Bonding with Your Baby During and After Pregnancy
Your body nurtures your baby for 9 months before you get to meet them. You feel all of the moves, bumps and kicks before bringing them into the world. While this may make you physically close to your baby, the bond between you can be strengthened by things you do during and after pregnancy, which have an effect long after your baby is born. A bonus: most of these can be done by people besides the carrier (eg your partner).
Talk and Sing to Your Baby
Your baby can hear in the womb as early as 18 weeks through pregnancy, with rapid development from 24 weeks. They will be able to hear your voice even when you’re not talking directly to them, but speaking or singing to your baby with love and affection will likely bring you closer to them, especially if it encourages a reaction such as a kick. The familiarity of your comforting voice will make them feel safe. Starting this during pregnancy will make it feel even more natural once your baby is born.
The First Hold
Your baby has just been born, and what an ordeal you’ve both experienced! Depending on the circumstances of the birth, you may be able to give them their first cuddle mere seconds or minutes after they’ve arrived to help make them feel safe and comfortable. It is widely understood that skin-to-skin contact is important not just for the attachment, but for your baby’s health, as it helps to stabilise their temperature and heart rate, and improve blood glucose. Breast feeding very soon after birth also encourages a bond.
Look Into Your Baby’s Eyes
When feeding your baby, look into their big, beautiful eyes. It’s a very precious moment as your baby suckles quietly, staring back at you. However, this eye contact is also extremely beneficial for early language skills, so avoid distractions like ‘brexting’ - texting while breast- or bottle-feeding - and be in the moment.
How You Respond to Their Cries
As you react to your baby communicating with you through their cries, they will look to you as the person who can take their pain or discomfort away. You can fix their hunger, make them clean and keep them warm. Furthermore, you’ll likely become so attune to their cries that you’ll be able to differentiate what the problem is based on the type of cry - whether it’s short and nasal or more of a higher-pitched wail.
Play Together
Having a baby isn’t all feeding and changing nappies - it’s important to have fun, too! Play time with your baby makes lovely memories, but also helps with their mental and motor development, so make funny faces, play Peek-A-Boo and dance to music for their enjoyment. It’s likely to be this type of activity that will encourage their first smile and laugh!
Collect memories of your baby’s first year with a BabyCube!
