When it comes to bonding with your baby, what better time to start than Valentine’s Day?
Pregnancy is the beginning of a very precious love affair – one that will start when your baby is in your womb and last for your entire life. After the first few tiring weeks of coming to terms with your changing body, you’ll feel more connected with your developing child and ready to start bonding.
To help you prepare for motherhood we’ve got some great bonding tips that will connect you to this new little person right now.
Small Talk
It’s widely believed that from around 20 weeks your baby will be able to hear your heartbeat clearly and start to recognise voices from the womb.
Some research suggests that babies can even pick out their mother’s voice, so regularly talking to them will boost bonding after birth. Why not recount your day’s activities or read aloud to your bump each night before bed.
Let The Music Do The Talking
Babies find music very soothing and recent studies have shown that music contributes to your baby’s foundation for language. Apparently, they prefer music with a regular beat as it reminds them of your heartbeat. So now you’ve got the perfect excuse to dig out all those favourite old songs you haven’t listened to in a while!
Rub-a-dub-dub
You probably can’t stop rubbing your bump anyway, but research has found that from around 20 weeks your baby can tell the difference between you and your partner’s touch and that of a stranger. Amazing isn’t it?!
So we recommend you start a tactile conversation from then on by rubbing your bump when it moves. You’ll be able to develop your own personal conversation of kicks and rubs between you.
It’s Nice To Be Kneaded
Everyone enjoys a gentle massage – even your baby in the womb. Massaging your bump is safe after the first three months of pregnancy, and it’s a great way for you to relax and unwind too.
We recommend you take time every evening to gently massage your Secret Saviours Night Cream into your belly – it’s packed with natural ingredients that will nourish your skin. Or oils like lavender, mandarin and rose are all safe to use for those special occasions when you have time to indulge yourself.
An aromatherapy massage is a great way to pamper yourself too. It gives you some precious me time when you can lie back, relax and think about your baby. We recommend adding one or two drops of lavender, frankincense or ylang-ylang to a carrier oil. All of these oils are safe to use after the first trimester.
Why not ask your partner to give you a massage. It’s a great way for them to bond with your baby in the womb too.
Say OM...
Yoga is one of the best ways to keep fit and healthy during pregnancy but it’s also known to have a positive, calming effect on your baby. The movement of you body helps to rock your baby in the amniotic fluid. The endorphins released during exercise will pass across the placenta too.
Time To Relax
Not only is relaxing good for you during pregnancy, but quiet moments will give you time to focus on your baby too. A nice long soak in the bath provides the perfect opportunity to reconnect with your baby after a busy day. Just lie still, take deep breaths, completely relax and picture your baby.
Make sure the water's not too hot though, as this can be bad for your baby.
Snap Happy Mummy
We can all remember the stir Beyoncés famous bump pictures made. Or a pregnant Demi Moore posing naked on the cover of Vanity Fair.
You may not make the cover of a magazine but there’s nothing to stop you from having professional photo’s taken of your beautiful bump. We can guarantee they’ll make you feel more connected with your growing baby, especially if you keep a copy in your handbag so you can have a sneak peek whenever you want.
Photos to help you bond don’t have to be professional though – a picture capturing a fun moment on the beach or in the park will connect you in just the same way. And there’s always those amazing images from your 20-week scan!
How are you bonding with your baby? Let us know in the comments below.
