Pregnancy is a finite time. Making the most of it, coping with the ups and downs, the challenges and joys, is all part of your growth into becoming a parent to your baby.

In Holistic Birth Preparation you are supported to pay attention to the changes in your body and in your mind. You are given information about the main processes involved in birth and the reasons for often unfamiliar sensations. This will help you tolerate them, to find the right way of asking for support and to make choices about your birth environment. You will be encouraged to take time out to observe your body, to practice breathing and relaxation. We talk about your feelings, hopes and fears, what it is like to become a parent and how to best to communicate about these issues with your partner. You can attend sessions on your own, with your partner or with your birth supporter.

After the birth, a woman has to make a radical physical and emotional transition. Fathers also may find the adjustment to becoming a parent more challenging than they had anticipated. If you have been neglected or just not loved enough as a baby yourself, you may find it hard to bond and enjoy your baby.

Parent – infant psychotherapy is based on the knowledge that the first few months and years in a parent and baby relationship are very important for the wellbeing of both parent and baby later on in life. The purpose of parent – infant psychotherapy is that you are supported in changing unhelpful ways of being together. This approach can take time. Talking about what bothers you with someone, will help you to think about yourself and your baby in a new light. Often even a few sessions can make a difference.

This is a method which uses video recordings of interaction between parents and babies (and older siblings) with the emphasis on better than usual communication. Looking at what works well for you, your baby and partner can help you to understand each other better and build stronger relationships.

It takes place in your home, in my practice or online. During the first appointment we discuss what you would like to be different, what difficulties you are experiencing and whether VIG would be able to help. We agree on a situation to film, such as holding your baby, feeding, playing or having a chat. The filming is no longer than 5-10 minutes. I will then edit the film, while you go for a walk, or have a break and afterwards I show you the best moments. We jointly reflect on the selected video clips. Reflecting on your strengths will help you make changes to your communication style and think of how to apply those changes to other situations. By the end of our work together you receive a copy of the best video clips. For more information please visit Babies1st.net.

In a baby massage and baby chatting sessions you are encouraged to experiment holding your baby in different ways. You are taught basic massage strokes, play predictable games using nursery rhymes and sing lullabies to sooth your baby. You chat with baby and about baby. Research has shown that massaged infants were first more alert, cried less and their sleep was enhanced. They gained more weight, appeared less stressed, were more easily soothed and more interactive and sociable. Massage is relaxing not only for the person receiving it, but also for the person giving it. Baby massage helps you become more sensitive towards your baby and to have fun together. As your confidence increases you will become more spontaneous in your interactions with your baby and you will strengthen the bond between you.

Postnatal depression is one of the names used for the mood changes that a woman may experience after childbirth. They start within the first year and last for more than two weeks.  If they are very severe, they can  have a significant negative effect on your life. This is different to ‘baby blues’, when you may feel down or weepy in the first few days after childbirth. It is estimated that 20 – 30 % of all childbearing women suffer some form of emotional problem after the birth of their baby. Fathers can suffer from postnatal depression too.

Symptoms include feeling tearful or irritable, not being able to sleep or feeling numb; you may neglect yourself or experience guilt for not enjoying your baby. There can be many reasons for postnatal depression, a disappointing birth, high expectations, prior depression, ghosts from your past such as an unresolved bereavement, a recent house move, social isolation to name just a few.

What helps is to find support groups, exercise, eat well, try baby massage, reduce your expectations; find someone to talk to – a neighbour, health visitor, or counsellor; some women benefit from medication, which has to be adjusted if you are breastfeeding. If you have postnatal depression it is unlikely to go away by itself, so seek help.