Prenatal Coaching For Expectant Parents
Are you expecting a baby?
Would you like to feel deeply connected to and in tune with your baby before they arrive?
Would you like to feel less stressed and more relaxed when welcoming your baby?
Whether this is your first baby or your fourth, creating a strong bond with your little one before they are born sets the foundation for a healthy long-term relationship with your child.
And while bringing a baby into the world is usually an exciting event looked forward to with anticipation, it is often also fraught with some stressors.
What will this pregnancy be like? What will our birth be like? Who is this little being growing inside of me? What if my baby is fussy, or I am unable to nurse? What if my relationship with my partner changes?
Many expectant parents have these and many other concerns. And many parents are unaware of the importance of the prenatal time period in addressing their concerns. They may not know the full impact the prenatal months can have on the physical and emotional health of their baby and on the overall health and bonding of the family.
For example, accumulating research shows* that prenatal stress can have a negative impact on the physical and emotional development of the growing baby as well as on the parents.
However, research also shows* that parents who are deeply connected to and in communication with their babies prior to birth tend to experience fewer birth complications, lower levels of perinatal mood disorders, and closer relationships right away with their more physically and emotionally stable babies.
The beauty is you can begin lowering your stress and developing this relationship with your baby right now, before they are even born. And the impact of this lower stress and deeper connection can resonate profoundly throughout the many years of raising and loving your child.
Pregnancy presents a unique and limited time where you may be aware of things you wouldn’t normally be aware of, have unusual dreams, and have interactions with your growing baby that may surprise you.
All of these experiences can be heightened and can lead to feeling more connected with your child and helping them feel more connected to you. They can also help you to set yourself up for a more positive birth experience and lessen the likelihood of perinatal mood disorders.
Additionally, stress can sometimes feel higher when you are pregnant and expecting a little one’s arrival. You may feel a little more vulnerable in the world. You may have concerns – some that may frequently bother you, and some that may even hide out in the very back of your mind – which can be addressed now, in order to lower stress and allow for more ease during this huge transition to parenthood.
I believe there is a great deal you can do to increase your connection with your baby and make your transition from pregnancy to parenthood more filled with contentment and less with overwhelm and stress, for both you and your baby.
You can learn concrete tools and practices to build and enhance your connection to your little one, decreasing uncertainty and stress, and increasing communication and understanding between you. This communication is bi-directional, helping both parents and their baby feel more safe, secure, and deeply loved.
Not only have I been there myself as a parent, but I’ve helped hundreds of families and their little ones navigate their way to greater health, connection, and ease, from preconception through preschool.
My passion is helping expectant and new parents to both have an easier transition to parenthood and provide their babies with a gentler landing into the family. It is watching a family develop this solid foundation and deeply thrive, not just in the early years, but as their children grow up as well.
With a background steeped in Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Health (PhD), Counseling (MA), and Education (MA), more than two decades of working with families with young children, and many years of raising my own children, I’m able to bring an unusual depth of experience and understanding to my coaching work and classes with families.
I believe in early investment in the most essential relationships we will ever have. I believe that it is easier to prevent problems to the best of our abilities than to deal with them later. And I believe that starting a family off on the right foot can pay dividends for the lifetime of every person in that family.
Every family situation is unique. Find out if my grounded, gentle approach to helping you, your partner, and your baby feel more prepared to be a family is right for you.
Reach out for a brief consultation today at 303-519-1049 or info@preparedforparenthood.com
All coaching is sold in packages: $606 USD for three 50-minute virtual sessions (good for 3 months from purchase), or $1182 USD for six 50-minute sessions (good for 6 months from purchase). [ A payment plan for the 6-session package is available for two monthly payments of $606 and $594 USD.] Please note that international coaching may incur additional fees for money transfers.
Coaching is not psychotherapy and is not billable through health insurance.
Preparing for Parenthood:
The 6-Week Interactive Experience for Expectant Parents
Are you expecting a baby? Do you want to strengthen your relationship with your partner and feel aligned, confident, and joyful as a couple in the transition to becoming a parent?
*Bellieni, C.V., Ceccarelli, D., Rossi, F., Buonocore, G., Maffei, M., Perrone, S., & Petraglia, F. (2007). Is prenatal bonding enhanced by prenatal education courses? Minerva Ginecologica, 59, 125—129.
*Kluny, R. & Dillard, D.M. (2014). Babies remember: Preserving wholeness with prenatal bonding and self-care. International Journal of Childbirth Education, 29(4), 32—38.
*Kluny, R. & Dillard, D.M. (2022). Prenatal bonding: The importance of connecting with body and baby. In D. Vaamonde, A.C. Hackney, & J.M. Garcia-Manso (Eds.) Fertility, Pregnancy, and Wellness, pp. 439—448. Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-818309-0.00008-3
*Schroth, G. (2010). Prenatal Bonding (BA): A method for encountering the unborn. Introduction and case study. Journal of Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Health, 25(1), 3—16.
* Schroth, G. (2021). Postpartum mood disorders: Prevention by Prenatal Bonding (BA). In K. Evertz, L. Janus, & R. Linder (Eds.) Handbook of Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology: Integrating Research and Practice, 1st ed, pp. 611—618. Springer.
*Van den Bergh, B.R.H., Van den Heuvel, M.I., Lahti, M., Braeken, M., de Rooij, S.R., Entringer, S., Hoyer, D., Roseboom, T., Räikkönen, K., King, S., & Schwab, M. (2020). Prenatal developmental origins of behavior and mental health: The influence of maternal stress in pregnancy. Neuroscience and Behavioral Reviews, 117, 26—64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.07.003
*Zietlow, A.-L., Nonnenmacher, N., Reck, C., Ditzen, B., & Müller, M. (2019). Emotional stress during pregnancy – Associations with maternal anxiety disorders, infant cortisol reactivity, and mother–child interaction at pre-school age. Frontiers in Psychology, 10(2179), 1—15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02179