Relationships: The Fourth Vital Sign by Claudia M. Gold, MD on April 7th, 2012 in the Boston Globe at Boston.com.

“When baby is born, if heart rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure are OK, our next priority is to support the primary relationships by carefully listening to both caregiver and baby. One way to accomplish this is to use a wonderful tool the Newborn Behavioral Observation system, developed by J.Kevin Nugent, colleague of T. Berry Brazelton. If problems are identified, such as a biologically vulnerable child whose cues are hard to read, or postpartum depression, or lack of social support for mother, we can address them. We will then be setting this new life out on a course of healthy development from the start”.  Read the rest of Dr. Gold’s column in the Child in Mind at Boston.com.

Dr. Gold’s newly published book, Keeping Your Child in Mind, is steeped in contemporary research on child development and infused by thoughtful examples gathered from her practice as a pediatrician.  Keeping Your Child in Mind: Overcoming Defiance, Tantrums, and other everyday Behavioral Problems by Seeing the World through Your Child’s Eyes is not only an indispensable resource for parents but it is also an invaluable resource for professionals who work with children and their families.

Childbirth: A Love story (sometimes derailed) by Claudia M. Gold in The Boston Globe at Boston.com

“She gazes into his eyes and speaks to him in soft murmuring tones. He follows her every move with rapt attention. For both, the other is a person full of light and color, while the rest of the world has faded to a kind of uniform pale background. She is obsessed by thoughts of him and worries that something terrible may befall him. He is constantly attuned to her whereabouts.  In this week of Valentine’s Day, you might think I am describing romantic love. But I am, in fact, describing a mother and her newborn son. Physicians, nurses and other professionals who work with pregnant women and newborns have the frequent privilege of bearing witness to people falling in love. When all goes well, the period of time when a newborn, who is wired for successful communication from the start, meets his or her caregivers, is a time of joy and bliss.

It is particularly devastating, therefore, when this first communication, this early developing relationship, is less than successful. But if one thinks of these problems as disruptions in a love relationship, it makes sense to work with parent and child together (to continue the analogy- it’s kind of like couples therapy.) Recent research suggests that working with mother and baby together, with the specific aim of supporting successful communication, may be effective in preventing long-term negative effects on child development. Among the most well studied of these interventions is the Newborn Behavioral Observations (NBO) system.  This tool was developed by J. Kevin Nugent and colleagues as a practical, clinical application of T. Berry Brazelton’s Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS) Brazelton was among the first, in the early 1970′s to recognize the range of capabilities of the newborn, and their contribution to the parent-child relationship”.  Click here to read the full Boston Globe article by Dr. Gold. 

Baby behavior: early language acquisition: What parents need to know. Dr. Nugent interviewed by Gene Lavanchy on FOX 25 Morning News, Boston, 19th Jan 2012.

There is new research suggesting that babies learn to talk by watching our lips.  What does this mean for parents?  Dr. Kevin Nugent, Director of the Brazelton Institute at Children’s Hospital Boston and author of “Your Baby is Speaking to You: A Visual Guide to the Amazing Behaviors of your Newborn and Growing Baby,” joined Gene Lavancy to discuss this topic.   Click above and watch the rest of the interview here on Fox News Boston.

Decode Your Baby’s Body Language by Caroline Schaefer in Parents, January 2012.

Tuning in to your child’s gestures is crucial, especially before she can speak. “Baby behavior definitely conveys messages that tell you what your child needs,” says J. Kevin Nugent, Ph.D.,  Director of the Brazelton Institute and author of Your Baby Is Speaking to You. “Being able to read and respond will make your baby happier, as well as help you learn a lot about her personality and temperament.” For the parents (like me) who get lost in translation, infant pros offer insight into interpreting some common baby moves. Use these tips to understand your own little VIP.  Click above to read the article in full (from Parents magazine).

How to be the best parent you can be  by Sheila Wayman, The Irish Times, Jan 3, 2012.

“Take a moment to look at your parenting skills and see if you can improve them in 2012, and make life easier for you and your family”, writes SHEILA WAYMAN.  ”It is the time of year when we reflect on our lives and resolve to try to do some things a little differently from now on – eat less, exercise more, grin and bear more frequent visits to the mother-in-law. Considering that parenting “is the most important job we’ll ever do”, it makes sense to include it in the annual reappraisal of ourselves.  Listen to your child…….This applies no matter what a child’s age – as Dr. Kevin Nugent demonstrated in his recent book, Your Baby is Speaking to You.”  Read the rest of this article by clicking on the title above.

Do you need help picking the right childcare? by Tripp Underwood in Thriving, the Children’s Hospital, Boston Health Blog. 

Being a parent in a sluggish economy is tough. Raising kids is a demanding job on it’s own and adding money stress to the mix often makes things worse. It’s hard, but like it or not, these are the financial realties many parents are facing today……..”Parents looking for clear information on how childcare affects children are given a bewilderingly diverse set of conclusions,” says Kevin Nugent, PhD, founder and Director of the Brazelton Institute at Children’s, a research and training organization dedicated to studying the development of newborns and young children. “But it’s not all bad news.”

Read all of Tripp Underwood’s blog at Thriving, the Children’s Hospital Boston’s pediatric health blog.

Connecting with a non-cuddly baby from Dream On Line, the Children’s Hospital, Boston magazine for Parents and Families.

Q:  You write that some parents of babies who aren’t very cuddly, feel rejected or unfulfilled. What are some alternative methods of bonding? Read Dr. Nugent’s answer at Dream On Line.

To parents – What is the NBO? Can it help me get to know my baby from the Brazelton Institute home page.

• Can my baby see?
• Does my baby recognize my voice?
• What kind of stimulation do babies need?
• How do I know when she is hungry?
• How much will she sleep?
• Is there something wrong if my baby cries a lot?
• What can I expect over the next few weeks?
• What can I do to support my baby’s development?

These are some of the questions that the Newborn Behavioral Observations (NBO) system will help you answer.  The NBO was developed to help new parents get to know and learn more about their baby.  It consists of 18 items and takes less than 10 minutes to administer. We will observe your baby’s reflexes, her movements and muscle tone, her response to people (the face and voice) and to objects — like the red ball in the photograph.

HOW WILL THE NBO HELP YOU?

The NBO will give you a better understanding of your baby. You will learn about her capacities and her temperament. You will also learn about the kinds of caregiving techniques and the kind of stimulation that is appropriate for your baby’s growth and development.

WHO WILL ADMINISTER IT?

Any clinician trained and certified by the Brazelton Institute in the NBO system may administer the NBO.  Ask your doctor or nurse practitioner for further information about the NBO system.  For more information on the NBO, click here.

The Truth about Baby Milestones by Deb Abramson, Parenting.

“Waiting for that first babble or watching for that first step can turn otherwise relaxed parents — even those who don’t have a competitive bone in their bodies — into handwringers who keep close tabs on how their tot stacks up against his peers.”Milestones can be millstones,” says J. Kevin Nugent, Ph.D., Director of the Brazelton Institute at Children’s Hospital Boston “It’s a terrible burden for parents.” It’s OK to occasionally wake up at 3 a.m. worrying if your baby will crawl (Isn’t that a rite of motherhood?)…… Read the rest of Deb Abramson’s article in Parenting. 

Pregnancy Arts writes:

“For new and expecting parents, or anyone interacting with newborns, who prefer beautiful photographs and practical descriptive writing over the complexity of scientific reporting, Your Baby is Speaking to You is a must read. It has the capacity to increase your joy, answer your questions, and sanctify the everyday interactions that fill your day with your newborn”  Read the rest of the review here.

Book of the Month: Your Baby is Speaking to You by Anne Grauer,  CD(DONA), IBCLC, Columbia Center.

“Every once in awhile I find a book that not only delights me but makes me want to give it to every pregnant and new family that I know. I met Dr. Nugent almost 10 years ago and fell in love with his approach to helping new parents understand who their babies are.  Want to know about newborns? Open any page. Look at the gorgeous photographs and the description of what baby is saying. It’s a perfect book for parents-to-be, grandparents and caregivers.  May you sigh in joy”.

Houghton-Mifflin’s new book for Parents, Grandparents and Child Care Professionals