Build Bonds with Babies & Infants

We're told that love for a baby arrives in a rush. Sometimes it does. But whether you're a new parent, an adoptive parent or a practitioner getting to know a baby in your setting, the bond often takes time and a bit of work.

That work doesn't need hours you haven't got, because the quality of the time counts for more than the amount. Turn nappy changes, feeds and bedtime into little rituals of song, touch and play. Give a few minutes of undivided attention with your phone out of reach. Name a baby's feelings out loud, so they feel understood long before they can talk.

It's taught by a mum who has had to build that bond with both a birth daughter and an adopted daughter. And when you get it wrong, as everyone does, you'll know how to put things right.