You have a new baby – congratulations! Once the guests have stopped flowing into your house, it’s time for you to truly get to know your little one. Having a baby is one of the most exciting and scary times in any couple’s life, and often dads can find that their bonding time with baby is swept to the side in the hectic first few months. This doesn’t have to be the case though. If this is your first Father’s Day, we’re here to help you to create precious bonding time with your little one and make your first Father’s Day one to remember.
First things first, don’t be too hard on yourself. Bonding can take time and it’s okay if you don’t feel a bond right away but trust us; as long as you spend time on the simple things such as interacting with and feeding your baby, you’ll develop a close bond in no time. It’s important to share duties between both parents to ensure that your baby becomes acquainted with both of you.
Physical closeness encourages the development of a strong, natural bond between father and child. Why not go shopping together and look for a baby sling? This is a great way to encourage physical closeness whilst allowing you to go about your day with your baby as close as can be. It will also give you plenty of opportunity to make eye contact with your baby. Something as simple as eye contact can help to develop that all-important bond and can also be achieved at feeding time - make sure that your baby can see your face, and that you're holding your baby closely.
Talk to your baby! It’s important that your baby learns to recognise both parent’s tones and timbres of voice. It may feel like you are talking to yourself at first, but this will soon become natural. Tell them stories and sing them songs – babies will often react to tones of voice, even at a very young age. Babies also love to be played with and respond well to music, so although it might feel a bit silly, singing to your baby can be an excellent bonding experience. Turn on some music and move around the room, gently swaying your baby and as your baby gets older, you can help them stand and dance (or bounce). It’s a fun, silly activity that's great for Daddy-baby bonding.
We hope these tips have helped; some may seem simple, but often, simple does the trick. Once baby is all tuckered out from bonding time with Daddy, why not pop them safely onto a Babocush for a little relaxation? A Babocush infant cushion helps to reduce wind, colic and acid reflux in young babies, and the gentle rocking, vibration and heartbeat sounds help to soothe a restless baby, allowing Dad, Mum and baby some much needed relaxation time together. But don’t take our word for it - just check out how much Babocush helped baby Riley here.
