The birth of your new baby is a very rewarding experience, but it can also be a challenge. New parents often report extreme emotions; high highs, low lows and inevitable anxieties.
Life changes drastically and you are suddenly responsible for a new little person who depends on your physical, emotional and cognitive stability. This change can be difficult. Before baby arrived, your attention was focused on yourself and your partner. Now you must focus a significant amount of time and attention on your baby, leaving less time for you and others.
A Good Mommy and Me Class can help smooth the transition into parenthood. The benefits can be significant for both Mom and Baby.
Mommy and Me benefits for Mom and Baby
Just Get Out!
Taking a class and participating in activities together outside the home will help strengthen the bond between you and your baby. Inside the home the mundane tasks required for daily life can make focused bonding time a challenge. A Mommy and Me class allows you to focus your time with your baby. Parent and baby bonding is important for your child’s development. Early bonding contributes to your child’s sense of security and self-esteem and serves as their model for intimate relationships later in life. For mom, isolation is a recipe for loneliness, anxiety and depression. Just getting out for a Mommy and Me class can help you feel refreshed and energized.
Connect and Learn
A Mommy and Me Group will allow you to connect with others experiencing similar success and challenges. This can be beneficial for you because;
You will learn and get new ideas from other moms who understand what you are experiencing.
It helps creates a support system and allows you to make real friends with others feeling the same stresses.
Realizing that others are experiencing similar challenges will help you feel normal. Never underestimate the power of feeling normal and understood.
Postpartum Depression
According to the National Institute of Mental Heath (NIMH) 80% of woman experience some kind of mood disturbance after pregnancy. For most, the symptoms are mild and they go away naturally, but 15-20% of woman experience more severe Postpartum Depression. Mommy and me classes allow you to bond closely with your baby and promote the self-esteem of both of you. It allows mom to meet and connect with other moms and have a support system. When a Mommy and Me group is led by a professional facilitator mom can get guidance identifying when additional help is needed and where to get help.
Baby Socialization
Getting out and spending time with other babies is important for your baby’s social development. Interacting with other babies helps build social skills and self-confidence and allows them to be around others their own age. This will prove beneficial when they begin pre-school or kindergarten.
Seeing other babies and other people introduces new sights, sounds and smells critical for your baby’s cognitive development. A good Mommy and Me group will include singing songs, playing with developmentally appropriate toys and include Mommy and Baby movement activities. This helps baby acquire reasoning skills and increases self-control.
A Mommy and Baby class that includes exercise will help your baby develop their motor skills and show them the importance of exercising and staying healthy.
Visit our class pages at shopthehaven.com for more information!