She is a trauma informed Infant Mental Health Specialist and Certified Infant Massage Instructor. HUG Your Baby is a wonderful component of the support Training Grounds We PLAY Center offers to expectant parents and caregivers of newborns. The information about infant zones, comforting babies, and play are in perfect alignment with the work I have done for years as an Infant Mental Health Consultant. The HUG curriculum presents information in a straightforward way that is easily understood by parents. I learned a lot about newborn eating and sleeping! Parents were excited to learn about early development. I could hear their confidence growing as they discussed what they had heard and seen in the videos.
I love the HUG strategy of broadcasting as a means of highlighting moments of attunement and responsive caregiving. All parents want to know when they are successful. And even the parents who are confidently responding to the needs of their children feel seen and celebrated. Broadcasting also works as a gentle tool to give voice to the body communication of the infant. In this way we act as an interpreter who allows the parent to attune to and respond to the early cues, meeting the child’s expressed need. And broadcasting provides support to the parent whose infant’s needs may not be so clear. The parent who knows they are not alone and who is validated, can stay calm and better able to observe and interpret their infant’s cues.
The celebrated social worker Virginia Satir is famous for saying, “ We need 4 hugs a day for survival. We need 8 hugs a day for maintenance. We need 12 hugs a day for growth.” I am excited to share HUG Your Baby with families. Whether in person or via zoom the power of connectedness fuels growth for parent and child.