by Hilary Peer

Created on: February 21, 2011

You are at the end of your pregnancy and all your thoughts are on the baby. You want to see her, you are wondering what she’ll look like but at the forefront of your mind you are wondering will you love her when you see her, will there be an immediate bond between you. Everyone tells you it's a natural feeling, as soon as you see her your heart will melt.              

There are so many things happening to your mind and body during this period and sometimes when the baby is born, you can be over whelmed. Your hormones can kick in and make you really emotional. Whatever you are feeling, even if it is a negative thought, you must as soon as possible, hold your baby close to your heart; so she can  hear your heart beat; this will have a calming affect on her, as it was the sound she   heard in the womb she will know who you are.  If you can manage to breast feed straight away this will help build a strong physical and emotional attachment to you, if you bottle feed hold your baby hold her close to you and cradle her in your arms. Talk to your baby while they are feeding and caress her face. She will stare in to your eyes and get to know you.

It is very important for the Dad or other care giver to hold the baby so they can bond too. Letting other people take care of her will also give you a chance to rest and recover.

There are many ways in which we can bond to our baby, the main one is to listen to her. She will communicate with you, with sound and facial movements. We automatically think that baby's communicate just by crying but there are many stages before this that can let us know that they need something. The movement of her lips or the wriggling of her legs are both signs that she is hungry.  A baby that is playing on a play mat may make sounds of enjoyment; you can lie next to her and talk to her about what she can see.  When ever you are going somewhere tell her what you are doing. You may be stressed because you can’t get out of the house, it is always good to tell her what is going on so she knows what to expect. Having a good routine will also help you and her to rest when needed.

One of the loveliest things you can do is just simply hug your baby and hold her close. Activities like baby massage and baby yoga are great ways for you to make a bond with her. These don’t need to be major organized activities; you can easily do this at home. And remember to smile and enjoy every moment.

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