What is bonding and why is it important?

Bonding is the emotional attachment that forms between a baby and its parents. This bond is vital to provide a sense of security and self-confidence in the child. It also teaches the ability to form relationships. Babies that are not given the chance to bond with a parent often have social issues later in life. All babies are ready to bond at birth, though in some cases bonding for the parents takes time.

How do babies bond with Mom and Dad?

Bonding is achieved generally just by the very day care of an infant. There are a few things known to strengthen infant parent bond however, including:

• Physical contact especially skin to skin.
• Eye contact
• Frequent verbal communication
• “Face time” as infants enjoy mimicking adult facial expressions

You should touch, hold, and cradle your baby as much as possible. In breast fed babies this makes bonding very easy for mom. Make sure Dad has time to hold the baby as well. You may even consider expressing some breast milk and letting Dad feed the baby. Be sure to wait until after breast-feeding is well established (usually around 1-2 months) so no nipple confusion occurs. While holding your baby talk to it, it does not matter what you are saying really simply that you’re talking. Babies who are talked to often not only have a stronger bond with their parents but have higher IQ’s and vocabularies later in life.

What if I feel like my baby has not bonded with me?

Usually such concerns are in your head so to speak, a common fear in first time parents. These feelings may also be a sign of post partum depression. If you feel you haven’t bonded with your baby you may want to bring it up with your health care provider. They will be able to help you to feel more comfortable or if there is a problem fix it.

Remember that sometimes this emotional bond is not instant and sometimes it is. It will vary from baby to baby and person to person. As long as you are giving your baby the love and attention he/she needs you are doing everything right.