Many parents are surprised when their little ones demonstrate strong feelings of affection. Does a baby or toddler actually have the emotional skills to show such feelings? The answer is a resounding yes. Most children form deep, loving bonds with their parents and friends from a very early age. Bonding and attachment happen when you consistently respond to newborns with love, warmth and care. Newborns use body language to show when they want to connect with you. Good ways to bond with newborns include smiling, eye contact, singing, reading and cuddling.

The process of bonding with a new baby is natural for most mothers. It's completely normal to take a few days, a few weeks or several months to feel that special bond. There may never be one 'wham bam' moment, just a gradual growing of love. So it's important not to feel under pressure to bond or feel a failure as a mum if you haven't bonded. When a caregiver consistently responds to an infant's needs, it sets the stage for the growing child to enter healthy relationships with other people throughout life and to appropriately experience and express a full range of emotions.

The strong ties between parents and their child provide the baby's first model for intimate relationships and foster a sense of security and positive self-esteem. And parents' responsiveness to an infant's signals can affect the child's social and cognitive development. You'll intuitively understand how to handle your baby (even if it's not the way you thought you would). You'll know what frightens her (even if it's almost everything). You'll have a pretty good idea of what to expect from her (even if it's the worst). And you'll have no trouble guessing what she likes best of all, and that is YOU.

At birth, they are starting to recognize your voices, faces, and smells to figure out who is taking care of them. Since the maternal voice is audible in utero, an infant starts to recognize their mother's voice from the third trimester. Attachment is when a baby and caregiver form a strong connection with each other, emotionally and physically. Bonding with your baby is important. It helps to release hormones and chemicals in the brain that encourage rapid brain growth.

Babies learn how to show affection from the way that their parents express it to them. Hugs and pecks on the cheek and forehead become a signal to baby that you love him, so the baby begins to mimic those signs of affection to express mutual love. Paying attention, listening to your child's feelings, treating your baby with kindness and providing caring touch are all key to relationship building with your baby. Infants and toddlers in thriving relationships with special adults feel safe, protected, appreciated, and loved. 

When an infant establishes a relationship with a sensitive and responsive caregiver, the infant learns whom to trust and turn to when needing support. An older baby might try to give you kisses or will ask for hugs.

Ordinary moments are anything but ordinary when your baby's face lights up when he sees you or when she smiles at your smile.