
If you are experiencing relationship difficulties, consider seeking the help of a counsellor. If you are concerned that you are not connecting with your baby, speak to your maternal and child health nurse or doctor. Single parents can call on family and friends to share the responsibilities, so your child builds important connections with others around them.

Try to approach parenthood as a team effort.
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Remember, no one is expected to be an expert and bonding with your baby is really a matter of trial and error.

For instance, in the early days, some new dads and partners may feel left out because they are not feeding or nursing their newborn, but there are other ways to bond External Link with your baby, such as bathing, reading a story, changing nappies or taking your baby for a stroll while your partner is catching up on sleep. A newborn can significantly change your relationships with others and many find this a challenging time.īeing a parent doesn’t come naturally for most people and adjusting to parenthood can look very different for new dads and mums. What if I can't bond with my baby?įor some parents it may take time to bond with your baby, this is normal. You may feel an overwhelming sense of love for your baby and develop an instant strong connection. It will help your baby develop and help you to understand your baby and their cues.īabies feel safe and loved when you respond to their needs. Getting to know your babyīonding, or attachment, with your baby External Link is important.
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"Perhaps their baby refuses to sleep in the cot or there isn't a cot available, these families need to have guidance on how to make their situation as safer as possible, rather than telling them not to do it.In your language: For translated fact sheets go to Information in community languages. I think it is crucial that rather than having blanket statements like, 'It's important not to share a bed with your baby if they had a low birthweight (less than 2.5kg or 5.5lb) that we consider there will be families who will need to bedshare with a premature baby. For years NHS practitioners have been put in a very difficult position because they know that many of the parents they are working with would be bedsharing at some point, yet they were not able to offer any guidance around it, accept to say not to do it.įor me there is still more progress to make in this area. Sarah says: "The research shows that many, in fact 75% of parents will end up bedsharing at some point in their parenting journey. This is not dissimilar from the NICE recommendations for parents about bed-sharing.

