Who is Bringing Baby Home for?

For couples who are expecting a baby, or who have a child under two years of age, who would like to learn relationship skills that will last a lifetime.

What is Bringing Baby Home?

Based on the research of Drs. John and Julie Gottman, Bringing Baby Home is the acclaimed workshop on relationship skills.  It is designed to provide research-based knowledge and skills that dramatically strengthen your relationship and teach you to interact with your baby in a sensitive and responsive manner. (see details below)

When and where is Bringing Baby Home offered?

PEPS is not currently offering Bringing Baby Home. However, we do strongly recommend the program! Here are some other places you can find a workshop:

• Jewish Family Service in Seattle:  

• Swedish Hospital in Seattle

• Parent Garden in Redmond

• Wellspring Family Services in Bellevue and Seattle

• Other locations, locally and nationwide

Why do new parents need to build their relationship skills?

The day you bring your baby home may be one of the happiest days in your life together as a couple. But it also marks the beginning of one of the most stressful times in your relationship. Between the demands of caring for a baby, lack of sleep, and lack of time and energy for romance, your relationship can become strained.

Within three years after the birth of a child, 2/3 of couples experience a significant drop in relationship satisfaction, and a significant increase in conflict. Not only does this affect the parents, it also impacts the baby. Research shows that when the parents' relationship is strained, babies are less physically healthy, at increased risk of developing behavioral and mental health problems, and tend to withdraw from their fathers.

What will you learn at the Bringing Baby Home workshop?

Practical, easy ways to make sure your relationship stays strong and fulfilling.

Each participant receives a workbook and a set of cards for individual exercises. Lecture, video presentations, and guided exercises teach relationship skills which will help you:

• Stay connected
• Increase friendship and intimacy in the relationship
• Understand that relationship stress is normal for new parents
• Deal effectively with conflict and avoid relationship meltdown
• Understand your baby's emotions and attempts to communicate
• Co-parent effectively, keeping both parents involved in infant care.

What are the benefits of participating in Bringing Baby Home?

This evidence-based program is based on 25 years of research by Dr. John Gottman at the Relationship Research Institute. Parents who participate in Bringing Baby Home experience:

• Less postpartum depression
• Less hostility in the relationship
• Higher levels of relationship satisfaction
• Decreased likelihood of divorce or separation
• Increased father involvement and increased co-parenting abilities
• Improved parent-child relationships

What programs does PEPS offer?

Orientation, Newborn Groups, Baby Peppers, Little Peppers, and the Parent Talk Lecture series.

Need more information?

Call PEPS at (206) 547-8570 or email peps@pepsgroup.org.

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