SHARES
“When there is a healthy bond between baby and mother, the baby will start learning to trust.”
Pregnancy is the beginning of a relationship with your baby. This is when you will feel your baby, not just physically, but emotionally and mentally. By creating this emotional connection with your baby, your baby will feel securely attached.
Secure attachment comes from the non-verbal emotional exchange that draws you and your baby together, making your baby feel safe and secure. In fact, this bonding is how your baby starts to learn about the world. When there is a healthy bonding between you and your baby, your baby comes to believe that the world is a safe place. This is how they begin to learn trust.
Attachment and bonding should start early in pregnancy when your baby can hear you from 16 weeks onwards. During pregnancy, meeting baby’s needs and caring for them will help shape how their brain develops. In fact, after their arrival into this world, it is so important for the child’s development, to have continuous bonding throughout childhood till age 8.
What Can Babies Feel In The Womb?
Sound
Babies start responding to sound from about 16-18 weeks. They can hear the sounds inside your body – your heart pumping, stomach rumbling, and your blood gushing. At 26 weeks, your baby starts to react to noises both inside and outside your body.
Sensation
About 17 weeks into pregnancy, babies start to have the sensation of touch. They like to sleep in the womb while the mother is awake, since movement can rock them to sleep. They can be stimulated when you place your hand on the belly and rub them.
Sight
Baby will open their eyes around 22 weeks. Though their eyesight is still very limited, they will be able to see the light of the sun when you strip off to catch the sun.
Memory
Babies can remember their mother’s voice sound as well as certain music played to them. Research studies show that 34-week-old babies were able to store information and remember them 4 weeks later.
Tips on Bonding With Your Baby During Pregnancy
Rub your bump
Massaging your belly is both soothing to you and your baby, a great way to relax whilst bonding with the baby. Go on, feel the baby. Place your hand on your belly and gently message your belly. You can feel your baby kicking back.
Using aromatherapy cream or oil such as lavender, frankincense or ylang ylang would add to your experience. Take the opportunity to involve your partner, letting him share in the joy of pregnancy.
Music
A key point is, there is evidence proving music has a positive effect on brain development. Listening to music not only helps calm and soothe you, it also provides a calm environment in which baby can grow. However, notably not all music will have this effect. Babies prefer classical or melodious music, gentle lullabies or any rhythmic music that mimics the mother’s heart rate.
Relax
It’s normal to feel upset and stressed during pregnancy. However, when the mother is anxious or upset, baby’s heart rate can increase. On the other hand, if mother is calm and relaxed, so will the baby. So, try talk to someone if you are feeling stressed. Talk especially to someone who is also undergoing pregnancy too, to know that you are not alone. Antenatal yoga class is another great option to relax your mind and body.
Photo by Martin Vika
Spend Some Time Alone With Your Baby
Give some attention to your baby by spending some quiet quality time together. You can try journaling or writing letters and reading them to your baby. Babies will get the message that they are wanted and loved.
Talk to Your Baby
Hearing your voice when your baby is still in the womb can soothe your baby and let them attach to you. Say good morning and goodnight to your baby. And talk to her/him throughout the day. Your baby will recognize your voice and that’s the voice he or she will turn to once they are born.
Have An Ultrasound
It can be surreal to be able to see and hear your baby heart beating. Ultrasound scan can help increase the feeling that your baby is real, and helps you bond with your baby better.
Help Daddy Bond too!
Raising a child takes teamwork from you and your partner. Although your partner can’t feel the physical experience of pregnancy, it’s important for your partner to get involved in bonding with your baby. Let your partner feel your baby move. Let him talk and play with your baby too. You can encourage him to participate in antenatal class with you so that he knows what to expect during labor and birth.
Photo by Carmen Martorell from Flickr
Conclusion
You do not need to wait until your baby is born to connect with them. And you don’t need to be perfect too. Pregnancy is the time when you can start bonding with your baby, creating a positive life time effect which is good for you and your baby.
References:
1. Sorgen C. Bonding with baby before birth [Internet]. WebMD LLC. 2020. (Available from: https://www.webmd.com/baby/features/bonding-with-baby-before-birth#1; last accessed on 2020 Oct 24)
2. 10 ways to bond with your baby bump [Internet]. BabyCenter LLC. 2017. (Available from: https://www.babycentre.co.uk/a1049630/10-ways-to-bond-with-your-baby-bump; last accessed on 2020 Oct 24)
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by Chang Xian
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