Posted by Peggy Kaufman

Fussy BabyLast week Debbie Whitehill, Judy Semonoff, and I traveled to New Orleans where we presented "Fragile Beginnings in Health Care Settings" at the Fussy Baby National Network Meeting. JF&CS Oliver, Ian, and Serenity Wolk Fragile Beginnings is a unique program for parents of preemies or babies who spent time in the NICU. We start, whenever possible, meeting parents in the hospital and often walk hand-in-hand with them as they navigate follow-up medical services and pediatric care for their vulnerable babies. Over the past year we have been bringing Fussy Baby's communication platform into our work with families and in our professional team meetings.

The Fussy Baby approach provides a roadmap to help parents navigate and manage the situations with their baby that feel of greatest concern and has been a rich complement to our work in Fragile Beginnings and throughout CERS. We have discovered that this preventative approach is far more expansive than responding to a "fussy baby;" it's a way to help families approach and manage developmental challenges and concerns. The model encourages family resilience as it is a learning tool to enhance reflection and attunement.

After seven months of intensive application in the Fussy Baby process and working in mentorship with me, Judy Semonoff became a level two Fussy Baby Facilitated Trainer. The process provides the credentialing to train other professionals in the Fussy Baby model. Judy and I will be providing training to an Early Intervention team this coming winter and look forward to bringing this creative model to other professionals throughout Greater Boston.

Peggy KaufmanPeggy H. Kaufman, MEd, LICSW is the Founding Director of the JF&CS Center for Early Relationship Support. With a background in perinatal emotional health and the growth and development of parents, her interests include the earliest relationships. Ms. Kaufman is the recipient of multiple awards for her groundbreaking programs and her commitment to increase awareness of postpartum depression and maternal and infant mental health.