Bonding is an important part of being an infant. Bonding is that intense attachment that will naturally occur between a parent and their infant. There is even some research that suggests that bonding is so essential to an infant that infants that don’t bond with their parents may have delayed development, or even failure to thrive. While these things have not been proven definitively, few people would argue that bonding is a significant aspect of the relationship that an infant has with their parents.

There are times when a parent can’t seem to bond with their infant, however. There are a variety of things that can go wrong, which can interfere with bonding between an infant and his or her parents. Bonding can be delayed, for example, due to post partum depression. The changes that can take place in a woman’s system during and after the birthing process can all too often lead to post partum depression. When a woman is experiencing post partum depression, she may not seem to be able to bond with her infant. In this case, something definitely is wrong. If a woman is experiencing post partum depression and can’t seem to bond with her infant, she should talk with her health care provider as soon as possible. When untreated, post partum depression can be very dangerous.

There are times, also, when nothing is wrong but parents may have difficulty bonding with an infant. For example, if your infant has had to be in an intensive care situation with all sorts of equipment, it can be difficult to bond with your infant. In some cases, you may not even be able to touch your baby’s skin, or at least not for any large amount of time. If this is the case, you should discuss the problem of bonding with your infant with your health care provider, or even the staff at the intensive care unit. In some cases, you may be able to make a more gradual transition from the intensive care unit to your home situation, and this seems to help with bonding as well.

This entry was posted in About Your Baby.