5 Ways To Bond With Your Baby
Having a baby is a major event in one's life. Babies put us face to face with our deepest fears, strengths and dreams. Having a baby away from our family, in a different country, is another layer to this intense journey.
In addition, there is a whole emotional and personal dimension of becoming a mother: the transition from being an individual to have a baby depending on you. Here, promoting a healthy bond with your baby is about learning to communicate with him/her, decoding his/her behavior and discovering how the care-giving activities are an opportunity to talk, connect, get to know and delight yourself with the tiny human being you were blessed with.
The early experiences of attachment shape who we become later in life and how we deal. Honoring the maternal bonding sequence is all about pleasure and not about sacrifice. Both in the dyad thrive from giving and receiving love, and in turn, we participate in the making of a kinder world.
5 Ways To Bond With Your Baby
1) Hold your baby!
Babies thrive on touch. We are mammals, and as such we are meant to be in close proximity with our primary caregiver.
2) Connect while feeding.
Breastfeeding is the biological norm and promotes healthy attachment. In cases where breastfeeding is not possible, feeding while holding your baby close is essential.
3) Look into your baby's eyes.
There is research showing how this synchronizes both momma (or daddy/caregiver) and baby's heartbeat, delivering a feeling of contentment.
4) Talk to your baby.
"I will change your diaper now", "This is going to feel a bit cold", "I will put you in the car seat to go see grandma". Telling and anticipating what is going on helps your baby feel secure. Even when he/she is not capable of talking, he/she is capable of responding. You will notice it.
5) Don't freak out over crying!
Crying is a means of communication. Try to keep your cool, while you look for the cause.
My job as a Lactation and Early Attachment Specialist consists in supporting the family during this experience. Breastfeeding, while natural and biological, sometimes presents challenges. Nipple pain, discomfort, a baby who won't latch, a baby not gaining weight, and momma returning to work are some of the situations that may arise, and that I help parents overcome.
Catching these type of issues as early as possible maximizes the chance of reaching the family's goal in regards to infant feeding. Prevention is the best course of action, in addition to good management in the first two to three weeks, while the relationship is established.
Delfina Medeot runs a private practice in Los Cabos. You can find her on Facebook, LactanciaLucida, or online at http://lactancialucida.wixsite.com/milactancialucida.
