One of the chief concerns expressed by both adoptive parents and fathers is bonding with a new baby. While this can be an emotionally-charged issue, the fact that parents acknowledge the potential challenge represents an understanding of the importance of bonding and a willingness to engage in the process.
The good news is that bonding can begin from day one – whenever day one is. Getting the process started as early as possible is what is important and here we will review two situations: 1) Bonding during the pregnancy and, 2) Bonding with an infant or young child.
If you have the benefit of starting while the baby is in utero, then, even before birth, you can tap into the baby’s primal sense of smell through traditional aromatherapeutic techniques. When we smell something, the brain develops a chemical signature that associates that scent to a memory. The same is true for pregnant women, however they share their scent-associated memories with the developing fetus. After birth, those chemical signatures will be familiar to the baby, making it possible to tap into the comfort and security of the womb. This is one of the primary reasons we recommend that pregnant women use aromatherapeutic products to establish a “scent memory” that can be incorporated into the bonding experience after birth.
In circumstances where there is not a relationship with the birth mother, an important technique is to establish an infant massage routine with aromatherapy baby skin care products. This develops a scent memory for the baby that associates caring and comforting experiences with a specific scent. A father or adoptive parent can then use the same products to massage or bath the baby and recreate the nurturing and soothing sensations. The same benefits can be enjoyed by a babysitter to help calm a baby who is missing her parents.
Whether aromatherapy baby skin care is introduced before or after birth, its use opens the sensory pathways that simultaneously enhances joy and calms the spirit. The chemical messages sent through the mind when it embraces the smell are remembered by the body. When parent and child use the products together – in bathing and massage – they both remember the moments and the memory is strengthened because it is tied to the smell. Every time parent and child engage in bonding activities, that bond is strengthened and reinforced by the signature scent.
The choice of scent is important. All natural products free of chemical fragrances that are infused with scents created by blending essential oils are preferred. Take the time to find a scent that is soothing for you and baby, paying particular attention to the little one’s response. The loving experiences shared by parent and child with the support of natural, organic aromatherapy baby skin care results in flourishing development of the mind, body and the lifelong bond.
