Bringing Baby Home

Prepare Your Relationship Before Patterns of Disconnection Take Hold

Research shows that two-thirds of couples experience a significant decline in relationship satisfaction after having a baby. But this doesn't have to be your story. The Bringing Baby Home program is an evidence-based 8-week course (or intensive weekend format) developed from the Gottman Institute's decades of research on what helps couples thrive during the transition to parenthood. Rather than waiting until you're in crisis—exhausted, resentful, and distant—this program gives you the tools to maintain your connection, manage conflict, and create sustainable partnership rhythms before destructive patterns establish.

Most couples prepare extensively for the baby—the nursery, the gear, the birth plan—but do almost nothing to prepare their relationship for the seismic shift ahead. You're about to navigate one of the most significant identity transitions of your life, and most couples try to do it without adequate support or skills. This program addresses what actually strains relationships after baby arrives: mental load imbalance, role confusion, communication breakdown under stress, loss of intimacy, and the partner-to-parent rupture that happens when couple dynamics get subsumed by parenting roles.

Gabriel brings specialized expertise in father engagement to this program, meaning it's not just about supporting mum while dad "helps"—it's about creating genuine co-parenting from the start, understanding father-specific bonding and activation relationships, and preventing the default parent/helper dynamic that creates resentment in so many families. Whether you're expecting your first child or adding to your family, this program helps you build the foundation for sustainable partnership through one of life's most challenging and rewarding transitions.

What You'll Learn

Relationship Maintenance During Transition • How relationships actually change after baby (and what to do about it) • Maintaining emotional connection when you're exhausted and touched-out • Creating shared meaning and identity as a family • Protecting friendship and intimacy during early parenthood

Conflict Management • The Four Horsemen patterns (criticism, defensiveness, contempt, stonewalling) and their antidotes • Managing disagreements about parenting without escalation • Repair strategies when arguments happen • Discussing sensitive topics without explosion

Partnership Sustainability • Mental load and division of labor—addressing it before resentment builds • Supporting each other through stress, sleep deprivation, and overwhelm • Creating realistic expectations about roles and responsibilities • Maintaining intimacy and physical connection

Father Engagement from the Start • Understanding father-specific bonding and activation relationships • Creating entry points for meaningful father involvement (not just "helping") • Preventing the default parent dynamic before it establishes • Supporting both partners' identity transitions

Program Details

Duration: 8-week program (weekly 2-hour sessions) OR weekend intensive (Saturday-Sunday, 6 hours each day)

Who Should Attend: Expecting couples (any trimester), new parents with infants under 12 months, couples planning pregnancy who want to prepare

Format: Group program with other couples (8-10 couples maximum) or private couple sessions

What's Included: Weekly sessions, home practice exercises between sessions, program materials and resources, follow-up check-in session 4-6 weeks after completion