Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Liebig.
Laura, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Thinking back, my journey to Baby Parent Steps began twenty-six years ago, when I became a mother. My background in social work, which included counseling families with children ages 0-18, gave me professional insights into child development. Still, it wasn’t until I participated in PEKiP® (Prague Parent-Child Program) classes with my babies that I fully understood the power of early, intentional infant support. Experiencing firsthand how this program provided guidance to better understand my babies, peace of mind as a new parent, and confidence was transformative.
Moving to the U.S. and raising our daughters in a foreign country, I realized that many parents in my new community lacked the structured support systems that were so accessible in Germany. I felt called to bridge that gap by making culturally inclusive practices accessible. I became a Certified PEKiP® Educator. Driven by a passion to share these scientifically backed Brain-Body-Bonding practices-concepts, a term I later coined while fine-tuning the educational framework – my company was born, aiming to serve diverse families.
I founded Baby Parent Steps in 2015 to change a fundamental problem I observed: new parents are often told what to do for and with their babies, but rarely how to do it. My goal is to move beyond the theory and offer a warm, human-centered space where parents gain practical skills grounded in science, deepen their connection with their infants, and confidently navigate the beautiful and intricate first year of life and beyond.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The path to establishing Baby Parent Steps has been fulfilling, though not without significant growth challenges. Overcoming the language barrier – translating PEKiP® into English without AI tools – was especially demanding, but it strengthened my resilience and dedication.
My second, more persistent challenge has been navigating the educational landscape. Introducing German early infant developmental practices to the American early childhood market necessitates a fundamental shift in perspective, as these methodologies remain largely unrecognized by most families in the United States. While these practices have been foundational in nurturing infants in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland for over half a century, they are still relatively novel to American new parents.
In contrast to the well-established 50-year legacy of the PEKiP® program in Europe, introducing these insights required a localized, community-driven strategy to build awareness and foster trust. It has become a journey of advocacy, working diligently to illuminate the profound benefits these proven developmental practices can offer. My mission is to empower and equip new parents with innovative, scientifically backed Brain-Body-Bonding practices that build early parental confidence and strengthen skills to support the baby’s natural development, establishing a well-balanced foundation for life, and to empower new parents to embrace these methods, ultimately enhancing the growth and well-being of families and, with that, the next generation.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Baby Parent Steps (BPS) is still the only organization in the US that offers and teaches the PEKiP® program in both languages, English and German, but hopefully that will change. The primary aim is to equip and empower new parents with impactful Brain-Body-Bonding experiences to confidently support their baby’s holistic development naturally during the foundational first year of life and beyond. Group and private 1:1 virtual sessions offer educational support for new parents, especially first-time parents with babies 0-18 months, starting around six weeks.
My goal as an infant educator at Baby Parent Steps is to help new parents understand their little ones’ capabilities, strengthen their connection with their baby, build confidence from the start, and support the baby’s development through age-appropriate activities and experiences. Parents discover the joy of engaging with their babies as they help them reach important milestones in the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional areas naturally.
I proudly offer and demonstrate over 100 enriching sensory-motor activities that support early development through play and interaction for babies 0-18 months, starting around six weeks. This critical time often leaves new parents without the support of birth or postnatal doulas, or any other assistance. What sets Baby Parent Steps apart is our unwavering focus on the ‘fourth trimester’ and beyond, starting early to support holistic baby development and new parents. We empower them with essential skills to help their babies flourish in a thoughtfully simple-to-arrange environment.
Baby Parent Steps’ approach fosters deep bonding through carefully structured activities designed for new parents to engage with their baby during the most sensitive and formative period of the baby’s first 18 months of life. The program’s uniqueness lies in our demonstration method, which offers real solutions and practical strategies every parent can easily learn and implement in their daily routine. We are here to equip new and first-time parents and their little ones for a thriving start!
The benefits of Baby Parent Steps classes are profound and life-changing, one activity at a time, one baby-parent dyad at a time. By participating, parents not only gain invaluable confidence in their new role but also develop a heightened awareness of their baby’s unique skills and developmental milestones. These classes enhance the baby’s body awareness, fostering essential motor skills and physical development. Parents also enjoy a variety of engaging activities designed to encourage play and movement, laying the groundwork for a strong, joyful bond with their child. I dedicated an extensive section on my website to detail these benefits for both parents and babies, as well as the advantages of online classes. This resourceful information can be explored at https://babyparentsteps.com/what-we-do-for-new-parents/.
As the first active Certified PEKiP® Educator in the US, I have embarked on an exciting and challenging journey that has profoundly impacted new families. It is a privilege to establish and offer this groundbreaking educational program, which features enriching Brain-Body-Bonding activities designed to support healthy, natural development and foster a deep connection between parents and their babies from the very first moments of life.
One of my most cherished experiences is witnessing the transformative ‘A-ha!’ moments of parents during my teaching sessions. There’s something profoundly moving about watching mothers, fathers, grandmothers, aunts, adoptive parents, and even nannies, participate in my classes as they discover the baby’s remarkable capabilities for the first time. That sudden spark of realization in their eyes, coupled with an overwhelming surge of confidence, is nothing short of magical. It reaffirms my passion and dedication to this work.
As I reflect on the evolution of my vision from a fledgling concept to a powerful resource for families, I feel immense fulfillment. My commitment to reshaping societal views on the first year of life is unwavering, because nurturing that foundational bond isn’t just important – it’s an investment in a child’s mental health and future relationships, as well as our parent-child relationships.
Looking back over the past 11 years, the journey of launching Baby Parent Steps and introducing the PEKiP® program to the US has been both a challenge and a dream fulfilled. It’s been a profound privilege to help reshape our culture’s understanding of the critical importance of the first year of life. By fostering parental confidence from the start, Baby Parent Steps is laying the groundwork for a society that truly values emotional connections.
Empowering parents with practical tools and nurturing experiences is essential in cultivating a generation that is stronger, more compassionate, and deeply connected. This is not just a goal – it is a vision aimed at creating a more emotionally intelligent and connected society. It is a calling that I hold close to my heart as we work together to build a brighter future for our children, families, and the world we live in.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://babyparentsteps.com/
