Adoptive parents often agonizingly wait many months, or years, to bring an adorable baby home from the hospital. They’re tasked with filling out mountains of paperwork, enduring personal interviews, and waiting for an expectant mother to select them to parent her child. If a precious little one has recently been placed into your arms through adoption, you might be fretting over bonding with your baby. If you can relate to this common scenario, consider adhering to the following simple tips.
1) Baby-wearing
To bond with your bundle of joy, invest in a quality baby carrier. Wearing your infant keeps him or her close to you. Your little one will be able to hear your heartbeat, make eye-contact with you, become familiar with your scent, and hear your voice. Using a carrier can also help you spend time with your baby while you take care of everyday tasks such as working, cleaning, and going to the store.
2) Nursing
The beautiful, loving act of nursing isn’t restricted to biological parents. Adoptive moms, even those who have never had biological kids, may be able to nurse their adopted little ones. This can be accomplished by inducing lactation or utilizing a supplemental nursing system. While you may ultimately not be able to provide your infant with all the nutrition he or she needs, any amount of nursing can be an amazing bonding experience between you and your baby.
3) Talking
Since babies absorb language from their surroundings like a sponge, talking to them regularly is important. Even if your little one can only coo or grunt in response, talk to him or her all throughout the day. For instance, talk to your baby during bath time, while you’re dressing him or her, during diaper changes, and at play time. Verbal communication with your baby will help him or her feel appreciated and included. Don’t stop at talking. Singing to your infant is wonderful too.
4) Providing Basic Needs
For the first few months of their infant’s life, adoptive parents should strive to be the primary providers for their bundle of joy’s basic needs. This should allow your baby to recognize who his or her parents are and what family means.
The journey to becoming an adoptive parent can be long, winding, and difficult. But, when your sweet baby is snuggled in your arms, it can totally feel worth the wait. If bonding with your adopted baby is at the top of your priority list, consider following the aforementioned tips.
- from the A Child Grows writers pool