Getting to know your baby is part of the bonding process. Nature has planned that your newborn is dependent on others for feeding and care so that you spend a lot of time with your newborn during the first few weeks / months to get to know each other. Forming a relationship with your newborn baby is essential for baby’s development and important for other health outcomes. Getting up in the night when baby cries may feel like a chore sometimes but it makes you learn about the wide range of cries your baby has and how your baby communicates. This is all part of the bonding process. Strong ties between baby and parents will enable the child to develop future relationships and interact better.
Breastfeeding also aids the bonding process – holding a baby at breast level is the perfect location for baby’s vision. By cradling baby in your arms connecting visually is easy. Eye contact helps you to interact with your baby. It’s important to remember that bonding is a process; it doesn’t happen instantly and is not something that has to be limited to happening within a certain period of time. It’s also a process that involves both mother and father.
Using a baby carrier aids the bonding process through vital body or skin-to-skin contact with your baby. A parent’s closeness and warmth makes baby feel protected and safe and you will learn how his / her body tension can communicate how he / she feels.