What is bonding?  Bonding is when you and your baby begin to build a relationship with one another.  Bonding is a process, and it happens over a period of time.

Certain actions assist parents in bonding closer to their baby.  Breastfeeding between mother and child creates a touch-and-smell bond.  However, even for parents that bottle feed their child, the baby does become attached by their senses of touch and smell.

Holding your baby, skin to skin, is another way to build a strong bond.  Making eye contact, responding when they cry, playing with them, reading to them, and singing to them are some of the other ways to build a bonding relationship.

Bonding is a very important part of the parent-child relationship.  But that doesn't mean you are the only one able to take care of the baby with no help.  

Exhaustion and depression can affect the bonding process.  Accept help - accepting help when needed helps both you and the baby while not interrupting your bonding relationship.