Ideas for Bonding with Baby

Bonding with your bundle of joy is not only a precious time as a new mother, but is also incredibly important for the development of your baby. When parent and baby spend time bonding, it fosters positive self-esteem and healthy relationships in the child’s life later on. We’ve put together a list of the best ideas for bonding with your baby as soon as you’re ready.
 
1. Turn Feeding Time into Attachment Time
A great way for you to better understand your baby’s facial expressions and to have intimate contact that will lead to a close and trusting relationship is to turn feeding time into an exercise of connecting. Learn to read baby’s facial expressions and help baby to understand that you are a source of comfort and care. If you are unable to breastfeed, this can also be done with a bottle and skin-to-skin contact. Dad can also join in on this activity as well through bottle feeding.
 
2. Baby Massage
Baby massage has become increasingly popular recently due to its ability to help relieve gas, create a stimulating bond, and calm baby. Using an all-natural, baby safe lotion during massage time is always the way to go. Be gentle but firm and listen to your baby to determine when he’s ready to move on to a new activity.
 
3. Mommy and Me Exercise Classes
Bringing your baby along for the ride for post-natal exercise class is a great way to expose your baby to a stimulating environment, other babies, and new experiences out of the home with one another. There is something very soothing and comforting for both baby and mother to be connected while mom is performing these highly specialized post-natal exercises. Check out a Babies at the Barre™ virtual or in-person class for a unique way to bond with baby, gain strength, and build friendships.
 
4. Make a Special Comforting Activity with Baby
Weather it is a specific way of rocking, holding, or patting, make a routine way to connect that works for you and your baby. This can be personal for mom and dad respectively so you each have your own signature way of comforting and connecting with your little one!
 
5. Respond to Baby’s Cries
Especially in the first 3 months of life, your baby needs to know she can trust you to always be there for her. Don’t worry about spoiling your baby! The result will be trust-building and will help your baby later in life to become an empathetic adult.
 
6. Go on House Tours
Simply walking around your house and stopping whenever your baby becomes enthralled with something in her surroundings is a great way to bond and help your baby learn to explore. Things that might seem mundane to adults are a whole new adventure in life for a baby. Share these moments together.
 
7. Talk to Baby About Your Day
Narrating even the simplest of tasks is a great way to help the future development of verbal skills, as well as helping you get away with completing tasks and bonding with baby at the same time! Just because your baby doesn’t understand what you’re saying doesn’t mean that it isn’t having an impact. She will be happy to listen to the sound of your voice and watch you complete tasks as you make eye contact and include her in activities.

​Written by Tori Levine, mom and founder of Babies at the Barre™, a unique mommy & me exercise class and mom group / community all in one!  Meet other moms via in-person or online classes all while wearing your baby. Learn more about our low impact, effective mommy & me exercise classes here.

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