Why Connection With Your Baby Matters
by Beth Beaney, Executive Babywearing Consultant at LTBN
There's a lot of advice out there for new parents. Some of it is helpful, some of it is not. But one piece of advice that should always be followed is to connect with your baby. Here's why connection matters and how you can make time for it.
Connection matters because it forms the foundation for your baby's sense of self, their ability to trust and feel loved, and their general happiness. When you nurture that connection, you're giving your baby the best possible start in life, and setting them up for success as they grow and develop.
So if you're looking for ways to support the well-being of your baby and strengthen your relationship with them, consider connecting in whatever way feels right - whether it's through kangaroo-care, skin-to-skin contact, babywearing, or simply spending quality time together. Ultimately, the importance of connection can't be overstated, and it's one of the most powerful tools we have to help our children thrive.
Keeping your baby close to you is normal behaviour for humans.
Keeping your baby close to you is normal behaviour for humans. Keeping your baby close and holding them is a bio-normative behaviour. You want to hold them and they need to be held.
By keeping your baby close to you - through kangaroo-care, skin-to-skin contact, babywearing, or other means - you are helping them feel secure and safe. This in turn fosters their emotional well-being, cognitive abilities, and healthy growth. Whether you're carrying your baby in a wrap or simply cuddling them close, you are helping to create a strong bond that will last a lifetime.
The connection between you and your baby is one of the most important things for your baby's health, happiness, and development. Your physical closeness and interaction with your baby has a profound impact on them; in fact, research shows that when you hold your baby close to you - skin to skin, in arms, on your chest, or draped across your shoulders - babies feel more secure and safe. Oxytocin, the hormone that is released during close physical contact with you helps your baby feel calm, confident and happy. And when babies are happier, they grow stronger as well! So keep carrying and cuddling your little one - it's good for both of you!
While babywearing can help you bond with your baby and provide them with physical closeness and emotional security, it also has a variety of other benefits. Studies have shown that babies who are carried more in the 4th trimester tend to cry less, regulate their moods better, and develop stronger cognitive abilities.
There are many more additional benefits to keeping your baby close to you as much as possible. Not only does this allow your baby to feel safe and secure, but it also fosters their emotional well-being, cognitive abilities, and healthy growth. Whether in arms or on your chest, snuggled up against you or draped across your shoulders - the 4th trimester is a time when connection between you and your baby truly matters. So make sure that you prioritise closeness with your baby during this precious time, as it will benefit both of you for years to come.
As the fourth trimester comes to a close, it is important to remember the connection between you and your baby. This connection is one of the most important things for your baby's health, happiness and development, and will last well into toddlerhood.
I hope you found this article helpful. Please get in touch or email me - beth@lovetobenatural.co.uk - if you'd like any further info or just a chat about the importance of connection, babywearing in general, or advice on any products at all.
Beth Beaney is the Founder of and Executive Babywearing Consultant at LTBN. She's been a qualified babywearing consultant for 12 years, and has helped hundreds of families of all needs carry their babies safely and comfortably. Find her on Twitter @lovetobenatural_LTBN