Connecting with your baby

Every parent is likely to vary greatly in terms of their knowledge and confidence surrounding handling a new baby. You may already have experience and confidence in connecting with your baby, or alternatively be inclined to think that your partner is best placed to manage things like bathing, nappy-changing and settling.

With practice, comes skills and confidence, together with many other benefits.

In addition to helping your partner by sharing the load, importantly, being involved in these types of activities has many advantages both for you and your baby. For example, this contact is very important for bonding, and your interaction with their cries, gurgles and body language not only helps their development, but builds your confidence and the development of a special relationship with your baby. Also, different ways of handling babies has a positive influence on your baby’s brain development which can help their co-ordination.

So don’t hold back. Get involved and recognise that doing things differently does have benefits. There is not necessarily a wrong or right way to do many things. If your partner is finding it difficult to let go of the reigns, talk about these benefits, for both of you, as well as your baby.