Gottman’s Bringing Baby Home Program Coming to Breath of Hope

In sixteen studies conducted on parents before and after their baby’s birth, Drs. John and Julie Gottman discovered the following:

Sixty-seven percent of couples became very unhappy with each other during the first three years of their baby’s life. Only 33% remained content.

Shocked by these numbers, Drs. John and Julie Gottman were compelled to perform further research on the subject. What was going on in these relationships? How did the happy couples remain happy when exposed to the same stressors that made the other couples fall apart? What differentiated the “masters” of transition to parenthood from the “disasters?”

Other discoveries from the research:

Though both parents work much harder after the birth of their child, they both feel unappreciated.

In the year following the baby’s arrival, the frequency and intensity of relationship conflicts increases significantly.

Mom’s sexual desire tends to drop considerably, normally staying low throughout the first year of baby’s life, particularly if she is nursing. As a result, the frequency of sex declines dramatically.

Moms usually get very involved with the baby and are too fatigued to offer their partners much in the way of emotional connection.

Moms and dads both undergo enormous changes in identity—thinking of themselves not only as parents and partners, but as members of a greater family: friends, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters.

Parents often find their values changing vastly, along with their goals in life.

Couples want to be better parents for their child than their own parents were with them.

As the relationship changes, it begins to take on a different life: “Before Baby” and “After Baby.”

As soon as Baby is born, Mom’s friends arrive on the scene—a society of women who have come to help. New dads can feel excluded and crowded out and are likely to respond by removing themselves from the situation. They often withdraw from the baby and from Mom, working more, while trying to avoid conflict.

When Mom is unhappy, her baby does not retreat. The same is not true for Dad. A child tends to withdraw emotionally from a father who is unhappy in his relationship with Mom—a tragic gulf grows between him and his child.

Masters of transition to parenthood navigated the stressors and life changes accompanying the birth of their baby with success. They found ways of dealing with the normal challenges of new parenthood, while the unhappy “disaster” couples could not. They were overwhelmed.

The desire to answer the questions raised by this research led John and Julie Gottman to write their acclaimed book, And Baby Makes Three. In the book, they show couples the way to smoothly navigate the transition to parenthood.

Along with the release of their book, Drs. John and Julie Gottman’s research on parenthood gave birth to a new program: Bringing Baby Home.

The Bringing Baby Home (BBH) workshop is a research-based and research-tested psycho-educational workshop that is dedicated to improving the quality of life for couple, babies and children by strengthening their families. (This is not group therapy. It is recommended that if deeper issues do arise, additional support for couples or marriage counseling is available. Click here to learn more about Gottman Method Couples Therapy.)

Developed by renowned relationship and parenting experts, Drs. John and Julie Gottman, the BBH program is perfect for those who are:

• Interested in having a baby

• Expecting a baby

• Already parenting a baby or toddler (0-3)

It is possible to find harmony and connection with your partner again.

Couples and marriage therapy help find connection in their relationship again

Your relationship will benefit from BBH by:

• Strengthening your friendship

• Increasing intimacy and affection

• Working through conflict with greater ease

• Maintaining relationship satisfaction

• Reducing hostility

• Creating positive parent-child interactions

• Ensuring quality involvement for both parents

• Reducing the incidence or severity of postpartum mood disorders

• BBH will help you the with the transition to parenthood.

• Better understand child development

• Create co-parenting strategies with your partner

• Improve the way you and your partner communicate, connect, and compromise

• Recognize signs of postpartum mood disorders and gain awareness of treatment options

• Empowering couples to have strong families.

  The Bringing Baby Home Program teaches ways to nurture the family environment through the toddler and preschool years. By supporting couples as they become parents, children benefit. By teaching couples how to build a strong emotional foundation in their family during the very early stages of a child’s life, children are raised in healthier environments. These benefits result in positive changes for families. Once this foundation is established in a family, research shows that children do better in school, adapt better socially, and are physically and emotionally healthier. (Cowan & Cowan, 1995; Gottman, 1999)

Bring Baby Home Class Information:

Kimberlee Daughtry Lopez, Certified Gottman Therapist (CGT) is a Bring Baby Home Educator. She loves working with couples and empowering with Gottman’s researched tools. She is enthusiastically looking forward to offering this 12 hour class to the community.

This class will be offered late winter/early spring 2023. Check back for the specific date.

This class will be held in person at 4081 DeZavala Rd, Shavano Park, TX, 78249

If you are interested in taking this class, please send an email to Kimberlee Daughtry-Lopez by clicking here.

Cost is $350 per couple for 12 hr class. Discounts offered for existing clients.

Couple materials for class is $49.