Emotions
At Viveka we are committed to acknowledging your baby as an emotionally sensitive individual. Emotional drives are well developed before birth, and emotional experiences in the first 3 years are hugely significant.
Feelings affect many things, from sleep and feeding to levels of immunity, bonding, behaviour and play. They shape your baby's mind and brain for the future and have a profound impact on his or her future happiness, health and development. We believe that a contented baby is someone who is able to express their emotions and to feel heard and loved. Support will be uniquely tailored to you, your baby and your family.
Your paediatrician will notice your baby's feelings during consultations and treatment. Our doctors are up to date with recent scientific and psychological insights and identify links between emotional issues and physical ailments. They may suggest referral to other practitioners in Viveka if they feel further support or a different approach may benefit your baby and family.
Child psychologists and peri-natal psychotherapists specially trained in the developmental period before and after birth are on hand to listen to your baby and to provide support and guidance for you. Viveka's 'Emo' team includes our family therapist Ann Herreboudt, and psychotherapist Kitty Hagenbach, who specialises in the early years.
Sometimes your baby reflects your feelings, and may respond to family issues. Many parents appreciate support to boost their own self confidence and strengthen their parental relationship - then they feel more confident and this is usually reflected by their baby.
Complementary therapists recognise and work with the emotional body as well as the physical body (the 'bodymind'); treatments are nurturing and gentle. Massage, homeopathy and accupressure, as well as cranial osteopathy have been used for many years at Vivkea. Babies are very responsive to these gentle techniques.
A variety of parenting courses provide guidance about babies' emotional lives and issues ranging from bonding to changing old family habits in relationships that no longer work for you. Babiesknow and Babiesgrow workshops are focused on families and emotionally intelligent parenting.
Did you know ?
Recent discoveries in neuroscience confirm that a baby's emotional drives and emotional memory are well developed before birth. The first 3 years are fundamental for how your baby's neural patterns develop and how he or she experiences the world for the rest of their lives. The research also shows that the more consistently a baby's needs are met, the more likely they are to experience the world positively, to cry less and feel secure, and to be able to form strong bonds and loving relationships, in infancy and right through to adulthood. A baby's fundamental needs are: 'Hold me, Love me, Feed me, See me, Hear me'.
