Why should I keep my baby close? By Mariann Hornyák

You may remember my post from Mariann Hornyák a few months ago about baby wearing and how it can secure the bond that is born in the womb between mother and baby. I really loved the way that Mariann put across just how vulnerable to transition between being a baby in the womb to being born and essentially without the constant protection of a mother. Mariann has made me question my own parenting and my desire to hold my boys close as often as I can. Baby wearing will be even higher on my agenda after her beautiful words. I hope you enjoy her second article.

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Why should I keep my baby close?

Do you have a place where you feel safe and warm? I feel really relaxed if I am cuddled by my husband. I also love the hugs from my father and mother and even my sister can make feel secure and happy. I am very lucky. I also like sitting in the window wearing a warm wool jumper, drinking hot chocolate and watching how the rain cleans the world. I feel safe in the house. Safe from the rain, from the cold wind.

Listening to the well known sound of your body can give the same safe feeling to your newborn. He was happy and relaxed in your womb. He had never felt hungry before being born to this noisy world. He was safe and warm.

Now he is cold, hungry, lonely.  He does not have any knowledge of this world, his mother is the one who will make him learn the basics. His basic vocabulary will grow from the emotions he associates with actions that happen to him in his first year of life.

He will learn that he feels hungry, he is stressed, he is sleepy. But at the moment, he only knows that something is wrong and he needs his well known heartbeat. He needs his mother to change the situation. His tool to tell you that something is wrong that he signs through his face, gestures, mimics and small movements. If you can read his cues you will be able help him. He will sign you and he will learn that you respond. Or he will sign you once, twice, more and then he will be desperately in need of you and he starts crying. When you will respond. Or he will cry, you ignore it without the intention of helping him and he will learn that there is no use to tell you that he is unhappy because he will not get any help anyway.

It does not matter that you are really able to help or not. What matters that you respond gently ensuring him that you want to help and you do your best to make him calm and happy again.

If your baby is close to you, you can see his face all the time, you can sense his moves and the change in his breathing, you will be able to know him better. You will read him more easily. You will know what is wrong and what to do. You will be more confident. You become quickly the master of your own child.

Keep your newborn close every day. He is part of you, extension of your heart that beats outside of your body.

Mariann

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You can find Mariann on her wonderful website which is jam packed full of great information for expectant and new parents.