We are not supporting this browser

Pregnancy

      Bonding with your bump

      Pregnant woman sitting holding bump

      Waiting nine whole months to meet your little one can feel like an eternity! But you don’t have to wait until birth to bond with your newborn baby.

      Finding ways to bond with your bump is not only a great way to pass the time, but also an important part of preparing yourself for being a Mum. By having a chat and playing with your baby while they are in the womb, you are also preparing them for what waits in the real world, while getting to know you all at the same time- the ultimate pregnancy experience!

      When it comes to bonding with your baby, there’s no time like the present. So, months before you get to lay your eyes on your little bundle you can boost the bond between you. 

      Talk, Sing or play music

      Since your baby can recognise your voice and your partners when he or she is born, saying simple phrases such as good morning and good night to your baby each day is a good habit to get into. When he or she arrives they will turn towards you whenever they hear your voice. If you feel comfortable take it one step further by sharing your feelings and thoughts with your soon to be little one. You may find that your baby responds to the sound of your voice, and begins kicking and nudging you as you talk.
      Your baby begins to hear by week 18 of your pregnancy, so singing lullabies to your baby is a tradition you can start before they are born and continue after. Better yet, if you play an instrument, they’d love to hear that too as it can have very calming effect.

      Bump Massage

      An effective way to introduce your baby to the outside world is by giving your bump a regular, gentle massage. Your baby may respond to your touch by kicking the place you’ve just massaged or by changing positions.

      Have an ultrasound

      Being able to watch your baby move around on the ultrasound screen is a very practical way of bonding with your bump. It makes everything seem more real! This is an especially good way for fathers and grandparents to form an attachment to your baby as well. Take home the pictures from the ultrasound and put them somewhere you will see them every day, like on the fridge.

      Get physical

      You probably can’t keep your hand off your bump whether it’s a protective hand resting on it or stroking at the end of the day. But research has found that once your baby starts to feel your touch, from about 20 weeks, they are able to distinguish between their parents touch compared to that of a stranger. How cute!

      Snap happy

      One thing that makes bonding seem difficult during pregnancy is that you have no idea what your baby looks like. Though he or she is growing inside you right now, they can feel like a stranger. If you were given scan pictures at your hospital appointment, spend time looking at these photos each day. Frame a photograph to keep by your desk at work, set it as the lock screen on your phone, and stick it on your fridge.

      If you’re up for it, having your photograph taken during pregnancy can be an amazing way of remembering it as well as bonding with your new bump. Booking a professional pregnancy photo shoot towards the end of your pregnancy can make you feel special too, where yourself and your partner (or just you) can have some gorgeous moments captured by a professional, that you will no doubt treasure forever. Alternatively, the monthly Instagram updates are just as good.

      Get everyone involved

      Even though babies build a biochemical bond with their mum before they leave the womb, bonding with your bump is something the whole family can get involved in. Well, you, your partner and any other little ones you may have running around.

      To give Dad a chance to get in on the action, when you feel the baby kick, place his hands on your tummy so that he can feel the movements too, and let him respond by rubbing your bump in the same spot.

      You could even give your bump a nickname, if you haven’t chosen a name yet, that only you and your partner know, which will make it even more exciting and special. 

      Make A Keepsake

      If you’re creative, spend some time in making a gift or keepsake for your little one. You could knit or crochet a blanket to wrap them in when they are born, make a quilt for the new nursery, or make a framed picture to hang on her wall.

      Write It Down

      Consider keeping a pregnancy journal to help you focus on the pregnancy now and remember it afterwards. Don’t worry about writing a rose-tinted view of pregnancy, just be honest. Talk about how you feel physically, and any worries and concerns you might be feeling.

      It’s never too early or too late to start communicating with your baby. Parenting is journey that really begins the moment you find out you are pregnant.

      If you don’t feel like you’re bonding with your unborn baby yet, don’t beat yourself up. Pregnancy can be a difficult time as you’re dealing with a changing body, uncontrollable hormones, and lack of sleep (just to mention a few). It can be hard to bond with a person you’ve never met, but that doesn’t mean you won’t ever feel that strong connection. Try not to feel guilty, and instead focus on trying to bond with your baby, but accept that you might be one of the many mums who fall deeply in love after the birth, and not before. And that’s perfectly OK too.

      Any more questions?

      Our specialist baby advisors and experienced mums are here to talk and ready to help whenever you need them. You can call us or reach us on Live Chat 8.30am-5.30pm Monday-Friday.

      Join the C&G baby club today

      Join the C&G baby club today

      • Weekly emails with tips and advice for your stage
      • 1-to-1 support from our dedicated Careline team, 8.30am - 5.30pm Monday to Friday.
      Join us now

      More from pregnancy

      Your privacy is important to us and therefore we would like to explain how we use cookies on this website. With your consent, we will use cookies to measure and analyse how our website is used (analytical cookies), to tailor it to your interests (personalisation cookies), and to show you relevant advertising and information (targeting cookies) we think you will like. For more information please read the cookie statement.

      Privacy Settings

      You can choose your preferences anytime for cookies and tracking. For more information please read our cookie policy

      • Strictly necessary

        They are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services (setting your privacy preferences, logging in, filling in forms, etc.). You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work.

      • Analytical cookies

        They allow us to count visits and traffic sources, to measure and improve the performance of our site. They show us which pages are the most and least popular and how visitors move around the site. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance.

      • Personalisation cookies

        They enable website’s enhanced functionality and personalization. They may be set by us or by third parties whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies, some or all of these services may not function properly.

      • Targeting cookies

        They may be set through our site by our advertising partners, to build a profile of your interests and to show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.