I am so delighted to have integrated HUG Your Baby into my home visits. Recently, I offered my first HUG Your Baby class to our families during our monthly group connection. I showed the HUG DVD in English and Spanish. We reviewed all 3 newborn “Zones”, talked about identifying SOS’s (Signs of Over-Stimulation), and how to help their babies get to the “Ready Zone” in order to play.
It was amazing to see the look on their faces and their interest in learning these techniques. I was especially happy to see the fathers become involved when we were practicing calming techniques with a doll. Parents expressed how happy they were to have attended to class. They expressed delight in learning how to understand their babies’ body language in order to better bond with their babies.
I also had the privilege to teach HUG Your Baby to a few families during a home visits. They had many questions about their babies’ behavior since that they were first time parents. These new parents were able to learn how important is to learn to recognize their infant's cues, "Zones “and SOS’s.
In one of the visit tjhe baby started crying after being awake for a while. His father immediately thought that the baby was hungry. However, after learning about the SOS’s he was able to understand that the baby was over-stimulated instead. The baby's mother was happy to use the comforting/calming techniques of holding the baby’s hand to his chest, swaddling the baby, and talking to him softly. They had “ah ha” moment when they saw their baby calming down and falling to sleep.
Another mom informed me during our second visit that distinguishing the baby’s “Active/Light” and “Still /Deep “sleep allowed her baby to stay calm and to sleep longer hours at night.
I am so excited to help empower families in my community by teaching HUG Your Baby!