For Families How to bond with your baby
Ways to bond with your new baby while they are in NICU or SCN
It’s likely you imagined the birth of your baby to be quite different to the reality. In many cases, parents are not able to hold their baby in the early days which can be upsetting.
Rest assured, your baby knows you are there as they recognise your voice, are comforted by your smell and soon they will be able to feel your touch and see you more clearly.
Finding ways to bond with your baby is important and helps your baby grow mentally and physically.
Here are some suggestions from the Raising Children Network on how you can bond with your baby while they are in the NICU or SCN. Repeated human contact, like touching, cuddling, talking, singing and gazing into each other’s eyes, makes your baby’s brain release hormones. These hormones help your baby’s brain to grow. And as your baby’s brain grows, your baby starts to develop memory, thought and language.
Bonding in the NICU
Kangaroo Care
Kangaroo Care refers to when you hold your baby to your bare chest so there is direct skin-to-skin contact between you and your baby. The baby is held upright with their head to one side between the mother’s breasts or against the partner’s chest. There are numerous benefits of Kangaroo Care to both the baby and parent/carer including helping to build confidence and easing the feeling of separation.
Your health professional will let you know when it is safe to do Kangaroo Care with your baby.
Learn more about Kangaroo Care here
Helping with baby’s cares
Health professionals should encourage you to take part in caring for your baby by changing nappies, weighing your baby and participating in feeds.
Often the first opportunity you’ll get to care for your baby will be helping to wipe baby’s face and mouth – your baby should be awake and in a calm state when you attempt this.
Reading to your baby
During pregnancy, your baby has already perceived sounds coming from outside the womb including your voice. There is evidence to show that soon after birth, a child can identify the mother’s voice and that the sound of this familiar voice can increase levels of oxytocin (the social bonding hormone) and reduce levels of cortisol (the stress hormone).
During pregnancy, your baby has already perceived sounds coming from outside the womb including your voice. There is evidence to show that soon after birth, a child can identify the mother’s voice and that the sound of this familiar voice can increase levels of oxytocin (the social bonding hormone) and reduce levels of cortisol (the stress hormone).
It is a way for parents to provide a type of support to their baby that only a parent can – reading with their voice which is familiar and soothing to their baby.
Comfort holding or touching your baby
Physical touch is important for your baby as it is a way to communicate your love and support and discover what your baby needs in return.
Touching, holding and engaging with your baby contributes greatly to their social, mental and physical development, as well as their awareness of themselves. Try putting your hand gently on their back or front or holding their fingers and seeing how they respond.
