It is also the time when parents are most highly motivated to do a good job at parenting. By making hospital visits, Baby TALK teachers share with parents in this time of heightened emotions, encourage positive parenting, and inform parents about Baby TALK's support systems. Hospital visits were the first program begun by Baby TALK 10 years ago. Since then, more than 20,000 babies and families in Decatur alone have received a hospital visit from Baby TALK teachers.
Mothers feel better about taking their baby home knowing a support system is there.
During a hospital visit, teachers talk with new parents about their baby using every opportunity to share information on the capabilities of a newborn. Or their well developed senses of touch, taste and smell. Mothers receive a developmental handout on newborns which the teacher briefly reviews with them. The handout includes information on ways to interact with a baby, recognize a baby's communicative signals, and deal with things like crying or sleeping. Parents may not read the entire handout in the hospital, but hopefully they will take it home to read later and use for reference.