Bonding with your baby
Personalise your baby
The best way to bond, we found, is to personalise your baby. We found out the sex of our baby and chose her name before she was born. Form then on in she was no longer 'baby' or 'bump' but Megan.
When she arrived we'd already had the opportunity to talk about her and wonder what Megan would be like - she took on a personality. The first words my husband said to her: 'Hello Megan, we have been waiting for you little one'. She had been a real little person to us both for a long time before she arrived.
We are now expecting our second, a little boy and we can't wait to meet little Aiden.
Annette, London, mum to Megan
It's different for everyone
Not every baby's the same and bonding isn't an instant thing for many mums. But when your baby feels like a stranger, and you don't appear to be 'bursting with love' for this tiny creature, it can be debilitating for a mum, especially after the emotional turmoil of birth.
You may feel anger after a traumatic birth or guilt for taking attention from an older sibling, for example.
Mary Steen, research fellow at the Royal College of Midwives
More help and advice
- Help choosing a baby name
- What you'll need in your hospital bag
- Read Kirsty's tip for beating stress while you're pregnant
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