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Conversations from the Womb: Communicating with your baby during pregnancy and before conception by Penny Chang, 2012. Charlotte, NC: Healing Heart Press. ISBN #9780985791605
Conversations from the Womb: Communicating with your baby during pregnancy and before conception fits well in a growing library of helpful, gentle, and simple books to give to expectant parents. Author Penny Chang chooses a clear and positive way to help mothers and fathers connect with their children that allows the reader to pace herself with a number of steps for communication. As the field of Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology has known for decades, early empathie, loving, positive connection with children before birth sets parents on a good trajectory for child raising. Conversations from the Womb offers readers a practice for listening and talking with children on the way to being born. Families who embrace Penny Chang's approach to pre-birth communication are likely to benefit from her guidance. This book adds a unique and positive voice to the chorus of Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology practitioners.
When working with expectant parents, I am careful about how I introduce material for parents to read. A mother who is carrying a child can be easily overwhelmed by the amount of advice and precautions she has available to her. My experience with parents is that they are often understandably cautious about what professionals are recommending for them when it comes to their baby. I deeply respect that they are the experts for their family. As my clients' psychotherapist, I am an active listener, facilitator, and guide. Penny Chang's approach to assisting parents' communication with their children before birth arrives also emphasizes a listening first style. She writes in her opening page, 'Mothers often talk to their babies during pregnancy. But how many mothers wait for a response?" (p.l). Ms. Chang offers concise exercises for parents to develop their listening skills in...