Great Ways To Bond With Your New Infant

A parent’s job begins the moment a woman learns she is pregnant. Upon receiving such news, women typically make important changes to ensure the well-being of the fetuses growing inside them. Once a child is born, the first few weeks with baby certainly can be a whirlwind. During this period, pediatricians note how important bonding with parents is for a baby’s development. Parents may be unaware that the touches, cuddles and feelings of safety and security provided by them help set a foundation for emotional well-being, which can last throughout their child’s life. According to Jeff Simpson, Ph.D., adjunct professor of psychology at the University of Minnesota and an author of a study about childhood attachment, babies who were securely attached to their mothers by 12 months old (turning to her for comfort when exploring an unfamiliar place) were more likely to come out of an argument in their early 20s still feeling connected to their partners. Simpson surmises that the ability to trust, love and resolve conflict develops in part from how people are treated as infants. The Australian parenting website Raising Children Network says repeated human contact like singing, cuddling, talking, touching, and gazing into each other’s eyes enables a newborn’s brain to release hormones that help his or her brain to grow. This, in turn, helps to develop memory, thought and language.