Every mother will tell you that one of her deepest unspoken fears, particularly for first-time moms, is whether or not she will bond with her baby. It goes without saying that bonding with your baby is essential to your baby’s well-being but it’s essential to yours too, whether you’re mom or dad.
Experts refer to the intense attachment that you develop with your baby, as bonding. It’s that all powerful feeling of deep love and protection for this little being who has come into your life and crept right into your heart.
Some parents feel this bond almost immediately, others take a little longer. In the past, it was felt that spending as much time as possible with your baby, will help with the bonding process. However, researchers now understand that bonding can take place over a period of time. This is evident with parents who are separated from their babies soon after delivery for medical reasons or for those parents who adopt their children.
“There’s so much discussion about bonding with a new baby that mothers often feel guilty if they don’t feel some incredible attachment to their new baby immediately,” says Edward Christophersen, a pediatric psychologist in Kansas City, Missouri. “But bonding is truly an individual experience, and it’s just as reasonable to expect the bond to develop over a period of time as it is for it to develop instantaneously.”
What can make bonding quite difficult is that babies don’t show emotion and this can make it more difficult to make that connection immediately, and if it doesn’t, don’t worry, it most certainly will.
Here are some things you can do to bond with your new born baby:
Skin to skin and eye contact is a great start, with the Babylegends Hugseez Baby Wrap it becomes so easy. Baby is wrapped securely and feels safe and gets to sleep close to your heart.
Breastfeeding – Not only is nursing ideal time for skin contact as well as being very nutritional, but it’s also an exercise in baby-reading. One of the great benefits of the Hugseez Baby Wrap is that you can feel comfortable whilst breastfeeding in public.
Pay attention to your baby – Check out baby’s facial expressions and body language while they feed. By paying close attention to your baby’s facial expressions and reactions, you’ll become an expert on their likes and dislikes, whether it’s a song or a smile that makes them perk up. With the Hugsee you will be able to pay close attention to your little one because they are so securely wrapped and close to your face. Baby will fuss much less in the wrap, and it will give you the opportunity to pay 100% attention to your little infant child.
Let Baby sleep close by – Letting baby sleep close to your chest will help with the bonding process. With the Hugsee this is such a comfortable exercise, you can go about your day, while your little one sleeps soundly on your chest, hearing your heart-beat and your breathing.
Get Dad involved – Dad’s can’t breastfeed, but they can:
- Cuddle, change, and bathe baby
- Burp baby after you breastfeed
- Take the night shift (You get sleep and he gets special bonding time.)
- Sing, talk in funny voices, play, or engaging in any way that only daddies can
- Wear the Babylegends Hugsee
Remember that the Hugseez Baby Wrap Carrier can be purchased directly from Baby Legends website. Go to www.babylegends.co.za to find out more.
