What can you do to get close to a newborn baby?
If you want to be close to your newborn baby, prepare for it even before the baby is born. How do you do it? You can go with your wife to see doctors. Don’t forget to visit the clinic with her every month, it will help you to know about the progress of your wife’s pregnancy. Also, going to the doctor with her will help you bond with each other.
If you regularly meet your wife’s doctors and check the progress of her pregnancy, you can have confidence that you have contributed something positive to it. Likewise, you can also continue to participate in your child’s check-ups with pediatricians. You can also attend a parenting class. Early childhood organizations in many hospitals offer classes for both parents. That way you can get knowledge about how to deal with your newborn baby. And you can try to talk or sing close to your wife’s belly from 34 weeks of pregnancy. It helps your baby recognize your voice. This helps to bond with the baby even before birth.
Now let’s see how you as a dad can be close to the child after the birth of the child.
Be patient and hands-on.
Always keep your baby skin-to-skin. This will help your baby feel secure and strengthen your bond. It also regulates their body temperature and heart rate.
Feeding time – As the mother breastfeeds the baby, you can participate in bottle feeding with expressed milk or formula. This feeding time is great for making eye contact, talking softly, and developing a bond.
Diaper changes and bath time – Activities like this help you care for your baby and allow you to establish a daily routine. Engaging in activities with babies like this gives you a great opportunity to interact with your newborn, laugh, and talk.
Talk and sing to your baby.
Since your baby has heard your voice while in the womb, they know your voice very well. By now you can always talk to them in a calm voice. Sing them songs. Or read a short story. This will help your baby’s language development and help calm them. And describe to them what you do when you feed or play with your baby. Then they get a feel for you. That way you can get close to them as dad.
Engage in playing
Newborn babies are not fully ready for active play. Therefore, entertain them with simple activities such as showing them colorful toys, making funny faces, or letting them hold your finger. Then they become closer to you.
Tummy time helps your baby develop motor skills while they are on their tummy. You can talk to babies while they are in your tummy.
Take the baby for a walk.
You can take your baby for a walk using a stroller or carrier. It is good for both of you. It allows your baby to see new things, and enjoy new sounds and sensations. You can keep your baby in a front carrier that helps them close to your body. Likewise, it promotes bonding and allows you to be hands-free.
Get involved at bedtime.
Holding and rocking your baby is a great way to bond with them whether before naps or at night. Babies find comfort in rhythmic movements. It helps your baby to get a quick comfortable sleep as well as get close to you. Also, you can create a routine for the baby to sleep. Then you can connect with the baby during bedtime.
You can read a story to the kids until they go to sleep. Or sing a song. Likewise, you can hold your baby until they fall asleep. These activities help to close your newborn baby.
Respond to their needs.
Cuddle and comfort – Don’t be late to respond to your child’s needs. You don’t hesitate to comfort children when they cry. Responding to their needs builds trust in you. This helps to confirm that you are there for them. By learning their behaviors and cues, you can identify their needs. There are unique ways to communicate when a child is hungry, tired, or unwell. By observing your child’s clues, identify their needs and act accordingly.
Support your partner
Bonding with your newborn baby can be seen as a support to your wife. As a dad, you can share the responsibilities of your baby so that both of you have time to bond with the child. Do what you can to care for your baby without waiting for your wife to ask for your help. Participating in activities such as feeding the baby, changing diapers, dressing the baby, putting the baby to sleep, comforting, etc. shows that you are also involved in the child’s affairs as a dad.
Conclusion
Bonding with the newborn may not be immediate. Also, you can give yourself time to adjust to fatherhood and find your rhythm with your baby. Always maintain a positive attitude. Be patient and slowly approach your baby.
As a dad you always play with your babies. And put them to sleep. By gently massaging them. You can also try to get close to them by performing activities such as feeding formula, changing clothes, and comforting the babies. These activities help to develop the bond between you and your child. Here we have provided a few tips to close your newborn baby as a dad. Carefully read them. However, you can visit the healthcare advisors to get advice.