Bonding With Bebé

The first time I heard my baby laugh, it was the sweetest sound I’d ever heard. After that, I’d do anything to hear it again. We soon found our daughter thought it was funny when we’d make sneezing sounds so I’d say “achoo!” over and over for her. She laughed and my heart soared.

Music makes for memorable moments. Eva Smith recalls how her baby inspired her to sing. “Part of our afternoons were spent with my daughter on my lap singing her favorite nursery rhymes: ‘Arroz con Leche,’ ‘Pat-a-cake,’ and ‘The Itsy Bitsy Spider.’ Such fond memories!”

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Lisa Quinones-Fontanez shares that the rocking chair was the special place for her and her son. “I loved middle of the night feedings especially after I returned to work. Yes, I went to work exhausted, but those nights when I sat in the rocking chair holding my son in my arms, feeding him, reading to him or rocking him until he fell asleep were so special for me.”

It’s known that a mother’s embrace or gentle touch is soothing for babies. Monica Olivera followed this same advice and it made for many special moments. “I gave my daughter baby massages because I read it was a great way to bond with your baby. We both enjoyed the time together!”

There’s nothing like holding a sleepy, dreamy baby. Rachel Matos shares one of her favorite moments: “When my son was a baby, a bubbly bath time, a soothing lavender massage, a bottle of milk and a book made up our nighttime ritual. It was our special moment.”

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Yolanda Machado shares how hard moments can turn into sweet ones: “My daughter had ‘witching hour’ crying fits at three months old. I didn't know how to stop it, so I’d cry with her. One night, I turned on some music, and just started to dance with her. It wasn't kids’ music either, it was Maroon 5. It calmed us both down, and became part of our routine.”

Motherhood is messy, but that doesn’t mean it’s not sweet. Bryanne Salazar says she and her sons made messes on purpose. “When my son was little we’d play in the mud together and I would let him smear mud all over me—he loved it. This safe ‘chaos’ was so much fun for him. Of course, this was always immediately followed by bathtime!”

Bathing with your baby can be both fun and a way for you to unwind. Lorraine Ladish thinks so too: “As babies, bathtime was the best. Whether I bathed them or we bathed together, I’d play with them in the water, we played with water crayons, and it was always very relaxing.”

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Babies love gentle round-and-round motions. Paty Soto and her baby made a happy habit of it. “Every morning I used to super softly stretch my baby's arms and legs, and then moved her legs as if she were riding a bike. She got so used to it that it became part of our morning ritual through the toddler years.”

It’s a truth universally known that a baby’s feet are extremely kissable. After diaper changes or baths I couldn’t help but grab my baby’s tiny feet and give them some quick kisses. It made my baby giggle, which in turn made me laugh. These fleeting moments with my baby are the ones I’ll remember forever.