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Upon seeing a pregnancy test turn positive, many parents become giddy with excitement. The journey, the planning, and the anticipation begin. Often, it’s that last one that can lead to anxiety and nerves. It doesn’t take too long before parents find that nine months is a long time, and they can’t wait to meet their baby.
Well, parents need not wait that long because they can “meet” and begin bonding with their baby while he’s still in the womb. Author of Parenting Begins Before Conception, Carista Luminare-Rosen, PhD, has said that “prenates can see, hear, feel, remember, taste, and think before birth.”
Research has shown that at around 16 to 18 weeks of pregnancy, babies can begin to hear, and at 26 weeks they can react to the sounds they hear. Also at around 18 weeks, babies can begin to feel when their mother moves around, and at 26 weeks they react when the belly is rubbed. Both of these senses can be used by parents to their advantage as ways to begin bonding with their unborn child.
Need some ideas? Here are five ways:
#1 Sing and talk to your baby
Because babies can hear, they become very familiar with their mother’s heartbeat and voice. Talking and singing to your baby is a great way to begin bonding with him. Spend a little bit of time each day talking and singing to your baby in a quiet place so you are sure he can hear your voice clearly. Have your partner do the same and your baby will begin to become familiar with his voice, too.
#2 Listen to music with your baby
Similar to talking and singing, listening to music with your baby is a great bonding activity. Lullabies and gentle music, or any music that is around 60 beats per minute, will be relaxing and soothing for your baby. The beats per minute mimics a heartbeat, and so it will make them feel at ease. Feel free to listen to a lot of music, just don’t put the headphones on the belly. The music will probably be too loud for him.
#3 Massage the belly
The sense of touch is very powerful, and when a mother massages her belly, the baby will feel that soothing and calming touch. They will also feel their mother become more relaxed and happy, which will make them more relaxed. Massages and relaxation can help babies feel cared for and loved, according to research.
#4 Play with the baby
As the baby continues to get older, bonding in the womb can begin to symbolize the way you would bond with your baby after he’s born. Mothers can respond to baby’s kicks by pushing back and then seeing if the baby gives a response (ex. another kick). Think of it as a two-person game of tag. Soon, mothers will find that they can be the one to start pressing and the babies will respond with kicking!
#5 Do something relaxing
Every time a pregnant mother does something for herself, something that makes her feel happy and relaxed, it benefits the baby. Even if it doesn’t seem like an active act of bonding in the womb, when mothers love themselves and are happy, the baby feels loved and happy, too.
It is important to note that while parents bond with their babies, babies form attachments to their parents. Forming an attachment is how the baby learns to trust and come to see the world as a safe environment for him. Encouraging a healthy attachment while the baby is still in the womb is ideal for a healthy parent-child relationship.
References:
Bonding With Baby Before Birth, WebMD.com
Bonding with your baby during pregnancy, PregnancyBirthBaby.org.au
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