The first chapter opens with a discussion on prenatal stimulation, outlining some of the development and cognitive benefits and stresses the following:
The goal should be to establish a loving relationship with your child, not to produce a “super baby”
She outlines how prenatal stimulation, touching the baby thru the mothers tummy, telling it stories, singing etc. can help to forge a family bond and a bond between mother or father and baby at a time when the child is still an unborn, quiet infant rather then a newborn crying infant.
Moving on to the birth experience, the author discusses how then event of birth is an intense, powerful and stressful experience for all involved yet it need not be traumatic. Keeping in mind that the baby itself is undergoing a massive change from being inside the comfort and protection of its mother to the outside (cold!) world, interventions can also have an effect on an infant and that being with the mother is the best bet for having the baby near something that he or she recognizes (the sound of her heartbeat, rhythm of her breathing etc.).
The remainder of the chapter discusses more issues about birth, trauma, hospital setups and requesting what you want as parents for the babies birth.
I will be honest, while I wish I read this chapter before my son was born. At the moment, however, I am going to fast-forward to the chapters that I can apply straight away. My wife and I are dying to be able to discuss these things together asap.
