Prenatal Bonding with Baby Prepares for Good Sleep after Birth
Bonding
with
baby during pregnancy is just wonderful. It is your
first chance to connect with your baby and to start building that all
important emotional
attachment
between you.Certain baby bonding techniques can help prepare for your newborn sleeping well after birth.
These are not all scientifically proven, and there will be other factors influencing her sleep, but why not optimise your chances for the best baby sleep?
Tips for Bonding with Baby
Your womb is a comfortable and secure place to be for your baby.It is warm, cosy and safe, she's never alone, is fed at will, she can sleep and be awake at will, she can kick you as much as she likes ;)
... all positive feelings. Also the bonding connections you make - through her hearing and touch senses - make her feel good.
Once born, anything that reminds her of being in the womb - like being warm, held close to you, feeding, hearing your voice ... - will bring back those memories of wellbeing and safety.
Feeling good and secure are the best cues to sleep well. So the idea behind the tips below is to build specific memories during pregnancy, and to bring these memories up when your newborn is going to sleep.
- Talk softly to your baby during quiet moments
When you
relax, during the day or at night in bed, talk to your baby in
a soft gentle voice. Gently stroke your belly if you like.
Talk about your day, your plans and also talk about sleep as something good, something that feels nice, ... If you have a crib or co-sleeper prepared, talk about that too; how and where she will sleep.
Your baby will come to love your voice (it will be one of the first things she recognises). Later, when you talk to your baby while putting her to sleep, your voice will reassure her.
Talk about your day, your plans and also talk about sleep as something good, something that feels nice, ... If you have a crib or co-sleeper prepared, talk about that too; how and where she will sleep.
Your baby will come to love your voice (it will be one of the first things she recognises). Later, when you talk to your baby while putting her to sleep, your voice will reassure her.
- Play favourite music during quiet moments
Babies may
remember music played often during
pregnancy. If you play that music again after birth, it can help her
calm down and soothe to sleep more easily.
What is Bonding with Baby?
Bonding with baby
is all about
making loving connections. It's the
process of building an
emotional attachment between your baby and you (mom,
dad, or other primary
caregiver).
Mostly, it happens naturally when you provide a loving and secure environment
in which you consistently care for your baby, attend to her needs and
be there for her. How tight and secure the attachment is and how it
develops, depends on your and her personality.
The bonding a baby experiences in her first three years, will
be the reference for her emotional experiences later in life.
Research has shown how secure
baby bonding promotes healthy growth and development for
baby and good emotional functioning. It sets the stage for
building all sorts of relationships in life.
A poor, insecure
attachment is related to developmental delays,
and emotional and functional troubles later in life.
- Sing a favourite lullaby at night
Regularly
singing a lullaby you like at night is a great idea. The combination of
your voice and a soft lullaby will be a great memory and cue to drift
off to sleep ...
Lullaby songs have always been part of bonding throughout history and are also found in the animal world.
Lullaby songs have always been part of bonding throughout history and are also found in the animal world.
Note: There is no point in trying to instill a sleep schedule now. In the womb, your baby alternates wake and sleep phases constantly (as she will do as a newborn) nothing close to an earthly schedule.
Bonding with baby during pregnancy is not exclusive to moms. Partners can do very much the same: touching, talking and singing to the baby unborn, are great early bonding activities for dads too.
Many a dad's lower voice has been ideal to soothe and comfort a fussy baby.
More tips and a practical guide on how to bond and communicate with your baby before birth in Wai Chong's e-book Connecting With Your Unborn Baby.
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Other pregnancy effects on newborn sleeping skills
The way a newborn sleeps - or does not sleep - depends in part on how she experienced pregnancy and delivery.In general, a smooth pregnancy and an uncomplicated delivery, seem to promote the best newborn sleeping skills.
Also, the closer to full term a baby is carried, i.e. the longer she spends in the womb, the larger the chances for better sleep, especially sleeping through the night seems to come easier.
There are factors that you cannot control of course, like how smooth your pregnancy is, or how delivery goes.
But you can give yourself the best chances with a healthy lifestyle and finding pregnancy guidance that suits you - whether it is pregnancy yoga or other exercises, parent's information sessions, natural birth preparations. There's also a wealth of information online, such as in this Pregnancy Information Guide.
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