When Does Parenting Really Begin?

“LOVE is the most important growth promoting signal… even exceeding nutrition” according to Bruce Lipton PhD.
How amazing would it be if you started your “real world” parenting journey with a deep feeling of already knowing your baby? We have always thought that parenting starts once your baby is in your arms, but studies are showing that parenting begins much earlier. What if we looked at the time when a baby is in utero and early life as a time of immense potential for both parents and for their child, rather than a waiting period? Thinking of yourself as a “womb parent,” rather than “expectant” parent, you can bond with and learn from your baby during this miraculous time in utero.
Dr. David Chamberlain, author of The Mind of Your Newborn Baby (1988), an expert in pre and perinatal psychology, supports the idea that a developing baby “has a psyche, defined as mind or soul”, ...is aware of their environment and “are an active participant in the womb... They are hearing, listening, and learning to recognize the mother’s voice and tone...” His work emphasizes the importance of the powerful connection between the parent(s) and infant.

Babies come into this world seeking connection, love and knowing that they matter. So, why not send those messages right from the beginning?
Womb parenting creates a strong emotional bond with your baby before birth. This special
time provides a chance to slow down, and create space in your heart, your mind, and your life for this child. Couples can deepen their own relationship, when engaging together in these bonding rituals. Womb parenting rituals foster a supportive environment and communicates the message, “you are deeply loved and will be welcome in our world.” Babies that feel this unconditional love from the beginning will carry it with them, keeping them afloat as they move through the unpredictable, and common storms of life.
When should we start prenatal parenting?
Right now! Did you know that even before the structures for hearing are fully developed,
babies “hear” via vibrations? The watery womb environment is quite active with motion, sound, and tactile stimuli. During the final trimester, from about 32 weeks gestation, babies can hear clearly. This makes it the prime time to talk, read and sing to them. At this point they are developing memory, basically “recording” what they are experiencing. They like familiar sounds and movements and are more active and responsive to womb parenting techniques.

4 Womb parenting techniques to try:
• Talk to Your Baby: Tell them what you are doing, seeing, and feeling. And even give
them a guided tour of the home you will soon be sharing. This will help them recognize
your voice, learn about tone, and create engagement. Reading a story or poem you love
creates familiarity with it, which can soothe your baby after they are born.
• Singing to Your Baby: Calm melodies can soothe your baby and create a comforting
routine. Think of how powerfully you respond to hearing, singing, and moving to some
of your favorite songs. Play a favorite piece of calming music or lullaby often during
pregnancy. Just as the mother is flooded with “happy” hormones, the baby also
responds to these good feelings. Penny Simkin, doula and childbirth educator, discusses
the benefits of singing to the baby during pregnancy in this video. Many new families
have shared stories that lead us to believe that newborns “remember” music and
stories shared during their womb time.
• Touching Your Belly: Gentle rubs and pats can make your baby feel your presence and
love. Physical contact calms the stress response in both mother and baby.
Fathers/partners can even play a game of “hide and seek” with the baby, gently tapping
one side of the mother’s belly and after getting the baby to respond with movement,
tap on the other side, inviting baby to follow his lead. Father/partner massaging the
mother helps release oxytocin, which has a positive effect on both mother and baby’s
brain. Everything the father/partner does to support and protect the parent who is
growing the baby is investing in the baby’s overall health.
• Meditation: Long have we heard the beneficial effects that meditation has on our physical and mental health. During pregnancy meditation is a means to create a sense of safety within our bodies. And, when we feel safe, our “autonomic nervous system and endocrine system release the hormones that evoke a sense of calm and connection…
” (Weinstein, A.). The mother’s
neurochemistry has a significant impact on the developing baby, “especially emotions such as fear, love, and hope.” (Weinstein, A.) So, why not choose love and hope?
You may appreciate this Beautiful Pregnancy Meditation track to get you started

Benefits of Prenatal Bonding for Mother and Baby
• Reduces the mother's stress and anxiety.
• Positively impacts the baby’s brain development and emotional well-being.
Visualization exercises can enhance the bonding experience:
• Find a Quiet Place: Sit or lie down, feeling comfortably supported by the chosen
surface.
• Close Your Eyes: Turn your focus to your breathing, and just notice the in breath and
the out breath. Let the outside world fade into the background.
• Visualize Your Baby: Imagine holding your baby, feeling their warmth and heartbeat,
and gazing deeply into each other’s eyes.
• Send Love: Picture a warm light of love and protection surrounding your baby. Send
this loving energy from your heart to theirs.
Best Time of Day to Bond
As your movements during your daytime activities gently rock the baby to sleep, the evening is often a good time to bond as your baby is usually more active. It allows you to relax and focus on the bonding experience without daytime distractions.
Conclusion
You do not have to wait until your baby’s birth to have a loving relationship with your child.
Starting early with these practices of prenatal parenting builds a solid foundation of security
and trust that will serve babies and parents throughout their lifetimes.

Childbirth Classes
Class offerings to prepare you for birth: Lamaze® and Evidence Based Birth®

New Parent Classes
Class offerings to prepare for breastfeeding and parenting

Breastfeeding Classes & Help
Breastfeeding classes and In-home or virtual lactation consultations

Childbirth Classes Online
Online childbirth course gives you the flexibility to watch and learn wherever and whenever