own over stimulation or too much stress by Spacing Out, Shutting Down, or Switching Off. There may be many other ways we do this too.
Since having a baby can be such an enormous change for many couples, and often there is not enough support for new families, I now always ask my parents in class to identify their S.O.S. behaviors. Naming these behaviors can be really helpful to the parents. Becoming conscious can help the person who might be overly stressed ask for what he or she needs, and it can certainly help others in the family give more patience, support, and understanding.
Since the adult caregivers in a family need to be able to address the needs of their children and babies it is also extremely useful to ask the parents what feels nurturing, supportive, and helpful when they are overly stressed. In somatic trauma healing work we call this being “Re-Sourced.” It is when we feel more centered and grounded in our beings, physically, emotionally, and mentally. More present and in our “Ready Zone.” Sometimes it might be a cup of tea or a bath. For a new mother, it might be just finding a way to get to the bathroom without having to worry about the baby. For others it might be going for a walk, or to a yoga class. Perhaps having time to complete a task without interruption, or taking a nap.
Whatever it is, it is wonderful for the new parents to identify these ReSources and remember them, much as we encourage them to use swaddling, swaying, sshhhhing sounds, and sucking as ReSources for their new babies. Understanding that all humans, especially in our busy multi tasking societies, go through “Rebooting” is really important. Finding ways to help brings the family closer and creates deeper bonds and attachment for all.
© HUG Your Baby 2012
Are Baby Boys Tougher than Baby Girls?
“Be tough little man,” I hear as I draw up the two-month-olds immunizations. Do we (as a culture) expect boy babies to handle stress more easily than their two-month-old twin sister? Some moms and many dads might find themselves saying, “Yes we do!” This new study gives us reason to pause,. A meta-analysis of 69 studies involving almost 6,000 children indicates that boys who are more insecurely attached to their mothers in the early years have more behavior problems later in childhood.
© HUG Your Baby 2012
CAPPA offers first Doula/Childbirth Educator Training In Mexico
The November CAPPA Newsltter shares the exciting news that CAPPA is reaching out to colleagues in Mexico. Twelve women from a variety of backgrounds came together in Guadalajara, Mexico to learn skills and techniques for supporting women and their families during this vulnerable and exciting time in their lives. CAPPA leadership from Equador, Jennifer Bertha, lead this workshop.
Let's celebrate the importance of education and support for young families around the world! And, remember to remind your Spanish speaking educators that the HUG Your Baby DVD is now available in Spanish.
"Nursing Mother's Companion"
"Kathleen Huggins lays a vast spectrum of early worries and questions to rest in an easy-to-read, factual, and yet not overly-clinical book. Every breastfeeding mother, and especially every new mom who wonders "Is this normal? Is this okay? What can I do about this?" should have this book on her shelf - or better yet, beside her bed or rocking chair for easy access."
Read story here.
Creating Healthy Connections: Nurturing Brain Development
Zero-to-Three offers exciting podcast about how baby's learn. Download this podcast, and hear Dr Alison Gopnik, Ph.D. author of Philosophical Baby. Take a walk, enjoy the Fall season and learn how much babies know.
Infant Massage USA now Recommends HUG Your Baby Training for ALL its Members!
Linda Storm, executive director of Infant Massage USA, has a lot to say about how The HUG will enhance the work of the professionals in her organization. (See video.) As she explains, "infant massage is NOT something we do TO THE BABY, but instead, something we do WITH THE BABY." Understanding and responding to a baby's SOSs (Signs of Over-Stimulation) and appreciating a baby's movement from one Zone to another is crucial for effective infant massage. Linda believes HUG Your Baby training will help their professionals increase a parent's sensitivity to their baby and facilitate the parent-child relationship.
Join me in welcoming these professionals who serve young families in a very special way in our communities!
New Certified HUG Teacher shares story:Family SOS Identification and Family Soothing through Re-Sourcing
Ellynne Skove is a therapist and movement specialist focusing on somatic practices and birth psychology in New York. She developed the GoGo Babies classes teaching Developmental Movement, Tummy Time, & Baby Yoga for new parents and their babies to help parents understand the importance of movement in a babies physical, mental, and emotional growth. Bonding and attachment are of special interest to Ellynne as well, and she works with this from pre-conception through the pregnancy, birth, and beyond, especially with babies conceived through Assisted Reproductive technologies. For more information see: GoGo Babies or True North Wellness.
While teaching my first HUG class I overheard a father whispering to himself about his own S.O.S. (signs of over stimulation) behavior. Upon hearing this I quickly added to our post video discussion a query to all of the adults about their own S.O.S.’s. The couples began to tease one another and laugh, along with expressing frustration about when a spouse becomes “unavailable.” Of course we all deal with our own over stimulation or too much stress by Spacing Out, Shutting Down, or Switching Off. There may be many other ways we do this too.
Since having a baby can be such an enormous change for many couples, and often there is not enough support for new families, I now always ask my parents in class to identify their S.O.S. behaviors. Naming these behaviors can be really helpful to the parents. Becoming conscious can help the person who might be overly stressed ask for what he or she needs, and it can certainly help others in the family give more patience, support, and understanding.
Since the adult caregivers in a family need to be able to address the needs of their children and babies it is also extremely useful to ask the parents what feels nurturing, supportive, and helpful when they are overly stressed. In somatic trauma healing work we call this being “Re-Sourced.” It is when we feel more centered and grounded in our beings, physically, emotionally, and mentally. More present and in our “Ready Zone.” Sometimes it might be a cup of tea or a bath. For a new mother, it might be just finding a way to get to the bathroom without having to worry about the baby. For others it might be going for a walk, or to a yoga class. Perhaps having time to complete a task without interruption, or taking a nap.
Whatever it is, it is wonderful for the new parents to identify these ReSources and remember them, much as we encourage them to use swaddling, swaying, sshhhhing sounds, and sucking as ReSources for their new babies. Understanding that all humans, especially in our busy multi tasking societies, go through “Rebooting” is really important. Finding ways to help brings the family closer and creates deeper bonds and attachment for all.
© HUG Your Baby 2011
New Certified HUG Teacher Returns from Napal
Phyllis R. D'Agostino has been a doula (certified through DONA) and a parent educator for many years in Winston-Salem, Forsyth County, North Carolina. Last year she had the opportunity to accompany her husband, Steve, to work in Nepal. She has now returned to Winston-Salem, North Carolina where she will be starting a business as a birth/postpartum doula and teaching parenting and childbirth education classes for individuals, for local agencies and in the community.
I love the H.U.G. program! Every new parent should see this DVD before they leave the hospital if they haven’t seen it in a prenatal parenting or childbirth class. I have been using it since 2007 when I first attended a workshop conducted by Jan Tedder in Charlotte. I bought the HUG DVD, and began showing it in the prenatal parenting class I taught at the Forsyth County Department of Public Health where I worked at the Parent Education and Infant Mortality Reduction Program Coordinator. I also give it to every friend and relative of childbearing age; and clients I work with as a birth or postpartum doula.
While teaching the infant development class in the prenatal parenting series, I would show the HUG video instead of talking about what to look for in newborn development – it seemed that understanding infant cues and knowing infant stages of awareness were really important information for all parents and caregivers to know. Another great part of the HUG video is that parents learn strategies to help calm and sooth their baby. Feedback on class evaluations and conversations with participants were always very positive, and the parents were excited about what they had learned. I remember a couple who were attending a parenting series who were pregnant with their third child. The parents both said, “We wish we had learned about HUG with our first two children.”
H.U.G. – the Help, Understand and Guide Your Baby DVD is a remarkable education program and an invaluable tool for me as a doula and parent educator.
