The most dangerous day in your child’s life is the day he/she is born. At the moment of the birth, the lungs suddenly have to expand with air, as the complex breathing mechanism starts to function. Sudden changes occur in the circulation of the blood through the heart and lungs; and within a few hours, the baby has to learn how to suck, swallow and digest milk.

Equally important for the new person’s future is the emotional “bond” with his parents, especially his/her mother. The new born baby’s survival and development depend on the strength of this attachment. Psychologists believe that the mother – child relationship will influence the quality of all future links and bonds the child will form with other people.

Pregnancy has given the parents the time to accept the fetus as a future member of their family. Thanks to the modern technology, they already knew that the baby will be a girl or a boy; but actually seeing and touching the new baby is a very special experience. Many hospitals now provide a quiet room or cubicle where the parents can spend the hours following their baby’s birth, making his acquaintance and rejoicing in private.

Unless the mother has had an anesthetic or a sedative due to her medical condition, the baby is likely to be wide awake and quiet after the first few minutes of yelling.
The baby opens his eyes, stretches and spears to enjoy eye-to-eye contact with parents, and grasping their fingers in his tiny hands.

He may even appear to respond to the rhythm of their conversation by small movements of his mouth and limbs. The parents quite naturally use a special voice to the baby, and are delighted by the perfection of his fingers and toes and the feel of his skin. Besides the joy of this encounter, the mother experiences changes in her hormones which stimulate her womb to contract and her breasts to function.

To this meeting with your child, you bring the long history of your own relationships with your family and with your mate and your experience during this pregnancy and others. The way you were brought up, the child bearing practices of your culture, your values, and your religious beliefs, all these contribute.

The baby’s response to you is the other side of this behavior. The environment and the behavior of the attendants may enhance or spoil your enjoyment. Think of your baby as a person, not as a toy.