Baby Steps to Parenthood

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Who is this course for?

Couples who are contemplating having a baby, expecting their little one or have a baby under the age of 3 months.

If they cannot bring a partner along, we highly recommend them bringing along the individual who is their key support during this journey, as their course partner.

What is the time investment?

6 hour program, covered in 2 hour sessions held over 3 weeks.

Where can the course be attended from?

The course is being offered online via Zoom and can be attended from the comfort of your home.

Who will be conducting this course?

The course will be conducted by 2 experienced certified parent educators from Parenting Matters.

What will they receive as part of this course?

This is a very experiential and interactive course. The details of the 3 modules are shared above. Plus they will receive a workbook with detailed handouts and reflective exercises. Plenty of resources are also shared during the sessions and in the workbook. There is also in-depth Whatsapp engagement with the 2 facilitators for the duration of the course. The group often continues and becomes a valuable support network in the future!

How many participants in a group?

We have an upper limit of 7 couples per group to ensure ample time for all participants to share and ask questions.

What is the cost?

The cost is Rs.7000/- per couple. Register here https://imjo.in/H6ZWBC

When is the next batch happening?

The next batch starts on November 28th. It will run on 3 consecutive Saturdays - Nov 28th, Dec 5th and 12th, 2020 from 7-9 pm Indian standard time. Check your time zone here www.thetimezoneconverter.com

How can I register for this program or plan to run it for employees in my organisation/ parents in my school?

Simply call us or whatsapp us on 95660 75368 Or write to us on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

CONTENT OF THE PROGRAM:

Our program focusses on the emotional needs of the parents and baby. It creates opportunities for conversations between the parents on crucial aspects of raising a little human being.

This works as a beautiful and wholesome complement to most antenatal programs that focus on the physical concerns of pregnant mothers,preparation for childbirth, breast feeding and how to take care of the bodily needs of the infant as these are the most pressing concerns for expectant and new parents.

Module 1- Transition

This module will support expectant parents to understand changes that this crucial transition period will bring into their lives. They can explore ways to effectively deal with these transitions and empower themselves to understand each other through invaluable conversations. Creating a space for these interactions is an initiation to an ongoing process of conversations between couples as their children grow. The session will also offer them the opportunity to reflect on the upkeep of their self-care and explore the concept of emotional regulation.

Module 2- Reflection

Parents-to-be will use this module to reflect on the key questions of how they were parented and how they would like to parent? What would they like to continue with or let go of from their childhoods and how they were parented. This session will also offer them opportunities to become aware of each partner's back story, which is a crucial aspect of co-parenting with consciousness.

Module 3- What Every Child Needs

This module will focus on the information from the latest research in brain science to raise awareness about what are the key elements that help a child thrive, and the role the parent plays in the formative years of childhood. A deep understanding of how the baby's growing brain develops is directly connected to the kind of interactions and experiences the parents give the baby.

WHY A PROGRAM FOREXPECTANT NAD NEW PARENTS?

1. Bringing Science to parents: Today we are aware of the enormous role parents' play in how children's brains develop. Neuroscience tells us that brain development starts in the 8th day after conception and how early interactions with the baby is what builds the architecture of the child's brain.

John Medina, geneticist and molecular biologist, author of Brain Rules for Babies, says, " What you do before pregnancy, during pregnancy and through the first five years- will affect your children for the rest of their lives."

Robin Grille, author of Heart to Heart Parenting writes, "The way the emotional centres in the brain develop is directly shaped by our relationships with our caregivers. By six months our stress response level is set, based on how our emotional security needs are met by others. This will influence the way we face stressful situations throughout our lives"

Given all this information based on scientific research, Parenting Matters feels a great need to support parents. Understanding the emotional and social needs of babies will empower them to make informed choices, be attuned to their babies and set a solid foundation.

2. Changing times requires a change in approach: With the disintegration of large families and communities, parents need a lot of support to understand and deal with the stresses that may accompany childbirth and parenthood. Parents talk about how they find the early years very difficult because they are unprepared or not fully prepared for the huge changes that happen. This often shows up in the communication between the couple adding stress on the marriage which in turn affects the baby. We would like to help parents be better prepared at both an emotional and practical level. baby and dad1

Our Course will support couples in having key conversations - how they can work as a team to nurture the baby, how responsibilities will be shared,discuss the pros and cons of going back to work, how soon and how their babies can best be cared for.

3. Right information at the right time: In our work with parents ,since 2004, our participants share that many challenges they face are because they did not have adequate knowledge and skills at the right time. These become patterns or practices which they now feel are not beneficial to the child but difficult to change. The most common lament is this, "Oh I wish I had known this when my baby was born. There are so many things I would have done differently."

Having got this feedback, we strongly feel that the best time to start working with parents is when they are expecting a baby so they feel empowered with the knowledge and skillsto make informed decisions.

* It is our sincere endeavour to make parent education available to any parent seeking it. If you are finding it difficult to pay the mentioned fee, please do reach out to us on 95660 75368.