"Holding and Helping Mothers and Babies through Supportive Presence: A Nurse-Family Partnership Program"

with Gina Veloni R.N. and Melanie Dilger R.N.

First time mothers attempting to create a holding relationship for their infants are more likely to be successful when they themselves are in a holding relationship.  The 2016 Dorpat Lecture will describe a program that relies on a supportive and collaborative relationship between nurses and mothers as they begin this journey of parenting.

The Nurse-Family Partnership is a home visitation program where the nurse visits first time mothers starting in early pregnancy through the child’s second year.  Families receive weekly and bi-weekly home visits focusing on parental and child health promotion, development, education, holistic lifelong wellness, and self-sufficiency.

The program supports the development of attachment by holding new parents with their hopes and fears, allowing them to be present to the experience and maximize their availability to the infant as he/she develops.  The program builds on the strengths and goals of each family to help with intergenerational challenges, creating the possibility of healthy new relationships.  The perinatal and infant mental health practices support resiliency and improve the trajectory of family outcomes.  Several longitudinal studies have shown the efficacy of this program.  In this presentation, the nurses will describe why and how this program works, and talk about their own experiences as practitioners.  Case presentations and videos will be provided to supplement an interactive presentation.  We hope that you will be able to attend this free event, open to the public.  Please share this information with any individual or organization who might be interested in the topic.

For further information please contact Marcia Robbins at robbins.marcia@gmail.com.