How to Read to Baby - Tip 3 - Reading=Bonding

Pick Shakespeare or People magazine if you want. Your newborn couldn’t care less about what you’re reading.

In the initial days and weeks, when your baby is still getting used to sounds and stimulation, reading is more about the shared experience, than about vocabulary or language.

So, when you begin reading to your baby, approach it with this idea in mind. When you think of reading time as one-on-one bonding time with your baby, the experience is refreshing, fulfilling and rewarding, even.

- Create pleasant, positive associations with reading – This begins with ensuring that your baby is in a good mood. Make sure she is not hungry or uncomfortable in any way. Pick a comfortable spot for reading together. Consider the light, posture, ventilation and other aspects that impact your reading experience. If you wish, you could have soft, instrumental music playing in the background as you read. Or read in your patio, with the sounds of nature accompanying your voice. Look at it this way – if you had the entire afternoon off and all you wanted to do was curl up and unwind with your favorite book, which spot would you pick? In all likelihood, your baby will share your view, if she could express herself.

- Touch and feel – Now that you’re in the perfect spot, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t make the best of it. With very young babies, reading together translates to cuddles, hugs, kisses, rubs and tickles. Babies thrive on caring human touch and studies show that babies who are held and touched in a loving way grow up to be healthier and less aggressive than those who are not. Reading time is a wonderful way to nurture your baby with touch. Choosing books like Counting Kisses or Ten Tiny Tickles could get you started.

- Communicate - You probably can’t tell but from the moment your baby is born he is constantly learning, forming connections in his brain, making associations and picking up language. So, when you read to your baby, remind yourself what you’re really doing – forging bonds and communicating with him. So, don’t just stop at reading. Make eye contact with your baby. Smile at him. Speak to him. Ask him questions (even if you have to answer them yourself). Sing to him. Joke and laugh. Be expressive. Treat reading to your baby as a conversation.

- Make reading time a priority – Reading and keeping your baby engaged may seem like a chore, especially in the initial weeks or months, when you’re sleep deprived and probably haven’t settled into a routine yet. But, if you treat it as an opportunity to forget about everything else and unwind with your child for a few minutes, you will begin to see how rejuvenating it can be. So, give reading time the importance it deserves. When you’re reading to your baby, avoid interruptions and distractions like the urge to answer the phone or check messages. Let your baby know that the time you read together is special and that all your attention is directed at her for those few minutes. Soon, you and your baby will start looking forward to those precious moments to relax and bond.