Are there tips for making bonding with a baby easier?
Here are some suggestions that will make it less difficult to bond with your baby: • Ask to room-in with your baby at the hospital. Sleeping in the same room will give you more time to get to know one another. • If your baby is premature, ask the hospital staff if you can touch and hold him. Just talking to your baby can help the two of you bond. • Once you get home, spend as much time as possible with your baby by wearing her in a sling or carrier, rocking her on your lap, or singing her a song. Your voice and touch can be very comforting. • Try giving your baby a gentle massage. Research has found that massage can not only improve the relationship between parent and baby, but it also can relieve stress in premature infants and ease postpartum depression in the mother. To learn how to massage your baby the right way, get a video, read a book, or take a class at a local hospital. • Try making skin-to-skin contact with your newborn. This practice, called “kangaroo care,” is often used i
