Boot Camp for New Moms really started in 1990, with the creation of
Boot Camp for New Dads.
Founder Greg Bishop was one of 13 kids and grew up taking care of babies. When he had his first child and friends starting asking him for advice, he realized that men would get a better start (and more confidence) as fathers if they just had a little information they could trust going into it.
“... there aren’t any [resources] that inform [mom-to-be] of what’s going on with Dad and how they can bring out the best in each other when they’re starting their new family.”
He arranged a workshop at the local hospital for “rookie” dads-to-be and invited friends with their babies to join them. When some of the rookie dads said that they had never held a baby, the veteran dads handed them theirs. For three hours, the rookies watched the veterans take care of their babies without a mom in sight. No question was stupid, no topic off-limits. It was like a nursery in a locker room.
Over the years, we were often asked why there wasn’t a Boot Camp for New Moms. We figured there were already plenty of resources for moms-to-be, between classes, magazines, the internet, and of course, friends and family, who always seem to have plenty of advice for expectant moms. And, unlike most guys, women talk to each other about motherhood, right?
But as we talked to hundreds of new moms around the country we discovered that while there are plenty of resources for moms-to-be, there aren’t any that inform her of what’s going on with Dad and how they can bring out the best in each other when they’re starting their new family. There are lots of classes that tell her what to expect during labor and delivery, but none that help her navigate the changes in her relationship and life once she brings this new little human home. And although friends and family can be a valuable resource, nothing replaces the value of sitting down and getting straight answers from women who were just in mom-to-be’s shoes and are willing to share what worked best for them and what they learned that will be valuable for expectant moms to know.
Boot Camp for New Moms is growing rapidly because moms today recognize the value of information they can trust when they’re becoming moms. They want a happy family and a strong relationship with dad once their baby comes. They know that they’re about to navigate one of life’s biggest events and a little information they can trust will lower their anxiety and increase their confidence.
