By Colleen Hurley, RD, Certified Kid’s Nutrition Specialist
Many of the recent studies on child development have one common thread: a healthy bond between parent and baby leads to a well adjusted child and even teenager.Upon giving birth, parents are obviously bonded with the child for life in terms of being a mother and father.Bonding, in a more esoteric sense, is really a sense of trust and closeness your baby feels towards you and visa versa. A healthy bond is an intense attachment that develops between parent and child, and is what makes you get up at night to feed her and why she stops crying only when you pick her up. This loving bond is the type researchers are hoping all parents can achieve and is actually one of the best aspects of being a parent.Here are 8 Ways to bond with your baby:
1. Eye Contact: newborn babies can only see about a foot away from their bodies or what is also known as breastfeeding distance.You’ll notice your new baby can stare for long period of a time at an object, particularly a face, and eyes are a prominent feature.
2. Your voice:bet you didn’t think your baby would actually prefer to hear you singing than any other sound- well it is true.Singing lullabies to your baby is great way to bond, even if you think you sound terrible your baby most certainly doesn’t think so.
3. Touch: Much of newborn care involves touching and holding, particularly changing diapers, feeding, and holding.Babies love to be touched as it not only keep them warm but also closer to moms and dads.Another great idea is to try infant massage.
4. Snuggles:Think back to the last trimester of pregnancy when he was in close quarters in utero.Babies feel a sense of security when being tightly wrapped in a blanket and snuggled closely to you.
5. Create a support system:Having extra hands around and a good support system can help you worry less as you become more confident in your abilities as a parent.Be sure to ask for help; it is much easier to bond with your baby when you aren’t exhausted from trying to clean and cook while taking care of a newborn.
6.Breastfeeding: Not to say bottle fed babies do not bond, but studies have shown babies are more likely to bond faster with their mothers if they are breastfed.
7. Play: even if it seems in those first few weeks that she is not responding to your silly faces, she actually is.Smiling, holding a toy for her to look at, reading books, and playing peek-a-boo all help form a healthy bond even in the first few weeks.
8.Ask for help:If within the first few you weeks you do not feel a bond towards your baby, seek the help of a physician.Post partum depression is a real illness and can delay the bonding process.
The Baby Mum-Mum blog discusses everything to do with babies and parenting with a focus on child health and child development. Baby Mum-Mum is a healthy, easy to digest baby rice snack that is enjoyed by babies and mothers around the world for its portability, gluten free ingredients and great taste.
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