How To Start Bonding With Your Baby During Pregnancy
Although it’s less than a year, it can feel like an eternity before you give birth to your little one. But rather than count down the days, you can take advantage of this special time together and deepen your connection. Learning to start bonding with your baby during pregnancy can make this time one of your life’s most joyous and rewarding periods.
Once Upon a Time
Your unborn child’s brain is actively learning and remembering things during their brief stay in the womb. One way to further stimulate your unborn child’s mind and help them develop future literacy skills is to read to them.
We know reading to a newborn is a great way to help them develop a love of books and reading. A baby’s development continues even when they are unable to communicate verbally. Listening to stories may help your child develop language skills and a wider vocabulary while facilitating their understanding of basic concepts like numbers, alphabet, colors, and shapes.
But reading to them while you’re pregnant familiarizes them with the sound, cadence, and rhythm of your voice, making it all the more comforting to them once they are nestled in your arms.
Carry a Tune
A step up from reading to your baby is to sing to them. The good news is that you’re not competing against other parents worldwide to see who has the best singing voice in all the land. It doesn’t matter if you’re offkey, too pitchy, or know the correct words; whether you’re listening to music or singing along, you little one can hear it too. Listening to your favorite artists might make them take a shine to that artist or band, allowing you to play your favorites as they grow up.
Have a Conversation
Talking to your baby will suffice when you’re not in the mood to read a story again or carry a tune. Your child loves the sound of your voice, whether you’re narrating a story, singing a song, or just talking about your day. The more you talk to your child, the more real it feels—especially if you continue to use their name throughout your little talk.
Enjoy a Prenatal Massage
Many moms subconsciously massage their baby bumps throughout pregnancy, and many enjoy a light touch from their partner as well. If you move slowly and gently, there’s no need to worry about harming yourself or the baby, and of course always consult with your doctor if you have any safety worries or concerns.
Massage therapists champion the benefits of prenatal massage as well. Relaxation, pain relief, better sleep, and enhanced circulation are just some of the potential benefits. As a bonus, it might help calm nerves and lift your spirits.
Little Kicks
There’s nothing quite like feeling your baby kick. You may be certain that your unborn child is growing and developing, and you can also experience a stronger connection to the small life growing inside of you.
As early as 16 weeks, you can begin to feel little rumblings in your tummy, but it may be closer to 20 weeks before you notice the little kicks. Your favorite music may have them doing a Texas Two-Step even earlier than 16 weeks, but that’s more noticeable for those carrying their second child.
Belly Art
Why not turn a baby bump into a work of art, which often brings out good feelings and draws plenty of attention? Belly painting is an excellent way to commemorate this unique time in one’s life.
Conditional to the complexity of the design, a belly painting session might last anywhere from one to several hours. Something simple like your child’s name might be on the low end of that time frame, while an intricate masterpiece could require additional time.
You can go one of two ways with body painting. Hiring a professional body painter is a good way to go if you want the expert results. These specialized artists are skilled at painting various body parts, especially the growing belly. On the other hand, doing the project yourself will seem more intimate, giving you a chance to bond with your baby.
Many women choose to have professional photographs taken at these times. They may make a video log of the whole process and display the evolution of the design in real-time. You can show the final product to the little one years later.
Smell the Roses
Artificial scents may smell like the real thing, but nothing quite beats the wonderful aroma of nature in a botanical garden. A slow-paced stroll through a botanical garden or a pleasant walk through the park allows you to inhale the world’s beautiful scents. Knowing that your baby is reaping the benefits of all the clean fresh oxygen you’re inhaling does wonders for your soul too.
Mediate
With conscious meditation, you make the time to sit quietly and peacefully, allowing you to connect with your baby on a spiritual level. You might try touching your tummy while thinking happy thoughts about your unborn child. By strengthening this linkage throughout pregnancy, your body and mind will be ready to handle the rigors of childbirth.
Do Yoga
Yoga seems like it’d be a natural fit if you enjoy meditating. Prenatal yoga is a holistic approach to fitness that emphasizes concentrated breathing, deep thinking, and controlled stretching, much like other forms of childbirth preparation training.
Prenatal yoga benefits the mother and her unborn child, including more shut-eye, increased muscular strength, range of motion, and endurance. One can expect decreased lower back discomfort, nausea, migraines, and shortness of breath. However, talking to your doctor before beginning any exercise regimen is vital.
Practicing yoga while pregnant is a great way to meet other parents-to-be, strengthen bonds, and mentally prepare for the challenges of parenthood.
Keep a Journal
Keeping a journal during pregnancy is therapeutic on many levels. Keeping a pregnancy notebook may be helpful for women as they experience the many changes in their emotional state throughout pregnancy. Writing down your feelings, whether anxieties, hopes, or pleasures, may help you become more in tune with yourself and your emotions.
Keeping a journal throughout pregnancy is a great way to relieve stress, work through difficult feelings, and regain a sense of agency. Writing in a diary may help pregnant women maintain a happy and caring frame of mind by providing comfort, reassurance, and clarity. Try addressing some entries to your baby, using their name, and detailing how you can’t wait to meet them and the hopes and dreams you have for their future.
Take a Warm Bath or Shower
One of the best ways to unwind and enjoy some “me time” is to take a nice warm bath or invigorating shower. It’s a wonderful opportunity to focus on your developing child. You do not want to take a hot bath, however, as doing so raises your temperature to unsafe levels and could pose a risk to your baby. Again, consult with your medical professional for guidance regarding baths.
Light a candle and play gentle music in the background to create a relaxing atmosphere. Take some deep breaths, relax, and visualize yourself cuddling your newborn child. Visualize their appearance, the words you would say to them, and the sensation of your first hug.
Plan the Nursery
And last, getting the baby’s room and crib all set up provides big opportunities to visualize life with baby. Getting a personalized lovey blanket from Bunnies by the Bay can be the perfect addition to their crib, giving them something they can cuddle for many years.
These tips on how to start bonding with your baby during pregnancy will put you in a positive mindset for the big day. Enjoy this special time as you await your sweet baby’s arrival.