Feeding, holding and bonding

When you hold your baby to breastfeed or give them their bottle, they are positioned at just the right distance from your face to focus on you.  

Your baby might look at you just before or after their feed, rather than during a feed. However, this closeness provides opportunities for bonding and can help both you and your baby to feel calm.  

If you are breastfeeding, your brain’s stress response will be reduced and you'll produce more prolactin, which helps you to feel calm. If you bottle feed, holding your baby as you feed will also provide comfort and calm, as being held close to you reduces the stress responses in your baby’s brain.^[1] 

If your baby feeds a lot, some feeds might be a bit quicker, or you might take a moment when they feed to catch up on messages or read a couple of articles in the app. Notice if your baby is looking at you and respond to them. Perhaps sometimes use the time before or after a feed to have a quick chat with your baby – if they don’t fall asleep!  

References: 

[1] Gerhardt, S. (2004) Why love matters. How affection shapes a baby’s brain. Hove: Bruner-Routledge