Can you connect with your unborn baby? Michelle O’Neill, R.N., Ph.D., author of Meditations for Pregnancy: 36 Weekly Practices for Bonding with Your Baby believes it’s not only possible, but essential for the new relationship between mother and child.

“One of the best reasons to connect in utero is that it helps mothers discover feelings they didn’t even know they had,” says O’Neill.

Making the time to bond with your unborn child may feel a little weird at first, but the benefits outweigh any strange feelings when talking to your bump.
Bonding can include talking to your baby, which helps draw out the dreams you have for your child and learn about the parent you want to be. Voicing these over your unborn child can help unlock thoughts and feelings about the birth and your beliefs.

If you’re still a little unsure of how to bond with your unborn baby, here are some ideas that may work for you.

Talk to your baby

Simply telling your baby how much they are loved and how you can’t wait for their arrival. Tell them to keep growing and what life will be like when they arrive – they’ll have siblings to meet, or they may be the first born in the family. You could tell your baby you have no idea what you’re doing, but at least you can fumble through this new season together. Your baby is able to recognise your voice, so talking to your baby helps cement this recognition.

Sing or Read to your baby

It’s never too early to start a bit of literacy. If you find talking to your bump a little silly, why not read a story or sing a nursery rhyme. O’Neill suggests making a storytime routine with your baby as the rhythm and tone will be comforting to your baby, even if they have no idea what you’re reading to them.

Listen to Music

Singing voice not too crash hot? Try playing some music. The bond created through listening to music together goes beyond the womb. Studies have shown, babies who are played simple melodies in the womb can remember them after birth even if they haven’t heard the melody for months. Music you could listen to could be classical music, or something with a gentle beat.

Massage your belly

Don’t be afraid to touch your tummy while you’re pregnant. It’s an automatic function pregnant mums do automatically. Don’t fight the urge. O’Neill says, “It calms their whole body down, and the baby too.” Baby will usually start to move around at week 17 or later (some maybe even earlier than others), but be sure to respond to a kick or movement with a belly rub.

Write a journal

Keep a record of the journey through pregnancy with your little one. Record sweet moments and funny memories. Even the not-so-sweet moments like ‘Today you jumped on my bladder like a trampoline,’ or ‘I met the toilet bowl again today, buy you’re worth it baby, you’re so worth it.’
If writing a diary feels too draining, why not create a gratitude journal and make a note to be thankful about one thing during pregnancy.
This will be a beautiful keepsake you can read through when your child is older.

Meditation

Spending time to meditate offers ‘tranquility and reflection’ O’Neill says. There are many apps in iTunes that can assist in meditation through pregnancy, and the active practice of mindfulness. Meditation can help busy, pregnant women stop and relax through the overwhelm of preparing for a new baby.

How did you bond with your unborn child? Can you share any other activities that helped you bond with your baby in utero?