Gentle Touch
Around week 20, you may start feeling your baby’s movement, which in itself is a huge trigger for bonding. It is pure magic to feel the stirring of life within your own body – up until now it may have been a more abstract concept as you battle with the various challenges early pregnancy can bring. You can spend quiet moments with your hands on your belly waiting for those little burbles, and invite other loved ones to do the same, though it can take a little longer before those movements are felt from the outside, especially if you have an anterior placenta (placenta attached to the front of your uterus, essentially making a big cushion between your baby and abdominal wall).
Stroking, touching and holding your belly is a wonderful way to connect with your baby, even at the earliest stages, and adding in some massage oil will be lovely for your skin too as it stretches and grows. As you get into the third trimester, you can start responding to baby’s kicks with touches of your own and see if they respond.
Emotional connection
You are already sharing so much with your growing baby, and conscious, deliberate and loving communication is so important. Much of what we put in our bodies does cross the placenta, and so too can our emotions – in the form of endorphins and stress hormones. So, we do need to pay attention to what we are “feeding” our baby in that sense too.
“A growing fetus is part of the whole system of the mother’s body. The aches and pains, the memories and the emotions that the mother carries are shared with the baby. The baby has already begun to learn about pain, and compensation, about emotional tension, and happiness, peace, serenity, etc. and the very unique chemical/biological factors that accompany them.” – Pam Yenawine, a Diplomate Certified CranioSacral Therapist
Make it a priority to send love, connection, warmth and good feelings to your baby however you can. That means taking good care of you, mama. Nourishing yourself in every sense of the word.
So, make it a priority to send love, connection, warmth and good feelings to your baby however you can. That means taking good care of you, mama. Nourishing yourself in every sense of the word. Reassuring baby that all is well in the world, that they are wanted and loved, that they are coming into a safe place in the world.
Bonding with you baby and beginning to communicate with them however feels natural to you, is such a beautiful part of pregnancy. You baby is alert and aware from quite early on, so work on developing that rich bond, communicate with them, listen for messages from your baby and surround them with as much love as you possible can.
What are your favourite ways to bond with your baby? Leave us a comment below.
Hannah Schenker is a freelance writer, editor and regular contributor to The Natural Parent Magazine. She lives with a touch of magic in Golden Bay, New Zealand.
