Using Skype to Share The HUG

Earlier this month we had a HUG Your Baby training in Durham. I was delighted to welcome a dozen doulas, five nurses, and a social worker to his fun, all-day workshop. We reviewed The HUG "Zones" and "SOSs" as well as the powerful HUG techniques: "Broadcasting" and "Commentating" on a newborn's behavior. There was time to share stories, to role-plays (with those small-for-gestational-age dolls from the dollar store!), and to review some moms-teaching-moms video clips.

An important part of any HUG training is to learn about the variety of HUG experiences across the USA and even around the world. I was eager to introduce participants to the incredible, new research by Maryam Mozafarinia. And, what a surprise it was to our HUG learners to be able to see and hear the researcher herself coming to us from Canada through Skype.

After receiving permission from me, Maryam translated The HUG DVD and handout into Farsi. As a NICU nurse she understood the stress that fathers of premature babies experience. She demonstrated that The HUG decreases a father's stress level and enhances a father's knowledge of his baby's behavior.

How wonderful that Skype brought Maryam into our classroom, allowing us to hear directly from this skilled researcher who is the first Certified HUG Teacher in Iran!

© HUG Your Baby 2012