🇬🇧 Maternity and Haptonomy

 A departure as an expat, a first pregnancy announced, your life is accelerating. 

You’ve heard of haptonomy to « meet baby before birth » and find a way to gently prepare.

But is the practice possible remotely ?

We have a talk with Mrs Christine Chapuis, Psychopratician, Haptotherapist, who follows many expats.

 

What is haptonomy ?

•  » Hapto  » comes from the Greek  » hapsis « , which means  » tact, sensation, sense « .
•  » Nomos  » corresponds to  » the law, the rule « .

Perinatal, pre and postnatal haptonomy is aimed at couples who desire and are expecting a child . 

This practice is a bit like meeting your baby early in life, long before birth.

Getting to know him, giving him love and security, establishing a loving relationship.

 

How does a haptonomy session take place ?

First of all, in a warm and welcoming atmosphere, the psychopratician, haptotherapist, guides future parents to learn to feel, to be attentive and
to be in the « haptonomic contact » – a new way of being present.

She then demonstrates how to gently get in touch with baby, by being attentive.

She guides how to contact with hands on mum’s womb welcoming and padded lap.

 

How does it work ?

Baby is a being in the « World of Sensation ».
Haptonomy solicits and awakens the brain’s subcortical neurological pathways in baby and in the brain of his parents.
Sometimes – for the First Time – experienced like a revelation.

These are linked to direct sensations in the present, to be in tune with your baby and meet him from the start of his life.

➡️ The first sessions are devoted to the discovery of the « haptonomic contact ». These aim to live, in one’s physical experience and sometimes for the first time, a state of basic security, in completeness – a source of joy in being recognized and confirmed affectively.

➡️As a haptotherapist, I show the partner how to get in touch with his wife and how to secure her .

➡️ Comforted in her being a woman who carries life, supported and loved, the mother-to-be discovers a state of internal security. This allows her to abandon herself in confidence in what she is experiencing in the present, far from thoughts and possible worries.

➡️ Then, I guide the father in contact with his baby . Contact him, call him to manifest himself, respect his needs, his desires in his sleep-wake rhythms, rock him, soothe him, invite him to play, follow him in his impulses, guide him under the hands to find comfort.

 

How many sessions ?

A course of 3/4 sessions is possible to discover Haptonomy.
For a complete course, 8 to 9 prenatal sessions are possible. The three Dad, Mum and baby (or more, if there are several babies) meet in fun and joy,
get to know each other and develop their bond.

➡️ A session is dedicated to the father so that he feels within himself the effects and benefits of haptonomic contact, in what it brings good and sweetness to his wife and baby.

➡️ Helping baby to move with ease and gentleness, in the good lap of his mother who surrounds him, offers to deepen the bond between father and baby, mother-baby, father-mother-baby. But also to develop a relationship of tenderness within the couple , more united and complementary.

➡️ The couple gradually discovers their resources as a woman and a mother, a man and a father, and deepens their relationship in a bond of tenderness. Each is then fully confirmed and recognized: father-mother-child, and can thus blossom freely.

At birth, helping baby together to be born brings power and assurance, to be there, well supported.

 

Do you follow many future parents abroad ?

For parents who travel, it’s a way to feel supported and accompanied. This complements the contributions of other professionals in the country of residence.
For future expatriate parents, haptonomy helps them to gently take their place as parents. While keeping a link with the country of origin , which secures for the future…

The perinatal haptonomy support that I offer seeks to combine harmoniously with the practices and cultures of the country of residence.
Indeed, it is important that haptonomy can be integrated into what is possible with these practices.

 

Is the presence of the father compulsory ?

The presence of the partner is strongly recommended .
If he is not available for professional reasons, I ask the couple to choose a trusted person to accompany the mother and baby in their discoveries.

If the mother is alone, she can choose a person (friend, family) who will accompany her during the sessions in order to open up the relationship with the baby to the outside world.
And this all in confidence, to be assured of constant support and comfort .

 

How does a remote session take place… it may seem really difficult, since we are in contact ?

The sessions last 1 hour 30 in video with an accompanying document for each session.

➡️Before any course, a welcome guide is sent to parents by e-mail. It describes the course of the meetings and the practical arrangements.

➡️From a distance, I guide the partner step by step to gently enter into contact with his wife in a very specific way. 

➡️As soon as this contact occurs, there are very important relaxations in the mother. She calms down and surrenders in confidence by the comfort proven in safety. At the level of the bosom, which has become softer, baby’s living space is getting bigger.

➡️Then, I guide the partner to wrap his hands around the base of his spouse. Baby then begins to feel a gentle rocking with mom.

➡️All this space linked to mum’s affectivity (that is to say linked to what she feels, her sense of security, of love, etc.) allows to relax. So, with my hands on either side, I guide mom to be in touch with baby. Then his partner to contact the mother and then the baby.

Each step of the contact is finely guided during the sessions.

 

And to finish…

Gradually, the couple discovers that their baby already recognizes them

and that he modulates his responses according to the feelings of each.