Baby Connection
Did you know that newborn babies are born primed and ready to communicate with us right from birth?
Our babies communicate with us from the get go, by using a rich repertoire of unique behaviours (their own baby language).
By tuning into, recognising and then responding to your baby’s language, you will strengthen and deepen the bond that you and your baby share.
Research has shown us that parents who respond sensitively and contingently to their baby’s communications in the early days, weeks and months following birth have babies who are securely attached with lifelong positive outcomes for your baby's emotional, social and physical well being.
Baby Connection helps parents to tune into their baby’s own unique language, helping to build parent confidence, and strengthen and deepen the relationship that you and your baby share.
Who’s this for?
A Baby Connection Session is for any new parent with a baby aged from birth to 3 months old.
Mothers & Fathers who are experiencing symptoms of perinatal anxiety or depression may find these sessions particularly useful for strengthening the connection that they share with their baby.
What will I learn?
During your Baby Connection Consultation you will:
learn more about your baby’s internal world and how to attune into your baby’s emotional state
learn about your baby’s behaviour as being their unique language
learn the skills to be able to recognise and make sense of what your baby might be telling you.
learn more about your baby’s temperament and how they respond to stress
learn more about your baby’s sleep/ awake states and how this impacts upon the care that you give
learn more about your baby’s preferences for soothing and settling
learn more about your baby’s preferences for play and stimulation
learn about infant sleep
learn about sensitive and responsive parenting and why this is important for your baby as they grow and develop.
What to expect?
Karen will visit you at home for a 90 minute consultation.
Karen will start the session by asking you about your baby and your parenting journey so far.
Karen will undertake a thorough and holistic assessment of your baby using the Newborn Behavioural Observation ( NBO) as a framework. The NBO is a renowned and evidenced based toolkit built on 40 years of pioneering work by Dr.Berry Brazleton. The NBO is used to help parents and practitioners explore and observe the uniqueness of every single baby. You can read more about the Newborn Behavioural Observation (NBO) by clicking here.
Using the NBO as her framework, Karen will assess your baby observing your baby’s reflexes, responses to stress, their sleep and awake states, muscle tone and responses to stimuli.
All of these things can give us a clue as to what makes your baby tick, where your baby's strengths are and things that your baby may find challenging. This information can help you as a parent respond more sensitively to your baby and will help your baby feel understood, and listened to.
The NBO can take up to 40 minutes and Karen will explain what she is observing throughout.
Following the NBO, Karen will spend some time discussing her findings and how they could effect the way that you
respond to your baby.
You can take notes if you would like but Karen will follow up her consultation with a hand written bespoke ‘About Me’ baby journal detailing your baby’s unique behaviour, her findings from the NBO and suggestions for how you can respond sensitively to your baby as they grow and develop.
FAQs
Will the NBO assessment of my baby hurt them?
No, the NBO is designed to test your baby's response to stress and stimuli but it is non-invasive and will not hurt your baby. If your baby becomes distressed at any point you will be encouraged to soothe and settle them before Karen continues with her assessment.
I don't live in West Sussex- Can this consultation be done online?
Sadly no, this is a face to face consultation only. You can however book Karen for a 1:1 if you would like support or help with your baby in another way.
My baby is 5 months old- can I still book this consultation?
The Baby Connection Consultation is for babies aged from birth to 3 months old. However, you can book Karen for a 1:1 to learn more about your baby without a newborn behavioural observation taking place.
Do you offer a payment plan for this consultation?
Yes, you can pay for this consultation in 3 or 4 installments. Email Karen for details and to request this.
My baby was born prematurely- can I still book Baby Connection?
Yes. Karen will take your baby's corrected age into account during her assesment.
I'm working- can my nanny book the consultation?
Ideally, this is a consultation for you as the parent and primary caregiver to better understand your baby and will stregnthen the bond and connection that you share. Your nanny or anyother caregivers are welcome to join/observe but it is intended for parents and infants.