Your relationship with your baby begins before they are born.
Did you know that babies can hear in the womb at around 16 weeks and can be sensitive to bright lights outside your tummy? By around 25 weeks your baby will be moving around a lot and responding to touch, such as you stroking your bump, and to sounds like your voice or music. They may also get hiccups and you might notice feeling the little jerky movements of each.
You can follow your baby’s development week-by-week and spend some time each day thinking about what your baby can do as they reach each new stage.
You might find it hard to imagine your baby. This may be because your own head feels full of worries, or because you are feeling low in mood, or perhaps your own experience of being parented was difficult. It can be really helpful to discuss this with your midwife or health visitor.
Even small things like talking about how it feels when you listen to the baby’s heartbeat during an antenatal appointment can help you to begin building a picture of your baby.
Bonding takes time – so don’t feel guilty if you don’t feel that rush of love straight away.
