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More and more fathers are starting to realize the importance of getting to know their children early in their lives. Bonding with your child does not start when the baby comes out of the womb, it starts even when their still inside their mothers. Getting close with your child is not only through playing with them, participating in child-raising responsibilities would help you bond with your baby more.
• To bond with your baby, start by getting involved with the pregnancy. Accompany your wife to the doctor, as much as your time permits. It would give you an idea on how is your wife and baby doing. There are also classes about baby-care where you and your wife could attend.
• Another healthy habit is talking to your child. The baby inside the mother’s womb can recognize voices at around the 34th week of pregnancy. But you could start talking to the baby earlier than that.
• When the baby is born, have physical contact as much as possible. Hold, cuddle, and touch your baby. Nursing mothers always have skin to skin contacts with their babies which make them more comfortable. You could also achieve that by sitting or keeping your baby close to your skin.
• Get into the baby routine. You could start by participating in baby-care activities like burping the baby, changing diapers, giving the baby the feeding bottle, etc.
• Bathing the baby is also a great time for you to spend time with your kid. You could play and of course, it provides you the much needed skin to skin contact.
Another important factor in building relationships with your child will be through music. Fathers can listen to music with their children, it does not have to be lullabies. Some children calm down to African music or drum beats. There are studies showing that babies actually develop faster because of music. Aside from babies benefiting from music, work-stressed fathers can also find comfort and relaxation from it.
Reading to your baby is another way to build relationship. Reading aloud could help develop good listening skills, memory exercises and vocabulary skills. While babies listen, they would learn more words and help them understand the meaning of the words and learn to talk better. Reading to the baby would also help develop socially.
Bonding moment between father and baby does not only mean you get closer, you could also contribute to the baby’s development. Sharing parental responsibilities with the mother does not mean stinky diapers or irritable crying, think about your baby’s first smile or laugh. Paternity is not only about bringing the dough home, but is also about spending time with your child.
