Bonding is essential for any baby. Whether adopted or biological, babies have needs that are critical for proper development of mind and body. Newborns come ready to start this bonding process. Parents are the ones who don’t know where to start, especially if their baby is adopted or been placed in the NICU.

KidsHealth.org says, “Studies of newborn monkeys who were given mannequin mothers at birth showed that, despite the efforts of the baby monkeys to get a response through holding and touching the mannequins, the lack of a parental response caused stunted development, sadness, and failure to thrive… Scientists suspect that lack of bonding in human babies causes similar problems.”

Infants spend nine months inside their mother…listening to her heart beat, her voice, her breathing, the rhythms of her body. After birth, there is another world to contend with. For some babies, this can be frightening. How can you make this transition easier while promoting bonding at the same time? Try these tips from Tweetie Pie Baby.

Hold your baby so she can feel your heartbeat. Skin to skin contact is known to be a calming, familiar experience for newborns. They can hear your heartbeat, smell your scent and know that you are close. This connection is important for dads too. Even if you can’t be skin to skin, you can use a baby sling carrier placed so your baby can hear your heart.

Talk with your baby, and make eye contact often. This not only increases awareness and communication, but rapidly encourages developing language skills. Hearing your voice provides reassurance to your baby. Maintaining eye contact builds trust and nurtures your growing relationship.

Use a baby sling carrier to create a womb like atmosphere. While inside carrier, an infant is held close to your body, feeling all the very same rhythms they felt before birth. That familiarity gives them comfort and increases their level of attachment. Babies who are carried are known to sleep better and have less colic.

According to Dr. Jim Sears, “Carried babies fuss less and spend more time in the state of quiet alertness, the behavior state in which babies learn most about their environment.” A baby sling carrier can help with the concern about attachment and healthy emotional development.

Use Infant Massage to comfort your baby. All babies, especially premature babies and those with medical problems may respond well to infant massage. Muscular stimulation increases feelings of comfort and relaxation. Be sure to use gentle pressure with your newborn.

Consider breastfeeding either biological or adopted babies. This may be a complex task, but it can be done. The benefits both emotional and nutritional are outstanding. Bottle feeding can still be a bonding experience as long as you hold your infant close with skin to skin contact. Hands free nursing while using a baby sling carrier is a wonderful option to provide more freedom and privacy. Information on how to breastfeed an adopted child can be found by contacting La Leche League or a lactation consultant at your local hospital.

About the Author:
Jenna Haynie is a Denver Colorado native and owner of Tweetie Pie Baby. A resource for baby essentials.

Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/andythegeek/24459451/

by Dr. Melanie Beingessner

As new parents, it can be daunting to try to soothe a baby when they fuss and cry. Here are some ideas that might help you to calm your baby.

1. Dance together. Gentle music soothes babies rather than fast music with a lively beat. By swaying and humming to the music, you can entertain a baby enough to help her relax and stop crying. If you can, make a tape or CD of your favorite slow songs and enjoy some bonding time together.

2. Carry your baby with you wherever you go. Studies have shown that babies who are carried cry less. Babies relax when they feel you close and hear your heartbeat. To make it easier on your back, a sling works best for a new baby. Baby carriers are excellent choices for babies that can sit on their own, as their backs can support their bodyweight in the sitting position.

3. Swaddle your baby before you rock her to sleep. New babies like to feel snug and cozy, and swaddling can create that feeling for them.

4. Skin-to-skin contact can help. One of the nicest ways to accomplish this, especially in the evening, is to run a warm bath, light a few candles and turn off the lights. Sit in the tub, place the baby on your chest, and cover her with a warm facecloth. Babies like the feel of the close contact, the warm water, and the pretty lights. Bath time is an excellent way for dad to have special bonding time and it gives mom a bit of a break.

5. Infant massage provides great relief for babies. It helps to promote relaxation, improved digestion, bonding and brain stimulation. Studies done on premature babies have shown that massaged babies sleep better, and gain weight more quickly, and infant massage for full term babies provides the same results.

6. Watch what you eat. If you are a breastfeeding mother and your baby tends to get fussy, especially after 5:00 pm, what you are eating can be causing your baby distress. If mothers can eliminate dairy products and other specific foods from their diets on a short-term basis, babies tend to become calm, relaxed and happy. For more information on this subject, please refer to drmelaniebee.org

7. Consult with a chiropractor. The birth process can be a difficult passage for some babies and sometimes a baby is fussy because her neck or back is hurting her. If the problem is caused by a vertebra that is not moving in a proper pattern of motion, chiropractic care is safe and effective treatment to relieve the problem.

About the author:

Dr. Beingessner is a chiropractor, a breastfeeding counselor, a certified infant massage instructor and the mother of three fabulous kids. She is the author of The Calm Baby Cookbook, written to help breastfeeding moms calm their fussy babies by changing their diets. Dr. Melanie’s website provides information about pregnancy, breastfeeding, ADD/ADHD, chiropractic, health and wellness at drmelaniebee.org

Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/eppstein/2278819584/

Would you like to learn simple ways to bond with your baby and form a loving, nurturing attachment to your baby? Others may tell you that you are spoiling your baby or forming an “attached at the hip” relationship that will forever harm your baby.

Be reassured that if you practice the tips presented in this article with love balanced out with your own needs for rest, adult contact and intellectual stimulation, your child will definitely not grow to be forever attached to your hip.

Instead, he or she will grow to be an independent and secure adult, which is at the core of exactly what you as a parent have the responsibility of forming in your child.

These first years of life are when this foundation is laid. A strong, healthy attachment is the key to rearing a secure and independent adult.

As a parent or caregiver you have a lot of things to get done in a 24 hour period of time. There is laundry to do, meals to cook, errands to run and if you care for or have other children, their individual needs must be attended to as well.

Tips for forming a closer bond with your baby:

* Read and talk to your baby, especially if it is just you and your baby together for the majority of the time. Reading and talking to your baby helps your baby to understand and trust you. Good early books are picture books with one word descriptions of everyday objects on each page or books with short rhyming patterns.

* Avoid a non-stop chatter for your baby all day long; this can cause your baby to become over-stimulated and tune you out.

* Make reading times routine: Your baby will learn when it is time to listen.

* Play lap games with your baby: Peek-a-boo and patty cake help children develop fine motor skills and object permanence. More important, they provide times of closeness for you and your child.

* Massage your baby: Especially good for babies who get worked up quickly and have a hard time calming down, and for babies who are not able to self-soothe. Don’t wait until he or she is fussy to give a massage. Massage your baby before and after a bath and during diaper changes. Infant massage is an important way to build attachment and soothe fussiness.

* Look at your baby while you are feeding him: This promotes attachment, but it also helps him or her to develop his own sense of identity. When you look into his eyes during a feeding, there is prolonged, intimate contact combined with warmth of being nestled in your arms. Change sides and you give baby a different view of you and help him or her to develop both sides of his brain and body. Of special note here, I observed a very young girl feeding her baby in this very manner, and I thought how beautiful the two of them appeared during those moments of feeding times, and how content they both appeared. Not only does your baby benefit from this close interaction during feeding times, but you will benefit as well.

* Kiss your baby: Kissing is an intimate activity that signals affection toward your baby and helps promote attachment. A kiss from “mommy” can often cure a whole realm of ailments and boo-boos in a baby’s life.

* Talk to your baby when you are out of sight: Often babies become frightened when they realize a parent or caregiver has left the room. This can become frustrating if it happens every time you need to leave the room to answer the phone or to use the bathroom. Start early and you can help alleviate this fear. As you leave the room, talk to your baby about what you are doing or where you are going. Just hearing your voice is reassuring to baby that you are not far away.

* Be there when your baby wakes up: If possible, and you know your child always wakes from a nap at a certain time, make it a habit to occasionally be nearby when he or she wakes up, ready to give a hug and kiss.

Practicing these few simple tips should help you form a closer attachment to your baby that will help to lay the foundation for him or her to grow into the secure, independent adult you desire.

Disclaimer: *This article is not meant to diagnose, treat or cure any kind of a health problem. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Always consult with your health care provider about any kind of a health problem and especially before beginning any kind of an exercise routine.

Connie Limon. Visit us at http://babiesandtoddlers1.com About Babies and Toddlers is a collection of articles available for information, education and FREE reprints to your newsletter, website or blog.

Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/cataldo/116811768/

Ken Seng reads how to perform a massage on your infant. This is not a particularly exciting video but it gives nice step by step instructions.

Infant massage is a regular practice in many parts of the world and is gaining in popularity here in the United States and it is no surprise when you look at the many benefits. As you will see, infant massage benefits everyone and it makes even more sense if you consider it from the baby’s point of view. Childbirth Solutions

Author: Tina Allen
Infant massage relaxes and soothes:
Not only will your baby feel relaxed so will you! Nurturing touch is a naturally rewarding way to relieve stress for both you and your baby. Touch has been shown to decrease levels of Cortisol (stress hormone) in our bodies. Cortisol is always present in our bloodstream, but high levels of this hormone can be found in our bodies during times of extreme stress.

Deepens Bonding:
Infant Massage provides you with essential one-on-one time that will enhance your family bonding, understanding and ability to nurture. During massage Oxytocin is released in both the giver and receiver’s body. Oxytocin is our feel good hormone, also known as the hormone of love. This hormone helps to provide us with loving, nurturing feelings which helps us to bond. Mothers experience and increased production of Oxytocin during labor and breastfeeding but now research shows that even close physical contact and touch stimulates Oxytocin production. Great news for all of the dads out there who didn’t give birth to their baby, you can still produce the same hormones through the use of loving touch.

Infant massage seems to be sweeping the world at the moment - it’s popularity has exploded within the last few years, much of which is due to Vimala McClure and the IAIM. But, as with most natural healing techniques, it is by no means a new thing. People have been massaging babies for centuries. Once again, it is the Western World that is slow on the uptake. Childbirthsolutions.com

Improves Communication:
Touch is our first form of communication. So it is always natural to assume that communicating through touch enhances your ability to understand your baby’s special needs and respond appropriately. Infant Massage increases your confidence and sensitivity to your baby’s unique cues and forms of communication. You cannot spoil a baby by picking them up when they cry. When babies receive attentive responses to their needs they grow to become healthier and more secure in adulthood.

Contributes to Development:
Stimulates growth and healthy development of your baby’s body, mind and spirit. Massaged babies gain healthy weight better than babies who do not receive massage. Additionally, nurturing touch helps to enhance the digestion process. The systems of the body are stimulated during massage which assists in the absorption of nutrients and elimination of what is not needed. For some babies infant massage has also been shown to be effective at reducing the symptoms associated with Colic.

Helps Baby to Sleep Better:
Not only does massage help your baby to release stress which builds daily from new experiences, it allows them to relax. During this special time both you and your baby have time to relax. Massaging your baby helps your little one to sleep deeper and for longer periods of time which can translate into you being able to sleep longer as well! Through massage you will not only increase your loving, nurturing bonds with your baby, you will assist in their healthy and happy development!

Research specific to the benefits of infant massage has been ongoing since the mid 1970’s. This research has been conducted at various institutes and with infants who were premature, exposed to drugs in utero, and infants that had motor problems. All these categories of babies benefited from the nurturing touch of infant massage. These benefits included weight gain, neurological development, decreased hospitalization, and improved digestion. Childbirth.org

>For excellent step by step instructions on how to massage your little one, visit: Makewayforbaby.com

Buy the Book: Baby Massage

About the author:
With over a decade of service to children and families, Tina Allen, founder of Liddle Kidz™, has become an internationally respected parent educator and expert in the field of infant and children’s massage therapy. Her innovative approach to children’s health has allowed her the unique opportunity to educate families and professionals throughout the world in the many benefits of nurturing touch.

Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/pbekesi/347196392/

“Many fathers fear that they won’t be able to bond with the baby without feeding bottles. This is very far from the truth. Bonding doesn’t occur through the ingestion of food through plastic. Bonding occurs through a physically, loving relationship. There are many ways for a father to connect to his new infant. Bringing the baby to the mother to breastfeed is a great way to demonstrate to the baby that the father can, in fact, meet his baby’s needs. His baby will be well aware of the fact that daddy is the transportation to the food.” lactivist.com

Author: Carrie Lauth
As a new or prospective father, you are probably somewhat familiar with the benefits of breastfeeding for mom and baby, but did you ever stop to think about what is in it for you? Aren’t you going to miss out by not getting to share in the joy of feeding your baby? Let’s see how Dads benefit when a Mom chooses to breastfeed their child.

Cost Savings
This is a big one for a lot of dads! Whether you are the sole income provider or not, adding a new member to the family can often be a source of worry. It may help to know that that one year of breastfeeding can save over $1,000 vs the cost of artificial infant food. That’s just for bottles and formula, and doesn’t include the extra Doctor visits and prescriptions that happen when baby is formula fed.

More Sleep
Let’s face it. You don’t have the equipment to handle the job of night feedings. While some Moms choose to pump and let Dad offer a bottle at night, for many Moms, snuggling up with baby at night to nurse is the norm. In a lot of families, this means Dad can head off to work with a full night’s rest.

Seven great ideas to help do your part to make breastfeeding a success:

1. Support Natural Childbirth
2. Support rooming in if mom delivers in a hospital
3. Help out with the older kids
4. Take care of nighttime diapers since mom does the feeding
5. Be 100% supportive of nursing in public
6. Don’t question breastfeeding purchases
7. Brag about breastfeeding to anyone who will listen

Taken from Keep Abreast

Benefits of Being Breastfed

• Breast milk is the most complete form of nutrition for infants. A mother’s milk has just the right amount of fat, sugar, water, and protein that is needed for a baby’s growth and development. Most babies find it easier to digest breast milk than they do formula.

• As a result, breastfed infants grow exactly the way they should. They tend to gain less unnecessary weight and to be leaner. This may result in being less overweight later in life.

• Premature babies do better when breastfed compared to premature babies who are fed formula.

• Breastfed babies score slightly higher on IQ tests, especially babies who were born pre-maturely. 4women.gov

Proud Papa
When you see how your baby’s cheeks and thighs are filling out on Mom’s milk alone, you might tend to view mom as some kind of Dairy Queen. What an amazing capacity she has to help your child grow and thrive! Many Dads become huge proponents of breastfeeding when they see how healthy their babies are.

Health and IQ Benefits
Dads are especially impressed by the fact that breastfed babies gain an average of 8 IQ points over their formula fed counterparts. Breastfeeding also means that Mom is less likely to get ovarian or breast cancer. The natural extended birth control that many nursing Moms experience is also a plus in Dads book.

Focus on Mom
Since Mom is breastfeeding, you can find other ways to bond with your baby and be a support to Mom. Some ideas: take your baby for walks, burp and bathe her, sing lullabies at night, practice infant massage and of course read to your baby. You can also be in charge of helping Mom stay fed and hydrated in the early weeks while she recovers from the birth. And since Mom is handling the “input”, Dad can be in charge of “output”. Dads are far more likely to be willing to change diapers since a breastfed baby’s poop doesn’t have an unpleasant odor (until solid food is added!).

Buy the Book: The Milk Memos

About the author: Motherhood is too short to wear an ugly nursing bra! Find one that even Dad will love at: http://www.SexyNursingBra.com

Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/enigmaphotos/490363805/

Bonding is essential for any baby. Whether adopted or biological, babies have needs that are critical for proper development of mind and body. Newborns come ready to start this bonding process. Parents are the ones who don’t know where to start, especially if their baby is adopted or been placed in the NICU.

KidsHealth.org says, “Studies of newborn monkeys who were given mannequin mothers at birth showed that, despite the efforts of the baby monkeys to get a response through holding and touching the mannequins, the lack of a parental response caused stunted development, sadness, and failure to thrive… Scientists suspect that lack of bonding in human babies causes similar problems.”

Infants spend nine months inside their mother…listening to her heart beat, her voice, her breathing, the rhythms of her body. After birth, there is another world to contend with. For some babies, this can be frightening. How can you make this transition easier while promoting bonding at the same time? Try these tips from Tweetie Pie Baby.

Hold Your Baby
Hold your baby so she can feel your heartbeat. Skin to skin contact is known to be a calming, familiar experience for newborns. They can hear your heartbeat, smell your scent and know that you are close. This connection is important for dads too. Even if you can’t be skin to skin, you can use a baby sling carrier placed so your baby can hear your heart.

Talk to your baby
Talk with your baby, and make eye contact often. This not only increases awareness and communication, but rapidly encourages developing language skills. Hearing your voice provides reassurance to your baby. Maintaining eye contact builds trust and nurtures your growing relationship.

Wear Your Baby
Use a baby sling carrier to create a womb like atmosphere. While inside carrier, an infant is held close to your body, feeling all the very same rhythms they felt before birth. That familiarity gives them comfort and increases their level of attachment. Babies who are carried are known to sleep better and have less colic. According to Dr. Jim Sears, “Carried babies fuss less and spend more time in the state of quiet alertness, the behavior state in which babies learn most about their environment.” A baby sling carrier can help with the concern about attachment and healthy emotional development.

Massage Your Baby
Use Infant Massage to comfort your baby. All babies, especially premature babies and those with medical problems may respond well to infant massage. Muscular stimulation increases feelings of comfort and relaxation. Be sure to use gentle pressure with your newborn.

Breastfeed Your Baby
Consider breastfeeding either biological or adopted babies. This may be a complex task, but it can be done. The benefits both emotional and nutritional are outstanding. Bottle feeding can still be a bonding experience as long as you hold your infant close with skin to skin contact. Hands free nursing while using a baby sling carrier is a wonderful option to provide more freedom and privacy. Information on how to breastfeed an adopted child can be found by contacting La Leche League or a lactation consultant at your local hospital.

by Jenna Haynie
About the Author: Jenna Haynie is a Denver Colorado native and owner of Tweetie Pie Baby. A resource for baby essentials.

Sheryl’s comment:
This is a fanatastic list but I would also add using a family bed and practicing elimination communication. Both of these add to the infant’s security, trust and self esteem.

Buy The Baby Bonding Book: 50 Ways to Bond With Your Newborn
Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/twcollins/2142425832/

Are you ready to learn about attachment parenting? You have come to the right place. Our guide to attachment parenting is an ever evolving list of links designed to let you navigate through the basics of attachment parenting without surfing all over the web. If you know of a link that would be helpful, send an email to parenting *at* amuchbetterway.com and I will review it for possible inclusion.

Attachment Parenting

• The 7 Benefits of Attachment Parenting
• What is Attachment Parenting
• Attachment Parenting International - articles, info, store and community
  
• Online Attachment Parenting Community
• Raising Cooperative Children
• Attachment Parenting Frame of Mind
• Natural Parenting Online goldmine - Mothering.com
• The wonderful natural parenting forums of Motheringdotcommune
• Natural Mom’s Podcast
• Recommended Reading: The Attachment Parenting Book
• Recommended Reading: The Continuum Concept

The Family Bed

• Fumes & crib mattress
• Toxic gases & crib death (SIDS)
• Berkeley Parents Network - The Family Bed
• Scientific studies & cosleeping
• Breastfeeding & cosleeping
• Cosleeping facts & myths
• Cosleeping & SIDS factsheet
• Cosleeping Safety
• Recommended Reading: Sleeping With Your Baby; A Parent’s Guide to Cosleeping

Diaper Free Baby

• Natural Family Online
• Natural Infant Hygiene
• Elimination Communication
• Diaper Free Baby
• No more wearable toilets
• Recommended Reading: Diaper Free

Breastfeeding

• 101 Reasons to Breastfeed Your Child
• Find Breastfeeding Support in Your Area
• 3 Minute Activist
• Celebrity Baby Blog - Breastfeeding Photo Gallery
• Breastfeedingonline.com - articles & advice
• Militant Breastfeeding Cult
• Breastfeeding.com - Information, Support, & Attitude
• Personal Breastfeeding Stories
• Animal Nursing Pictures
• Storknet - Extended breastfeeding & the law
• Tree hugger mums - Breastfeeding tips
• Babycenter - Extended nursing
• Kellymom - Evidence based benefits
• Breastfeeding art, personal photo & clip art gallery
• La Leche League
• Breastfeeding and the Law
• Pictures of Normal Non Sexual Breasts
• Breastfeeding.com - Photo Gallery of Nursing Mothers
• Recommended Reading: So Thats What They Are For!

Infant Massage

• Liddle Kidz Infant and Children’s Massage Instruction
• Find an instructor near you
• Infant Massage Information Service
• Childbirth solutions -Intro to Massage
• Childbirth.org - Research & Benefits
• Recommended Reading: Baby Massage: Soothing Strokes for Healthy Growth

Babywearing

• Babywearing tips
• NINO - Nine in Nine Out
• Babywearing & Breastfeeding
• Safe Babywearing
• Dr Sears - Babywearing
• Wonderful animal babywearing photo gallery
• Recommended Reading: Beloved Burden: Baby Carriers In Different Countries
  

Infant Sign Language

• Photos of common signs
• Wikipedia - Baby Sign
• Articles, stories & tips from Sign Babies
• Printable Cheat Sheet
• Born 2 Sign
• Recommended Reading: Sign With Your Baby: Complete Learning Kit

Homeschooling

• Homeschool World
• We’re Not All Cut Out for Homeschool (10 reasons not to homeschool)
• 55 Reasons to Homeschool
• Homeschooling.com
• About - Homeschooling guide
• A-Z Homeschool - Pros & Cons
• Midnight Beach
• Benefits and Disadvantages of Homeschooling
• The Real Cons of Homeschooling
• Unschoolers Online - Support Groups, Articles, Resources, and more.
• Recommended Reading: The Unschooling Handbook: How to Use the Whole World as Your Child’s Classroom

Positive Discipline

• Positive discipline techniques
• Stopspanking.com
• Never Hit a Child
• 10 Reasons not to hit your child
• Anti-Spanking position
• Recommended Reading: Adventures in Gentle Discipline

Avoiding vaccinations

• Dispelling Vaccination Myths (This Three part article is a MUST read)
  
• Vaccine Information and Choice Network
• Vaccine Danger Alert
• The Great Thimerosol Coverup
• Map of US with each state’s vaccine exemtion laws
• Vaccine Exemption Forms by State
• Religious Exemption wthout proving membership in a religion
• Legal help obtaining exemptions
• $75,000 offered for MD to drink vaccine additives
• How to legally avoid unwanted immunizations
• Mercury Calculator
• Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System & “Hot Lots”
• Logic for Not Taking Vaccines
• Recommended Reading: How To Raise A Healthy Child In Spite of Your Doctor
• Recommended Reading: Raising A Vaccine Free Child

Shopping

• Attachment Parenting Store

First time parents are in for the experience of a lifetime! After surviving 9 months of pregnancy, a wardrobe of maternity clothes, baby showers, and decorating the nursery with care, you have gone through the exciting, heroic experiences of labor and delivery. Now you are ready to begin your new life as first-time parents!

First-Time Parent Jitters
For many first-time parents, having a new baby in the home is an exciting experience mixed with apprehension. Silent questions such as “How will I know…” “How will I cope…” and “But, what if…” mingle with exuberant joy as you look down at the precious bundle sleeping in your arms. You’ve got the first-time parent jitters!

Not to worry! Siblings and friends with children, parents, and in-laws have been waiting for this moment, too. They will offer expert advice on feeding, diapering, and proper baby care. Books galore are also available, written by baby doctors and psychologists offering guidance on parenting, and the latest in child development research.

When it comes to reading material, be prudent about book selection. And, don’t be afraid to set down boundaries on visiting times for over-eager friends and relatives. While you can learn proper baby care from the expertise of others, you and your spouse also need time alone with your baby, to bond.

Bonding with Baby
Bonding with you baby will include kisses, touch, talking to and eye contact. Touch is crucial both for the babies proper development and because it is through touch your baby will come to know you.

Breastfeeding is the most basic form of bonding between baby and parent. For fathers, adoptive parents and those who are physically unable to breastfeed, there are plenty of opportunities to use touch to bond with your newborn. Cosleeping and babywearing allow both parents to bond with baby. You can find other opportunities to bond with you baby as well. Cradle your baby in your lap and gently stroke him or her. Nestling the newborn at your neck is another bonding-touch that provides baby with a sense of security. Support the baby’s head and neck with one hand, and his or her bottom with the other.

Forget the old wives’ tale that holding a baby too much will spoil the child. Some believe that a baby should not be picked up each and every time they cry as long as they have been adequately fed, are clean and dry, warm and comfortable, a baby does need to learn there are times when they should rest, or entertain themselves. Attachment parenting purists believe that it is not only OK to respond to all babies cries, but it actually gives your child a greater sense of security allowing them to become independent faster.

Quiet moments alone with baby without distractions are necessary to form the emotional connection between parent and child, essential to a healthy attachment. An important bonding process noted by pediatricians in the late 1970s. This process has been proved vital for both parent and child. Parents who form this type attachment with their newborn make better parents. They are better equipped and more willing to make the necessary sacrifices to care for their child; during infancy as well as through childhood.

Newborns provided the benefit of gentle contact and tender touch by parents feel loved and secure. This sense of well-being impacts both their emotional growth and physical development.

How to handle a newborn
The importance of touch - gentle, loving contact when holding your baby, cannot be emphasized enough. Rough handing and harsh jostling, especially with a newborn, can not only frighten your baby, but be life-threatening, as well.

Always be careful to support your newborn’s head and neck when you pick them up, or lay them down. If you need to wake up your newborn, don’t startle them by jostling or shaking them. Instead, gently tickle their feet, softly blow on their cheek, or tenderly rub the side of their head while speaking softly and saying their name.

Relish time with your baby. Gently cradle him or her in your arms, and tenderly rub his or her back using slow, wide circles. Caress your baby soothingly as you rock them.

Talk in a low, comforting tone, or quietly sing to them. Make sure to smile when you make eye contact with your baby, even if you aren’t sure whether or not their eyesight has developed enough yet to see clearly.

While it is true the importance of proper baby care (bathing, adequate nutrition, a safe, clean environment, play and nap time, and comfortable, warm clothing) cannot be over emphasized, neither can the healthy-bonding process between parent and child and the importance of touch. Both vital ingredients that say, “You are loved!”

Author: Lori S. Anton; Savvy Baby Gear editor
About the author: Lori Anton has been a published writer for 30 years. She is an editor for Savvy Baby Gear at Savvy Baby Gear.com, your one-stop shop for everything today’s parents of infants need: clothes, educational and fun toys and activities, care and safety products, clothing, nursery supplies, and educational aids for mom and dad…essentials for happy babies and parents.

Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/valentinap/129820098/