Keys to
Successful Bonding with Your Newborn
- Avoid pain medications during labor.
These will likely make baby sleepy in his/her first days with you and may
cause problems with breastfeeding as well.
- Have your baby placed on your bare abdomen
right after birth. The skin to skin contact comforts your
newborn in his/her first stress of change.
Keeping baby on abdomen will also maximize his/her crawling and suckling
reflex--which enable the baby to literally "crawl" up to the breast and
latch on--with virtually no assistance! There is no need to take baby
to the warming unit--studies show that skin-to-skin contact actually keeps
baby warmer.
- Refuse Pitocin immediately after birth unless
there is a medical need. (hemorrhaging) Pitocin causes very
strong contractions of the uterus--which can make you feel like you are back
in labor again--except this time you have a baby in your arms. Many
times mothers are unable to hold, much less enjoy their baby in the midst of
the strong cramping. Unless you show signs of hemorrhaging, bonding will be
much easier and more fulfilling without this routine procedure.
- Breastfeed within the first hour after birth.
This is the best way to start off right with breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding provides your newborn with the closeness he/she desires from
you. Breastfeeding also causes oxytocin ("the love hormone") to be
released in the mom's system. This will cause the mother to fall in
love with her baby even more!!
- Keep baby in the room with you at all times.
If you deliver in the hospital,
there is no medical reason to take a healthy newborn away from
his/her mother. ALL routine newborn tests and procedures can be done
in the same room (aside from circumcisions); many can be done with
baby on the mom's abdomen. Continue to keep baby with you even in the
night; what better way is there to get to know that precious new life?
If this is your first baby, this is an excellent way to learn to care
for your newborn and learn his/her cues around the clock, all while under
helpful support from hospital staff.
- Consider keeping your newborn in bed with
you--particularly if you are breastfeeding. Though a touchy
subject in today's culture, research actually shows that co-sleeping makes
babies more secure and may reduce SIDS. (see research by
Dr. James McKenna) Not only will baby feel more secure, but you will
get more sleep so you can enjoy your baby more in the daytime hours.
Mothers have an innate instinct of "knowing" where their babies are so as to
not roll over on them. Mothers should not, however, co-sleep when
intoxicated.
- Hold your baby often. Newborns are
comforted by the touch of their parents. Once snuggled in a warm
uterine cocoon and now thrust into a cold world, you can't blame him/her!
You cannot spoil a newborn or hold him/her too much!
- Talk to your baby. There is
nothing more soothing to your baby than a mother's touch and voice.
Enjoy this precious time!