| Copyright (c) 2007 Liddle Kidz Infant and | | | | For many adopted infants, bonding tends to |
| Children's Pediatric Massage | | | | occur rather quickly, as they generally |
| | | | accept and attach to new parents. Parents |
| Many families are concerned about attaching | | | | also tend to quickly bond with their new |
| and bonding with their new baby after | | | | child through the process of providing the |
| adoption. If you are concerned, you are not | | | | regular care he or she needs, through playing |
| alone. However, observation and research | | | | and communicating together with their child, |
| shows that adoptive families can form bonds | | | | and by showing attention and affection. |
| as successfully as biological families. The | | | | |
| period from birth through three years of age | | | | After adoption, bonding is a parent initiated |
| is the most favorable time for children to | | | | learning experience. No matter the child's |
| form a bond with their families. However, | | | | age, parents who are proactive in developing |
| adoptive parents have no need for undue | | | | a bond with their child create an ongoing |
| concern as we also know developing a bond | | | | respectful and positive relationship. |
| with an adopted child is not unlike the | | | | Adoptive parents need a variety of techniques |
| process of building one with a biological | | | | to facilitate the bonding experience. |
| child, it develops over time. | | | | Responding to the child's needs in a |
| | | | compassionate, loving and sensitive way |
| One of the first issues a new adoptive family | | | | encourages trust and recognition that the |
| faces is how well it will come together to | | | | child is worthy of unconditional love. |
| become a family unit. It is vital that all | | | | Responding to the child's needs in a loving |
| family members bond with each other and | | | | way leads to an increased sense of trust, |
| recognize one another as valuable members of | | | | security and a reduction in anxiety. |
| their family. Together they should work to | | | | |
| develop caring, committed relationships. | | | | For some families infant massage can play an |
| | | | important role in encouraging their bond. |
| For adoptive parents concerned about the | | | | Maintaining eye contact and loving touch |
| bonding process, it is best not to force the | | | | promote a sense of being cared for and |
| bond with your baby, but rather to take your | | | | accepted. Through the use of infant massage |
| time, adopting a positive and patient | | | | parents learn to become more attuned to their |
| understanding that bonding will occur over | | | | baby's unique and individual forms of |
| time will help in this process. Introducing | | | | communication. It can help parents to |
| dependable care and regular routines will | | | | understand their baby's cues and respond |
| help your child to feel more comfortable, | | | | appropriately. And of course having skin to |
| recognize what to expect, and what is | | | | skin contact through the use of loving touch, |
| expected of him as well. | | | | can help the family's bond to strengthen and |
| | | | grow! |