Welcome to the course outline for the Bringing Baby Home program! This course is a three part series and is an interactive workshop for new moms and dads. Each portion of the series will be presented with a short lecture, followed by a group and/or couple exercise, and concludes with an open forum to make comments, ask questions or express concerns as comfortable. Dr. Alyssa Berlin will be available to answer questions or help anyone that may feel confused or stuck during the process – privately or during the group forum segments. Also, it is important to know that while Bringing Baby Home is held in a group setting, the sharing of personal information is not mandatory and welcomed at the comfort level of each participant.

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Part 1

• Introduction – discover that the greatest gift you can give your baby is a STRONG relationship between the two of you 
• Two Little Things - learn the 2 little things needed to make a relationship satisfying and long-lasting
• Transition to Parenthood – learn more about what to expect when your baby is born and you embark on parenthood; understand how the relationship with your partner changes and the emotional and physical impact you may encounter (what is normal and what may be cause for concern) 
• The Sound Relationship House – the blueprint and manual to successfully and smoothly assume your new roles as mom and dad 
• Discovering Love Maps – a cornerstone for getting to know your partner and your baby on a deeper, more intimate and therefore satisfying level
• About Over-Stimulation – learn about what it is, why it happens, how to avoid it, and how to repair the interaction and help baby overcome over-stimulation
• The Formula - learn how to share and receive fondness, admiration, love and respect with your partner in an effort to create a more positive perspective within the couple; learn the pitfalls of failing to recognize and express the good or have trouble receiving compliments from your partner
• An Emotional Bank - discover how to create a system that helps us bank for the inevitable rainy/gloomy days that all relationships experience and how to buffer the negative impacts so that our relationship can bounce back faster and better than ever; find out what is the magic number of positive to negative encounters that all relationships should strive for in an effort to keep the relationship satisfying and enjoyable
• Optimizing Your Day - learn how to optimize your day with positive encounters and minimize negative encounters with your partner and your baby; learn what it means to make and receive bids for your partner’s attention/affection and how to turn towards your partner and/or baby in a positive way

Part 2

• Responsive Parenting - learn how to engage and what can happen if you ignore your child’s need for affection 
• Emotional Coaching - discover what it is and how to implement this parenting approach
• What’s Baby Saying? – begin your journey to becoming an expert in understanding baby’s different moods and stages of consciousness; discover how to talk to baby, when is the most opportune time to connect and engage baby and what baby will/won’t enjoy when playing together as a family
• Coordinated & Uncoordinated Play - discover the difference between the two
• Create A Legacy - learn how to utilize this courses skills to create or maximize the positive perspective in your home building a culture of appreciation while developing rituals for connecting with one another on a DAILY basis, creating a legacy that you can pass on to your child
• About Baby Blues & Postpartum Depression - understand what the baby blues/postpartum depression are and the difference between what is normal and what is an indicator that additional resources should be explored (warning signs and treatment options to help the family cope with postpartum depression are discussed); learn the potential side effects of Post Partum Depression and how to prevent or reverse the effects of parental depression on your baby
• Stress Reducing Conversation - discover the formula for discussing outside stressors more effectively thereby strengthening the bond between partners and parent-child
• Communication Differences - learn the differences between how men and women communicate (a pivotal point to truly be able to meet your partner’s needs for understanding and empathy)
• Constructive Criticism - find out the answer to this question: "Is there any such thing as “Constructive Criticism”?

Part 3

• Importance of Touch - explore the importance of touch for baby and each other; learn the benefits of touch during and after labor, postpartum not to mention throughout life; also, included is a brief how to guide for Infant Massage that you can do at home
• Where Does Baby Sleep? - tease through competing thoughts surrounding the truly optimal place for baby to sleep; Co-sleeping – beneficial or avoid at all costs? 
• Warning Signs of Marital Meltdowns - become aware of the warning signs of Marital Meltdown and discover what is the greatest predictor of divorce
• Conflict Gottman Style - learn methods of constructive problem solving (what it means, how to do it and when all is said and done discover how to compromise with your partner in an effective manner)
• Arguing In Front of Children  - what you should know before you argue in front of your kids (how to remedy the situation of the former point is mute)
• Resuming Intimacy After Baby - discuss and explore how to resume intimacy after baby 
• Importance of Dad - discuss the many reasons why it is crucial that dad find his role and stay involved with mom and baby as opposed to withdrawing (which is typical for the majority of dads); discuss how dad’s involvement directly impacts your child’s development in different ways than mom.

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**As the details above provide the general outline for the series, please note that the structure and order of distributing information may be subject to change however, all information will be provided throughout the three part course.**