The browser you are using is too old for our website. Please visit www.aptaclub.ie from Chrome and you will be able to browse normally.

Pregnancy

      Bonding with baby in the third trimester

      Pregnant woman holding baby clothes

      Bonding with baby in the third trimester

      When it comes to bonding with your baby, one of the worst things you can do is Google how to do it!

      There is an entire market out there ready and waiting for you to hit that search key and convince you, that you need to purchase a whole range of products that are completely unnecessary.

      Research shows that singing that same song and reading that same story to your baby after birth can have a soothing effect on them

      Bonding with your baby during pregnancy is something you can do with your own things around you. Talk and sing to your baby from the start of the third trimester (that’s when they can hear you clearly). Choose a song and a children’s book you love and start singing and reading to your baby when you can. Research shows that the baby, as amplified by his/her body, hears the sound of their Mother’s voice.  Further research shows that singing that same song and reading that same story to your baby after birth can have a soothing effect on them.  Children’s books tend to have a natural rhythm and musicality to the words (think of Dr Seuss or Goodnight Moon for example).

      Research shows that singing that same song and reading that same story to your baby after birth can have a soothing effect on them

      -

      Research is less clear as to whether your baby can hear other voices in the womb as clearly. But it can still serve as a lovely and effective bonding ritual for the other parent-to-be to read to your bump. Don’t rule that out just because the baby may not be able to hear their voice as well as they can hear yours.

      Another bonding technique that parents-to-be can engage in quite naturally, is to envisage their baby all grown up. Picture them, what they look like, what their name will be, what games they like to play, what values they will have. We might even picture them all grown up and getting married or becoming parents themselves. If you find this hard to do, structure it by setting yourself a task for example writing down a list of values you think your future child might have and then write down how you can help to bring this about for them.

      Another nice bonding activity is to buy a notebook and each day write down a few lines that capture that day for you.  Pregnancy is all consuming, it takes over our minds and bodies and while we may think we will remember each little moment the likelihood is we won’t.  You can get some really nice 5 or 10 year journals that are designed to just allow for 1-2 lines a day.  Start it in pregnancy and keep it up as the years pass.  Just think, what a nice gift to hand over to your child on their 18th birthday.

      Top tip

      At this stage, your developing baby’s needs are actually quite simple. A few essential nutrients, plenty of sleep, mild to moderate exercise and minimal stress. In other words, your developing baby needs a healthy and relaxed Mama-to-be.

      peranting-icon-circle.png

      Brighter futures start here

      Discover more about infant development to help shape your baby's future

      Join now for free

      Your baby's future health begins here

      Your baby's future health begins here

      At Aptaclub, we believe that experience helps to build resilience; that
      each new encounter, whether in pregnancy or after birth, can shape your
      baby’s future development. With our scientific expertise and one-to-one
      round the clock support, we can help you and your baby embrace tomorrow.

      Join Aptaclub

      Related articles

      Questions about feeding and nutrition?

      Our nutritionists and feeding advisors are always on hand to talk about feeding your baby. So if you have a question, just get in touch.

      Brighter futures start here

      Discover more about infant development to help shape your baby's future

      Join now for free

      Your privacy is important to us and therefore we would like to explain how we use cookies on this website. With your consent, we will use cookies to measure and analyse how our website is used (analytical cookies), to tailor it to your interests (personalisation cookies), and to show you relevant advertising and information (targeting cookies) we think you will like. For more information please read the cookie statement.

      Privacy Settings

      You can choose your preferences anytime for cookies and tracking. For more information please read our cookie policy.

      • Strictly necessary

        They are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services (setting your privacy preferences, logging in, filling in forms, etc.). You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work.

      • Analytical cookies

        They allow us to count visits and traffic sources, to measure and improve the performance of our site. They show us which pages are the most and least popular and how visitors move around the site. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance.

      • Personalisation cookies

        They enable website’s enhanced functionality and personalization. They may be set by us or by third parties whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies, some or all of these services may not function properly.

      • Targeting cookies

        They may be set through our site by our advertising partners, to build a profile of your interests and to show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.