Finally getting to hold your precious baby in your arms is the start of your lifelong commitment as a parent. But apart from obvious needs like medical care and constant supply of diapers, your baby also has to feel a genuine bonding with you and your partner in order to feel secure and protected. Bonding, when translated to baby care, can mean a lot of different things. It can easily spell out dragging yourself out of bed in the wee hours of the morning at the sound of your baby’s crying. Several studies have been conducted about parent and child bonding, but one thing is definite: bonding with your little one provides him with his first intimate relationship. This in turn results in a healthy dose of self-esteem and a sense of security later on in life. Here’s a quick overview of bonding, and helpful ways to easily bond with your baby:
Bonding in a nutshell
There’s a very good chance that your baby is ready to bond with you early on – in fact, most infants are. The problem may lie if you have mixed feelings about it. This can happen if your little angel is adopted, or if he has been under intensive care for a considerable amount of time. But whatever the case may be, it’s important to note that bonding with your baby is an ongoing process. In short, you can’t expect it to happen overnight. Most parents may not even realize they are already bonding with their little one. That’s not surprising, given that bonding moments are usually interlaced with baby care. But once you see your little angel’s smile at the sight of you, then you know that you have done something right.
Make a connection
To be able to ease into bonding with your little darling, it will help to know that babies interact mainly by his senses. You will notice your little one usually follows a moving object with his eyes, and tends to try imitating your gestures or facial expressions. Therefore, bonding with your baby can simply mean having eye contact with him at close range – say when you’re changing his clothes, or bathing him, or gearing him up to stroll at the nearby park. You can also talk animatedly with your little one. It will help him recognize the sound of your voice, as well as provide means to keep him calm when he’s agitated.
There are many ways to bond with your baby. And though you may have reservations at first, it just starts with one thing: the desire to let your little angel know how much you love him.