From the article: Prenatal Bonding
Bonding with your baby is not necessarily something that happens automatically. Some women feel guilty when they don't feel that immediate connection. Whether you have to work on bonding with your baby or not, what are some things that worked for you in building or strengthening that bond? Did you spend time journaling? Was it hearing the heart beat during prenatal visits? Perhaps seeing an ultrasound? Share Your Experience
Bonding
- I will be a first time mommy & I am so excited!! From the moment I saw positive, I have been bonding with my baby! :) can't wait to meet him/her soon!
- —Guest ValWarren
I hope we bond okay
- This is my first baby, and after discussing the pro's and con's with my doctor, I have made the decision to bottle feed. I hope that we are still able to bond okay, but I have to admit I am a little nervous because it is the first baby. I have step children, but of course that is a little different.
- —Guest mommycrazy4peanut
baby bonding
- I have six children and am pregnant with my 7th and 8th (twins). I bonded the same with all of the them which were breastfed but one of my children had to be bottle fed at 6 weeks as he was ill and my milk dried up. I found that bonding took longer with him.
- —cattapilla
Talking to Baby Before Birth +
- I had read that unborn children can hear mom's voice as well as dad's -- if he speaks close to mom's tummy. My husband and I would sometimes watch as our unborn baby would jump around and make parts of my belly stick out with each little kick. After his birth, I nursed my son right away. I heard this helps to get the afterbirth expelled and it did follow quickly after that. We bonded even more with our baby through our family bed. I'd sometimes wake up in the middle of the night and stare at our little wonder sleeping contentedly and securely beside us. It also helped greatly with my sleep because I didn't have to get up and go into another room to comfort my baby. Years ago, I lived in a foreign country where family beds are the norm. I learned so much from that experience. it is very sad that babies come into this world and sleep all alone. Nursing also bonds mother with child because it releases bonding hormones. Nature got it right!
- —Guest Lauren
Bedtime Pondering
- Because I have never been one to drift off to sleep as soon as I hit the pillow bedtime was the perfect time to focus on my babies when I was pregnant. Each night my intention was centered on the new life inside of me and my heart swelled as I pondered what might be in store for the new person I was going to serve as mother.
- —Guest lila
Just happened...
- At first I felt disconnected, like I couldn't really be pregnant because I didn't feel any differently. My friends told me that having the ultrasound would help, but it was actually worse. I could see something that I couldn't feel and it just was strange. But one day I was just sitting there in the bath tub and my hand brushed my slightly bulging belly and it just clicked: "Oh! There's a baby in there!"
- —Guest Hannah
