When you think about bonding with your baby, you probably think about those tender moments that take place between a parent and a child in the early days of life. You might think about breastfeeding, or you might thinking about those gentle touches between your skin and your baby’s skin that help to solidify the parent and child relationship.
What you may not realize, however, is that you can start to bond with your baby even before birth. The fact of the matter is that even the things you do now, while you are pregnant, can benefit both you and your baby. Even if those benefits aren’t particularly tangible or measurable, it doesn’t mean they aren’t real and important. At a minimum, these kinds of activities can help you to be ready for bonding once your baby is born.
Here are some things you can do to go about bonding with baby before birth:
- Use touch. Even though your baby is still inside your body, there are ways that you can introduce her to touch. You can touch your belly, for example, and your baby will be able to feel it. Massaging your belly can create specific sensations for both you and for your baby. Your partner can also massage your baby before she is born, helping your spouse to bond with baby before birth, too.
- Talk to baby. Just being able to hear your voice is a good start, but actually talking directly to your baby is important, too. Using your baby’s name, if you’ve picked one out, can get him ready to start hearing that name when he’s born. It can help you get used to identifying your baby as a real person, as well, and so when he’s born you’ll feel like you’ve already had conversations.
- Music is another great way to bond with baby before birth. It’s been shown in mayn different studies that music can help create a soothing environment for your baby. Listen to various kinds of music with your baby, and enjoy it together.
