Bonding with your Baby
In the past, medical professionals believed new mothers had to spend tons of time with their babies for the first few days after the birth in order to seal the bond a mother has with her child.
As the years have progressed however, they’ve learned that bonding with your baby can happen slowly and over a longer period of time.
Some parents are attached to their newborns immediately following the birth or within the first few days of caring for the newborn. However, it’s not unusual for this strong attachment to take place over a longer time period.
A lot of women will worry if they don’t feel this sense of bonding right away, but take heart! There’s no “magic formula” to help you bond with your child. It’s an extremely individual process and one that cannot be rushed.
The important thing to remember is to not feel guilty if you aren’t bonding with your baby right away. Simply provide for your newborn as effectively as you can and cuddle with her on a regular basis. Eventually, you’ll experience the intense emotions bonding with your child will bring.
While most mothers start bonding with their babies a week or so after birth or earlier, if you go for a few weeks without feeling better towards your child or even start feeling resentful towards her (or experience other negative emotions,) it’s crucial to speak with your doctor.
You could be suffering from Postpartum depression, which is a very real and serious medical condition.
Whatever happens, try not to rushing the bonding process. Eventually, you will connect with your newborn and feel more love for her than you could ever imagine. Whether it’s the first time you see her smile, or maybe you see a cute little face she makes when you walk into a room - when you feel it, you will know!
