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Bringing Baby Home Research

The Bringing Baby Home program is rooted in decades of research by Drs. John and Julie Gottman and is one of the few evidence-based, research-tested workshops designed to support couples in the transition to parenthood. Below are research-supported outcomes and benefits drawn from randomized clinical trials and peer-reviewed findings:

Parents holding newborn baby – For Life and Love in Dubuque, IA – Bringing Baby Home workshop supported by Gottman Institute research to strengthen relationships, improve communication, and promote healthy parent–infant bonding and development.

Research-Based Benefits of the Bringing Baby Home Workshop

(Gottman, Shapiro & Nahm, 2011; BBH Educator Manual)
 

  • Higher Relationship Satisfaction
    Couples who participated in BBH maintained high, stable levels of relationship satisfaction, compared to non-participants who experienced significant declines within the first year postpartum.
     

  • Reduced Conflict & Hostility
    Participating couples showed less interpersonal hostility and more affectionate conflict resolution during disagreements.
     

  • Lower Rates of Postpartum Depression
    Only 22.5% of mothers in the BBH group showed postpartum symptoms versus 66.5% in the control group. Fathers also reported lower levels of anxiety and depression.
     

  • Improved Co-Parenting & Involvement
    Both parents—especially fathers—demonstrated more responsive and coordinated parenting. Fathers reported greater involvement and felt more appreciated.
     

  • Enhanced Parent–Infant Bonding
    Babies of BBH parents showed more smiling and laughter during family interactions. Infants also responded more positively to soothing, particularly from fathers.
     

  • Boosted Child Development
    One-year-old babies of BBH participants had fewer language delays and demonstrated more regulated emotional responses.
     

  • Greater Emotional and Physical Health for Families
    The program promotes emotionally sensitive parenting, reduces stress, and lays the groundwork for long-term social, cognitive, and physical development in children.

Citation:
Gottman, J. M., Shapiro, A. F., & Nahm, E. Y. (2011). Bringing Baby Home Together: Examining the Impact of a Couple-Focused Intervention on the Dynamics Within Family Play. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 81, 337–350.

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