You've bought the baby gear and labored over the nursery. And now here you are with a squealing, splotchy little person. For some moms, falling in love comes naturally. But for others, instant passion is the stuff of movies, not real life. If you're feeling as nervous as you would before a blind date, don't worry - there are simple things, many of which you're probably doing already, that will break the ice with your newborn. Making eye contact, talking and singing to her, and responding to her basic needs - feeding, soothing, and diapering - are all ways to nurture a positive attachment between you and your baby.
"I tell patients that a mother is being born as a baby is being born," says Anna Baumgaertel, M.D., a developmental pediatrician at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. In other words, be patient with yourself. Bonding is a process, and you will feel more and more connected over time.
