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Hello Baby

Parents’ group session

Supporting parents in the early days with their baby

Topics include:

Feeding, Sleeping

and Crying

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Hello Baby Parents’ Group Session

Contents

Section Page

Introduction 4

I) Parents’ group session 5 - 17

A Organising the group B Session Outline C Welcome and warm up D Getting in touch E Introducing the topic F Skills practice

i Sleep and wake states ii Soothing iii Baby time out signals iv Feeding cues

G Discussion carousel H Relaxation and reflection I Summing up J Evaluation

II) Appendices 19 - 23 A Poster B Getting to know you C ‘Getting in Touch’ Q&A cards

D New baby Bible verse E Reading list

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With special thanks to Jeanette Appleton from Mothers’ Union in the Diocese of Chester for putting this session together.

Mothers' Union Mary Sumner House

24 Tufton Street London

SW1P 3RB Tel: 020 7222 5533

Email: outreach@mothersunion.org www.mothersunion.org

Registered Charity No 240531

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Hello Baby

I) Introduction

Mary Sumner set up the Mothers' Union because she understood that new mothers needed the support of others mothers in the all-important role of caring for a new born baby. Research has shown that a new mother will seek the support of thirteen other mothers to support her as she cares for her new baby. Mary Sumner did not have the advantage of this information, but by setting up Mothers’ Union she provided exactly the right support network for new mothers. Today there are all types of groups run by Mothers’ Union, where new mums have the chance to meet. At Mothers’ Union members will o f t e n have many years of parenting experience on their team. In Cheshire Heather attended a group, where parents meet for tea, toast, and a chat; as a single mum aged 21; she was surprised to find how much she enjoyed the intergenerational group. “We were all young mothers who had no idea what to do when our baby cried. It was like the blind leading the blind. Here at the Mothers’ Union Tea and Toast group we met a group of experienced mothers who could listen and advise us about how to care for our new babies.” This parenting session is designed to be used by Passionate about Parenting facilitators as another opportunity for Mothers’ Union to give new parents a resource to support them as they learn about their new baby. This session gives parents an insight into baby behaviour which aims to make it easier to read their baby’s behavioural cues and understand what their baby is ‘saying’ to them and in turn give the appropriate response. This two hour workshop is a one off session that can stand alone or be added to an existing under - fives parenting programme. The aim of this session is to highlight to parents the wonderful skills that their new born baby has to self-regulate and communicate, and to give parents the confidence to support their baby in the three key areas of feeding, sleeping and crying. A poster for advertising a group like this can be found on page 19.

T. Berry Brazelton, one of the world's most renowned paediatricians and a leading pioneer in early childhood development says to all new parents: “You may think others know more about parenting than you do, but they don't. You know your baby better than anyone else, so follow your instinct, and by watching his responses and his behaviour — which is his language — he will tell you how to parent him. Don't worry about any mistakes for you can learn from them until you hit what works.”

A recent survey commissioned by the NSPCC showed that 72 per cent of all new mothers said they would have liked more advice before their baby was born. They wanted more information on a range of issues including how to cope with their ba by's crying and sleeplessness.

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II) Parents’ group session

A Organising the group These session notes are designed to use with a new parents’ group by Passionate about Parenting facilitators. If you are interested in knowing more about the facilitator training offered by Mothers’ Union contact outreach@themothersunion.org

A poster has been designed to be used alongside this session and can be found in the appendix on page 19 o f this workshop pack. Add details of the specific information for your course in the space provided and feel free to personalise this template. Sometimes parents find it easier to talk about issues around parenting in a group where they are strangers, so consider placing the posters around the local community. You may like to make some invitation cards which can be left in Health centre/church/ church centre/or the local library for people to pick up.

As experienced parenting facilitators you have already considered issues around choosing a location and setting out the room so these aspects are not included in this guide. However you might want to consider using this checklist to ensure that you have considered all the basics. Budget Co facilitator Location Risk assessment Advertising materials

Evaluation*

B Session outlines Leaders’ background information notes are highlighted found at the beginning of each section. Material to purchase: The DVD and Parent Leaflet: Getting it Right from the Start is recommended for use in Introducing the Topic and Skills Practice and can be purchased from: Tameside and Glossop Community Healthcare, Selbourne House, Union Street, Hyde SK14 1NG. Tel: 0161 366 2331 Fax: 061 366 2385. Parents may want to have a copy of this resource for themselves. All other resources are included for you to print off and use with your group, in the appendix. When planning for your group of new parents you can use any or all of these sections and be inspired to add your own ideas. *Two evaluation methods have been included.

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Session outline Duration Materials

Welcoming and warming up Option 1 Option 2

5 minutes No material required 1 roll of loo paper

Getting in Touch 10 minutes Print off Cards for each parent (page 21)

Introducing the topic of Baby Behaviour Sleep and Awake States Soothing a crying baby Signs of sensitivity Feeding cues

10 – 15 minutes 10 – 15 minutes 10 – 15 minutes 10 – 15 minutes

DVD and Leaflet Getting it Right from the Start Details on page 5.

Small marble, large marble and a ping pong ball Discussion Time 20 minutes Bell or buzzer

Relaxation and reflection 10 minutes CD or MP3 player

Summing up 5 – 10 minutes Observations from the session

Evaluation 5 minutes Faces Poster or feedback comment cards (pages 17&18)

Total time: Up to 2 hrs

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Anna Jones 18 05 1989 31 08 2013

Jewellery Running

Cooking Music

Cheesy adverts

C Welcome and warming up 5 minutes

To help this session get off to a good start choose one of these Icebreakers so that the parents can get to know each other. Getting to know you (1) Give each person a blank name badge and ask them to write the following on this. Their name. Two dates that are significant to them. Four verbs which represent things they like to do. One thing that they hate (item, behaviour or idea). Preparation Print out the prepared badges abd questions, with all above written out clearly, to avoid repeating yourself. Invite the group to circulate greet each other. They may ask questions based on the information on the name tag. See appendix ‘Getting to know you’ on page 20 Getting to know you (2) No preparation required In groups of three to four ask each person to take something out of their pocket or bag that they feel represents something about them. They tell each other why this item represents them. Getting to know you (3) Have a new roll of loo paper. Pass the roll around the group and ask each member to tear off as many pieces of paper as they want and take four pieces yourself. Then explain to the group that for every piece of loo paper they taken, they must now give one item of information about themselves. There is usually some laughter here for the person who has taken the most sheets of paper. Help break the ice by starting yourself, you can tell them information such as: where you were born, your family, hobbies. Material: 1 roll of loo paper.

D Getting in touch with fetal development 10 minutes Infant development does not start at birth but is an on-going process from conception, and this process evolves from the simple to the complex. From as early as eight weeks, jerky motor movements of the limbs are observed and by 20 weeks all the motor movements of the infant are observed and practised. This period of practise appears to promote joint and motor development as well as developing coordination (e.g. the infant is able to bring their hand to their mouth).

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The mother will report periods of infant activity (awake) and inactivity (sleep) from about 20 weeks, and by 36 weeks these periods of awake and sleep are more focused. The five senses develop whilst the baby is in the womb and these senses appear to be important to the establishment of breast-feeding, the recognition of the mother and social community. This can be seen in the development of the sense of taste and smell where from as early as the twelfth week of gestation, the infant has an experience of the taste of the amniotic fluid it is floating in, this is similar to colostrums (the first Food produced by breast feeding mothers), breast milk and breast skin. This could be part of the developmental process for promoting the establishment of breast-feeding, essential to the survival of the infant in times and situations where bottle-feeding was not an alternative. Babies are able to recognise their mother’s voice from 20 weeks and are able to recognise the language their mother speaks from other languages). These skills promote mother baby-attachment and support the theory of the baby being a social baby even before birth. Babies are ready to engage and interact with the world as soon as they are born. The key factor is for the baby to be able to use what they have learnt before birth as they adapt to the world outside the womb and continue their developmental progress after birth. Activity Aren’t you amazing! With the parents working in groups of two or three read the following statements and let each group ‘have a go’ at saying at what age the baby will achieve this skill. The aim of this session is to demonstrate that at birth babies have so many skills which parents can support and encourage. Print out the prepared cards with the questions and answers for each parent to take home. They can then share this information with their friends and family. See appendix ‘Getting in touch’ on page 21. Questions

At what age does a baby recognise its mother’s voice? How old is a baby when it recognises its mother tongue from that of another language? How early do babies develop regional accents? How early can a baby recognise a nursery rhyme? At what age does a baby recognise its mother’s face? Answers Babies are able to recognise their mother’s voice from 20 weeks after conception. Babies are able to recognise the language their mother speaks from other languages at birth. At 27 weeks in the womb the baby’s cry contains some speech features, rhythms and voice characteristic of its mother. By 26 weeks onwards the unborn baby will respond to a familiar tune sung by its mother, or a TV soap opera theme tune,

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Some babies recognise their mother’s face from 7 days old and most achieve this by 10 days.

E Introducing the topic 15 minutes

Background This section outlines and describe the range of behaviours and the developmental abilities of the new born infant and shows that the new born infant is not a "blooming, buzzing, confusion", as Dr William James in 1890 described the new born. But we can see that, according to the paediatrician and psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott, “In each baby there is a vital spark and this urge towards life, growth and development is a part of the baby, something the child is born with”. In the first few days of life the baby may be unable to organise a smooth transition from sleep to awake; some babies may remain in a light sleep or drowsy state as being out in the world can be over-stimulating and they respond by shutting out and conserving their energy through a low level alert state. These babies can often be slow to feed and have difficulty latching on to the breast. Other babies appear over-alert and cannot achieve a restful sleep, fussing and crying for several hours. Both these behaviours require support to help the baby learn to regulate their state for themselves.

Parents are often concerned when the baby cries, especially at the start before they have learnt the meaning of each cry, i.e. the hungry cry, the tired cry, the dirty nappy cry and the bored cry. An infant who is irritable and prone to excessive crying is the most common reason for seeking medical advice in the first few months of life. Not only does this behaviour cause distress to the parents, it also decreases the parent’s confidence in their parenting skills. Most parents of the new-born infant will use picking-up and rocking as a consoling technique for irritable or crying behaviour. However infants are able to console themselves if given sufficient time and others can often be consoled without the necessity of being picked up. By showing parents from the DVD an effective set of strategies to console a crying infant the new parent gains in confidence and has a powerful tool to support their baby. Improved relationships between parent and the infant are also known to have a positive impact on subsequent infant development. Baby Behaviour: Sleep and Awake (10 - 15 minutes) Part of learning about babies is to be able to observe and recognise when they are ready for different activities such as feeding, playing and sleeping. Babies are not just asleep and awake during the 24 hours of each day. Dr B Brazleton describes six states of sleep and alert behaviour, which help parents to support their baby, whether to have a feed or to go to sleep.

F Skills practice

i Sleep and awake states

The main features of each state are described on page 8 – 10 of the leaflet ‘Getting it right from the start’: Deep Sleep: eyes closed, very regular breathing and may startle from time to time Light Sleep: Eyes are closed may make small gentle movements such as sucking Drowsy: In between sleep and awake, eyes may be closed or open, with small movements

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Alert: Eyes open and bright, Calm and alert and likes looking at people, mum and dad especially.

Fussing: More active and vocalising, fussing sounds Crying: this is just baby’s’ way to tell you that they need something from you. Before long you will be able to tell the difference between your baby’s hungry, tired, and bored cries.

Activity Watch the short clip from the DVD from the Pack ‘Getting it Right from the Start’ and refer to pages 8 to 10 in the leaflet. This section highlights the behaviour of each state with a short clip and description which is also included in the leaflet that comes with the DVD. After watching the DVD ask the parents to make up groups of three to four. Ask each person share one thing that they have learnt from watching this clip and how they plan to use this when caring for their baby. You might like to highlight the tips included in the leaflet and ask them to share whether or not they plan to follow these tips. If you think the parents are finding it difficult to share their ideas then use the photographs on the accompanying sheet and ask the parents to work out which state each baby is in. Encourage them to look and see if they think the sleeping baby is so relaxed that they are still (Deep Sleep), or whether there are tell-tale signs that the baby is moving (Light Sleep). Let the parents know that there is also a valuable tool on how to soothe your baby when they cry coming up.

ii Soothing your baby

10 - 15 minutes This is the section of the programme that has every parent interested. Parents are often concerned when the baby cries, especially in the first few days before they have learnt the meaning of each cry, i.e. the hungry cry, the tired cry, the dirty nappy cry and the bored cry. An infant who is irritable and prone to excessive crying is the most common reason for seeking medical advice in the first few mo0nths of life. Not only does this behaviour cause distress to the parents, it also decreases the parent’s confidence in their parenting skills. Most parents of the new born infant will use picking up and rocking as a consoling technique for irritable or crying behaviour. Some infants are able to console themselves if given sufficient time and others can often be consoled without the necessity of being picked up. When any baby starts crying, the baby should be given the opportunity to self-console; this should be no more than 15 seconds. New-born babies have the ability to self-console, we just need to give them the time and some support to achieve this. Parents can watch and to see if their baby tries to bring their hands to their mouth, or focus on an object in the room in an attempt to self-soothe. Hands to mouth movements are frequently jerky and uncoordinated in the first days of life. Parents may try to cover the baby’s hands with scratch mittens, as they see the baby’s actions as negative and liable to cause scratch marks on the infant’s face. When parents understand the function of bringing the hand to the mouth and sucking, as self-regulatory behaviour which assists the baby to self-sooth, they can make

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informed decisions about the use of mittens.

Self-soothing Self-soothing behaviours include: Bringing hands to the face Bringing hands to the mouth Inserting hands into the mouth Sucking on fingers or fist Foot clasping (where the baby places one foot against the other leg, or on top of the opposite foot). Grasping, a blanket or finger of a carer

Soothing a crying baby page 11 -13 of the leaflet Getting it Right from the start

If baby continues to cry then the following approach for the parent is recommended:

Place your face in front of the baby’s and engage their gaze. It is amazing when a simple action such as this calms your baby.

If baby continues to cry then start talking to them in a voice that the baby can hear over their own cries.

If they are still crying then place your hand on their tummy while talking and looking at them.

Give each stage time to work (approximately 15 seconds) before moving onto placing your hands over their arms and legs to calm their movements.

It is only at this stage that you pick up the baby, if it is still crying, and hold them in your still arms. Some babies prefer to be held on the shoulder and others horizontally. You will quickly find out which your baby prefers.

Rocking the baby vertically, in a manner that is more than gentle but not too vigorous, is often the ‘on-off switch’ of a crying baby. This movement mimics the sensation that baby had in the womb when their mother walked up stairs.

However, there are some babies who require more support such as swaddling or the use of a pacifier, or both. If the mother is breast-feeding they may not want to use a pacifier (dummy), in which case they can help baby to suck on his fist by gently placing a finger in its fist, so that the grasp reflex is initiated, then guide their hand to their mouth so they baby can suck on his fist. If baby is till crying you can swaddle baby in a light sheet, keeping the baby’s hands free, but remember that babies should not be allowed to sleep swaddled as this may result in the baby becoming too hot.

Watch the section of the DVD Soothing a crying baby. After watching the DVD ask the parents to make up groups of three to four, try and get them to make up the group with a different mix of

YouGov carried out a survey of 516 women with babies aged under one, for the NSPCC charity, which reports that at some point in the first eight weeks after birth: almost two fifths (39 per cent) admitted 'getting angry' with their baby and a fifth (20 per cent) of mums said they were frequently 'very upset' by their baby's crying.

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parents.

Discuss the following statements in light of the new information from the DVD

You cannot spoil a baby by responding to his crying

In the group feedback you may like to highlight that this statement does not mention picking the baby up. What this approach focuses on is, making an appropriate response. This approach is based on the knowledge we have about Attachment Theory, which tells us that baby feels secure when they are cared for in a way that includes, prompt and consistent responses to their needs. In this way the parent teaches their baby that they can be relied upon, that they are important and that their world is a safe place. As a result of this consistent and appropriate response the baby will begin to cry less and sleep more at night.

My baby book tells me that I should feed my baby every time he cries.

One of the biggest challenges for all parents is the number of baby books each with their own set of rules on what to do re: feeding, sleeping and crying. The problem is that none of the babies have read any of these books. Every baby is an individual and each day is a new day. This is what this session is all about, giving the parents the confidence to realise that they can read their baby and although baby cannot talk, they will communicate though their behaviour.

T. Berry Brazelton, one of the world's most renowned paediatricians and a leading pioneer in early childhood development says to all new parents: “You may think others know more about parenting than you do, but they don't. You know your baby better than anyone else, so follow your instinct, and by watching his responses and his behaviour — which is his language — he will tell you how to parent him. Don't worry about any mistakes for you can learn from them until you hit what works.”

I will never use a dummy / I will always use the dummy

In America a dummy is called a soother or pacifier, which gives a better description of the function of a dummy. If the mother is breastfeeding or is not happy about using a dummy then there are alternatives. Mother can encourage baby to suck on their fist or hands to help them self soothe. A half way approach is to use dummy for just a short period of time to help baby settle, and they can then be removed.

Now that I know a baby can self soothe by sucking on his hands I won’t use scratch mitts

Hands to mouth movements are frequently jerky and uncoordinated in the first days of life. Parents may try to cover the baby’s hands with scratch mittens, as they see the baby’s actions as negative and liable to cause scratch marks on the infant’s face. When parents understand the function of bringing the hand to the mouth and sucking, as a behaviour which helps the baby to sooth themselves, they can make informed decisions about the use of mittens.

When I am in the car, I can’t pick my baby up when he cries,

so I sing his favourite nursery rhyme and he does settle.

Babies have been shown to remember nursery rhymes and tunes from before they are born. One research study that demonstrated this skill had a population of mothers who listened to the Neighbours theme tune on a regular basis. After the babies were born they were given a range of tunes to listen to and a significant number of the babies in the study showed a preference to the Neighbours theme tune. With this knowledge expectant mothers can gain a useful tool as they

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sing during the last few weeks of pregnancy, and continue to sing to their baby to help comfort and settle them, or just for the fun of sharing a special bond.

iii Baby time out signals 10 – 15 minutes Each baby will have an individual response to stimulation, from the world around them and during activities such as the nappy changing. Once they have had enough the baby may show this by their behaviour before getting to the stage of greater stress and show this by being more distressed and crying. A parent who is able to observe and become familiar with the changes in their infant’s behaviour before they have become really fed up, whether during a feed, as the infant wakes, during a nappy change or bath, is more able to provide support to the infant’s attempts to communicate their discomfort.

The signs of sensitivity might include changes in the colour of the skin; these may be subtle such as a webbing or marbling of the skin, pale skin colour, and the more dramatic signs of stress such as reddening of the whole body, that takes some time to resolve. The infant maybe observed to increase or decrease their rate of breathing when sensitive and when stressed their breathing may become shallow with pauses. Occasional twitches, sneezes, hiccoughs are early indications of sensitive behaviour and when the infant is stressed these become significant. One sneeze alone is not a sign of sensitivity, it is when a meaningful cluster of signs has been observed and the parent can then try to respond accordingly. Parents generally misunderstand the significance of sneezing and hiccoughing as a sign of sensitivity; the response to an infant sneezing is likely to result in the adult responding with, “Bless you” and cooing noises; to a bout of hiccoughs by picking up and rubbing its back. A more soothing response to both behaviours would be to consider placing a still hand on the baby’s head or chest; this still touch provides positive support to the infant and as they feel the calmness of the parent feel that their needs are being responded to.

Each infant has its unique individual repertoire of behaviours and by observing the infant’s early signs of sensitivity, parents can observe the trigger for the behaviour, whether it was undressing the baby, or placing the baby near a bright light or whatever.

Babies may close their eyes in an attempt to self-regulate by reducing the level of stimulation; parents often misinterpret this as the baby going to sleep. Shading the baby’s eyes with a hand, talking quietly or remaining silent, often results in the baby being able to open their eyes and regain an alert state. Some babies become locked into eye to eye contact and their expression becomes one of wide eyed or panicked alertness; it helps if the adult withdraws their gaze to release the infant from this overwhelming interaction.

Baby time out signals (Page 15 of the leaflet: Getting it Right from the Start)

Sneezing Hiccupping Yawning Startles Tremors Limp or tense arms and legs

Closing eyes Crying Staring Sudden sleeping Skin colour changes (becoming paler or more red)

Watch the DVD section Baby time out signals. Cut out the activity page ‘Baby time out signals’ and make a set for each group of parents. Ask them to sort the behaviours into two groups, the time out signals and the content baby behaviours. Remind parents that the time out signals need to be seen more than once in order to qualify as a time out signal. So one sneeze, or one hiccup is not significant. It is when the baby has a meaningful cluster of these time out behaviours that the baby is saying that they need a break.

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iv Feeding cues

10 -15 minutes Materials DVD Section: feeding cues. A small marble, large marble and ping pong ball. Feeding cues There is a small number of parents who find it difficult to hear the difference between the various baby cries, i.e. the hungry, tired, bored, upset cries. For these parents it is much harder to work out when their baby is hungry from listening to the crying behaviour. Other parents will be able to work out very quickly the special features of a hungry cry. How much is enough? Another challenge for parents is their concern that their baby has not had enough milk, especially breast milk. Helping the new parents to visualise the size of their baby’s stomach helps them to understand how much milk it can hold at birth. On Day 1 a new-born’s stomach capacity is about one-sixth to one quarter of an ounce (5-7ml) per feeding or the size of a small marble. This exactly matches the amount of colostrum which is ready and waiting in the breast. Research has shown that on Day 1 the stomach does not stretch to hold more milk, so when new-borns are fed more than an ounce or two by bottle during the first day of life, most of it tends to come straight back up. The walls of the stomach on Day 1 stay firm, bringing up the extra milk rather than stretching to retain it. It is from Day 2 that the stomach starts to stretch. By Day 3 as the baby ideally has more of these small and frequent feedings, the stomach expands to about the size of a large marble or gobstopper. By Day 10 this stomach is now the size of a ping pong ball.

Activity Watch the DVD section: feeding cues: Ask the parents to work in small groups of two and three to discuss the DVD and share the cues that they have seen their babies show when they are hungry. How much is enough? Ask the parents to hold up their hands and make a circle using their fingers to show how big they think the baby’s stomach is on Day 1, Day 3 and Day 10 Now show them a small marble, Day 1 large marble Day 2 and ping pong ball, Day 10 You can pass these visual aids round the group. Parents are often amazed how small the stomach is on Day 1.

G Discussion carousel 20 minutes Everyone by now should have something to share about this new way of seeing their baby and caring for them as a new parent. The discussion carousel works well for those parents who have found it harder to speak in the small groups, as this is a one to one discussion where there is just one person speaking and the other has the role to listen. You can make one circle up of dads and the other of mums, or have first time parents opposite parents of a second or third baby. You know your group best so you decide.

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Activity Get the group to make two concentric circles, with the chairs on the outside facing the chairs on the inside. Set the topic for discussion. Give everyone a minute to consider their views then give the inner circle 2 minutes to tell the person sitting opposite what they think. The outer circle just listens. Then swap over and the outer circle speaks and the inner circle listens this way both groups have the chance to feedback. Move round inner circle in a clockwise direction the outer circle anti clockwise, you can either set a new question or build on the last one. How much have you learnt today about babies and how much they can do as a new born? How has this session helped you get to know your baby?

Is there anything you think you might consider trying in light of what you have seen on the DVD and shared in the discussions?

How confident did you feel about being a new parent before this session and has this session helped you to feel more confident?

How is your support system? Do you have a partner, family members, or friends nearby who could help? You may not need a whole village to raise your child, but it helps to have a few people you can lean on.

H Relaxation and reflection 5 minutes

Change the atmosphere by lighting a candle, playing soft music in the background. Use this simple method to help everyone relax. Give the instructions one at a time in an unhurried manner. Say... “I want you to: sit comfortably. Allow your eyes to gaze comfortably downward, letting your focus go "soft" - not focussed on anything in particular. Without closing your eyes completely, let your eyelids drop to a level that feels most comfortable. Continue gazing downward. You may notice your breathing becoming more rhythmic. It's ok to let your attention drift a bit. If your eyes become very heavy, it's ok to let them close. If you notice you've come out of your relaxed space, simply bring your attention back to your relaxed downward gaze.” Allow the music to continue to play for the time allocated to this part of the session New Baby Bible Verses (See sheet) Print off the page of Bible verse and ask the parents if they would like to choose one of these verses to make a prayer card for their new baby, or include one of these verses in your baby’s Christening service. This is a take home activity.

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I Summing up 5 – 10 minutes

During the workshop you might like to make a few notes while the parents are looking at the material you have provided for introducing the topic, case studies and quiz. So that during the summing up item you can relate the main theme to points they have raised and issues discussed. One way to start your summing up might be as follows... “This evening we have looked at how amazing babies are in communicating and how we, as parents can support their behaviours. You have shared: ………………………………….................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................................... And have made plans for your family including.................................................................................. …………………………………………………………………………………………........................................................ ………………………………………………………………………………………….......................................................”

J Evaluation Faces Ask people to place a red circular self adhesive dot under the face in the place that best reflects their evaluation of the session. (Print of a copy of t h e Faces Poster from below) This is a simple feedback option, but does not tell you how you can improve the workshop or what people enjoyed most.

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Comments card

If you have any queries as you engage with this resource, please don’t hesitate to contact Roseleen Cowie, Programmes Manager, either by email, on roseleen.cowie@mothersunion.org or by telephone, 020 7222 5533.

In this session how much did you learn about:

A lot Some A little Nothing

What your baby can do How your baby can communicate to you through his/her behaviour

How you can respond to his/ her behaviour

Overall how much would you say this session helped you:

A lot Quite a bit Some A lot To feel more confident as a parent Learn about baby behaviour

How helpful did you find aspects of the session:

A lot Quite a bit Some A lot Activities Watching the DVD Discussion time Listening to other parents share their stories Leaflet: Getting it Right from the Start

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III) Appendices

A Poster 19 (see page 5) B Getting to know you 20 (see page 7) C Getting in touch cards 21 (see page 8) D New Baby Bible verses 22 E Reading list 23

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Hello Baby

Parenting Workshop

supporting parents in the early days with their baby

Topics include: feeding, sleeping and crying

Location:

Time:

Contact details:

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Getting to know you (See page 5).

Write on your name badge: Two dates that are significant to you Four verbs which represent things you like to do One thing that you hate (item, behaviour or idea)

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Getting in touch cards Have these printed onto separate pieces of paper and give the answers after everyone has had a chance to speak. (See page 8).

Answers Babies are able to recognise their mother’s voice from 20 weeks after conception. Babies are able to recognise the language their mother speaks from other languages at birth. At 27 weeks in the womb the baby’s cry contains some speech features, rhythms and voice characteristic of its mother. By 26 weeks onwards the unborn baby will respond to a familiar tune sung by its mother, or a TV soap opera theme tune. Some babies recognise their mother’s face from 7 days old and most achieve this by 10 days.

Questions At what age does a baby recognise its mother’s voice? How old is a baby when it recognises its mother tongue from that of another language? How early do babies develop regional accents? How early can a baby recognise a nursery rhyme? At what age does a baby recognise its mother’s face?

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New baby Bible verses

1 Samuel 1:27–28 "I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD." (NIV) Psalm 8:2 You have taught children and infants to tell of your strength, silencing your enemies and all who oppose you. (NLT) Psalm 127:3 Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him. (NLT) Psalm 139:13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. (NLT) Ecclesiastes 11:5 Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things. (NLT) Isaiah 44:24 "This is what the LORD says—your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb: I am the LORD, who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself ..." (NIV) Jeremiah 1:5 "I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart ..." (NLT) Matthew 18:10 "Beware that you don’t look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father." (NLT) Matthew 19:14 Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." (NIV) Mark 9:36–37 Then he put a little child among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, "Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not only me but also my Father who sent me." (NLT) Mark 10:16 Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them. (NLT) Luke 2:40 And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him. (NKJV)

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Reading list The Earliest Relationship. T.B. Brazelton and B.G. Cramer. Karnac Books, London 1991 Touchpoints: Your child’s emotional and behavioural development. T. Berry Brazelton, Addison- Wesley, USA 1992 (Available from Karnac Books, London Tel: 0207-584-3303) Your Amazing Newborn. Marshall H. Klaus & Phyllis H. Klaus. Perseus Books 1998 The Social Baby. Lynne Murray and Liz Andrews CP Publishing, Richmond, UK 2000 Your Baby Is Speaking to You: A Visual Guide to the Amazing Behaviors of Your Newborn and Growing Baby: Kevin Nugent, Abelardo Morell Mariner Books Sleep: The Brazelton Way by T. Berry Brazelton and Joshua D Sparrow Da Capo Press Inc Infants and Mothers: Differences in Development [Paperback] Brazelton T. Berry Calming Your Fussy Baby: The Brazelton Way: Advice from America's Favorite Pediatrician by Brazelton, T. Berry and Sparrow, Joshua Da Capo Press Working and Caring by T. Berry Brazelton Da Capo Press DVD: The First Relationship: The Brazleton Centre 5 Llandaff Chambers 2 Regent St Cambridge CB1 1AX DVD: Getting it Right from the Start: Tameside Children’s Trust www.brazelton.co.uk www.touchpoints.org