Towards Parenthood
Preparing for the changes and challenges of a new baby
Towards Parenthood Workbook & eBook
Towards Parenthood is available as a hard copy workbook or an online interactive program. PIRI have also put together a special bundle that includes both for one low fee.
Purchase your Workbook, eBOOK or both via the following link.
Overview
Towards Parenthood is a self-help program providing support for the emotional, social and psychological challenges commonly encountered by soon-to-be mothers and fathers, as they make the transition into parenthood.
Text, humor and thought provoking exercises prepare the reader for the journey to parenthood. Each Chapter contains illustrations and reflective activities to help parents strengthen their relationship and juggle the enormous and unexpected changes that come with a baby.
Contents
Towards Parenthood explores your expectations of parenthood and provides great tips to enhance your coping and problem-solving skills, addressing your own particular issues. The book focuses on the impact a baby may have on the couple relationship and ways to improve communication and reduce conflict. Strategies to enhance to enhance self-esteem and assertive communication are included. Information about the needs and capacities of the newborn help prepare you for what lies ahead, including understanding a baby’s behavioral cues, which is helpful for bonding with the baby.
Who is the book for?
This Australian publication is ideal for:
Expectant parents
Friends and relatives looking for a useful baby gift
Health professionals working with expectant and new parents
Work organizations who value their staff commencing parental leave
How is this book different from all others?
This book was written by a team of psychologists who have a wealth of experience working with families making the transition to parenthood. The topics chosen, the interactive exercises and the use of humour and real life examples make the content not only entertaining and engaging but extremely relevant.
The focus is not on the physical aspects of the pregnancy, delivery and postpartum but rather more broadly on assisting parents to manage the complex demands of parenthood by developing helpful coping and parenting skills.
Towards Parenthood has been evaluated as an intervention to prepare couples for the transition to parenthood. Towards Parenthood is able to provide helpful information to make a significant difference in the adjustment to parenthood for women. In a randomised controlled trial, women who received Towards Parenthood antenatally together with phone coach calls were:
- less anxious
- less stressed
- less depressive symptoms
- experienced less parenting stress during the transition to parenthood than those who did not have Towards Parenthood.
Chapter 1: Toward Motherhood
Chapter 2: Toward Fatherhood
Chapter 3: We’re Expecting! Preparing for Parenthood
Chapter 4: Caring for Yourself is Caring for Your Baby
Chapter 5: From Lovers to parents- Managing Relationship Changes
Chapter 6: Keeping some Balance in your Life
Chapter 7: Healthy Thinking, Healthy Self
Chapter 8: Caring for your Newborn Baby
Chapter 9: Welcome to “The Club”
The workbook has now been published by ACER and was launched on 23 June 2009 by Professor Rob Moodie, Professor of Global Health, Nossal Institute for Global Health, University of Melbourne & Chair of the National Preventative Health Task Force. It is currently in its first reprint.
The program has experienced international interest and is translated into Italian (see towardsparenthood.org.au) and has been translated and modified for use in the Netherlands. It is also being used in the United Kingdom.
To download the inaugural media release for the Towards Parenthood Workbook, click here.
Authors
Prof Jeannette Milgrom
Ms Jennie Ericksen
Dr Bronwyn Leigh
Ms Yolanda Romeo
Ms Elizabeth Loughlin
Ms Bella Saunders
Ms Rachael McCarthy (1969-2005)
Ms Bev Aisbett
