- Lots of eye contact
- Talk and sing to him/her
- Breastfeeding
- Sleeping in the same room
- Baby massage
- Answer his/her cries
- Plenty of cuddles
Bonding
This type of bonding can happen very quickly within minutes or hours of birth, or it can take a lot longer, and this can (but not always) depend on other reasons. Perhaps there were complications during the birth, or the baby was born with health problems or he/she was premature, there can be lots of factors to prevent the instant attachment, but that doesn’t mean the attachment won’t be developed later.
Bonding with your newborn is encouraged as soon as the baby is born with skin to skin contact, and your midwife will also advise you to breastfeed soon after. If this isn’t possible with your baby then don’t worry there are plenty of opportunities to bond with your little one once you can be together. Below are some activities you can do with your baby to help build the bond further: