As a mother gives birth to a child and snap goes the umbilical cord, the literal bond between the two gets severed only to lead to a bond that has been considered the most intense in the world. The bundle of joy that you see in front of your eyes emits a certain kind of sparkle and radiance that seeps through the mother’s soul to its core. Society has never failed to realise and emphasise upon the pristineness of this relationship and justly so. A mother certainly feels the need to attach herself to her baby as much as possible and as closely as possible; the baby was once a part of her own body after all.
Even that little bundle of joy, who has stepped into this utterly alien world, looks out for his/her mother in times of fear ridden distress and more. One cannot help but go ‘aww’ when one sees a baby clutching onto the mama’s pinky finger with all the strength he/she has been empowered with. That is precisely how utterly cute and heart-warming the bond between a mother and her baby is.
FEEDING THE BABY
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There can be various ways in which you can manifest your bond with the baby and make it even stronger. One simple biological process is that of feeding the baby. There are numerous reasons that make breast feeding a baby an absolutely vital element for the baby’s growth. Broadly, these reasons can be categorised into two, physical and psychological reasons.
PHYSICAL IMPORTANCE
We all know that in the initial months after the baby is born, the only thing that comes to its rescue from this alien world’s hunger is breast milk. Feeding a baby gives a mother a feeling of a nurturer and care-giver. Breast milk’s richness in nutrients is not a thing which is unknown. In all cultures, breast milk is given supreme importance. It not only provides proper nourishment to the baby and strengthens the body, it also helps in laying down the foundation of a bond that is at once physical and emotional.
PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE
Feeding a baby not only has physical benefits for the baby, it goes on to connect the mother and the baby on an emotional level. It brings to the forefront, the role of a mother as a provider for the baby. Imagine a situation where you are stuck in a totally strange place with just one person to rely onto. Wouldn’t that experience be intense, to say the least?
Many psychologists claim that a baby after coming out of his/her mama’s womb undergoes immense psychological trauma and that breast feeding is one of the ways through which the baby feels safe and secure again. Breast feeding leads to a certain kind of protection for the new born that immediately makes him/her connect with his/her mother. No wonder we find babies asking for mommy’s milk in their own little cute ways, way too often.
SOOTHING THE BABY
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IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEM
Babies are demanding, there’s no denying that. They tend to get too fidgety and crying becomes their ultimate way of communicating distress. How can we even blame them? That is the only language they possess for quite some time. Pregnancy and post pregnancy periods are marked by erratic changes in hormones in both the parents, making them extremely anxious and nervous. They tend to get really frustrated with the new-born crying every now and then. They sometimes even go to the extent of making false assumptions about failing at parenthood.
REASONS WHY BABIES CRY
A baby’s cry is often a shout out to his/her mother by the baby signalling some discomfort. There are numerous reasons why a baby cries. Lack of sleep, dirty diapers, gastric issues, illness and even loneliness are some of them. Babies are known to create havoc if they feel that they are being ignored. In such times of distress, the new-borns just need to be held and cuddled by their parents.
THE SOOTHING SOLUTION
A mother’s hug and lullaby can do wonders in soothing a whining baby. Swinging the baby in a slightly to and fro motion also keeps them entertained and it makes them feel that you care for them. When you soothe your baby, it is a clear sign to him/her that no matter what, even if the baby is not able to explain his/her problems to you, you would still be there for them and solve all of their problems. This helps the baby and the mother to develop an emotional attachment and builds in the baby, a kind of emotional dependence towards the mother, bringing them closer to each other.
SWADDLING THE BABY
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As we just mentioned, a baby loves to be held and hugged. No matter how much you would want to keep hugging your wonder joy for your entire life, practicality of life is bound to play a spoil sport. You cannot keep the baby in your arms for the entire day. Instead, what you can do is swaddle the baby and wrap them all nicely. However, you do not want to swaddle the baby too tight and cause him/her discomfort.
HOW DOES SWADDLING WORK
Swaddling the baby can give him/her an illusion of being held tightly and make them feel calm. It even prevents the baby from tripping due to lack of balance. Swaddling the baby makes the baby feel cosy and that is a feeling which every mother would want her baby to experience. When you swaddle a baby, you realise that though you are restricting the baby’s movements, you are doing it for his/her own good. The protective nature of a mother seems to manifest itself quite well while swaddling the baby. It makes the child feel safe and secure, as if in a cocoon.
These basic things can help you in forming a bond with your baby that will last forever. Emotional attachment with one’s baby is said to be responsible for an overall mood upliftment of the mother-baby duo instinctively. A snapped cord need not imply a snapped bond. It might just be the winter containing the seeds of a beautiful awaiting spring.
Happy bonding!
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