How to Spend Time in the NICU | Bonding Games When Sitting with Baby

Bonding with your baby begins right after they’re born, even in the NICU! It can happen in so many ways. Bonding helps baby feel safe, secure, and loved. It’s a process that can take time, but taking little steps every day, even when they’re in the NICU, can make a big difference.
Here are some activities to engage and bond with baby while you are sitting down. Remember, every baby is different, and in the NICU their needs may vary. So always ask baby’s healthcare provider what is safe for them to do.
Activities include:
• Face-to-Face - helps baby work on their head control, strengthen core muscles, and bond with you.
• Getting to Know Baby - helps to calm baby so they reach an alert state and are ready to play.
• Lap Hold - helps baby reach an alert state so they’re ready to play; work on vision, tracking, and head control; and engage with you.
• Looking at You - helps baby work on vision, tracking, and eye contact; and engage with you.
• Rattle Up and Down - helps baby work on vision, tracking, eye contact, and head control; and engage with you.
• Side Lying - helps calm baby so they reach an alert state and are ready to play, work on bringing their hands together, and on bringing their hands to their mouth.
• Swaddle and Sit - helps baby reach an alert state so they’re ready to play, work on their head control, strengthen core muscles, and work on vision including eye contact and tracking.
• Swaddle-Up - helps calm baby so they reach an alert state and are ready to play.
Watch to see how to play these games with baby!
📹 Understanding Common Baby Cues in the NICU: • What is My Baby Tellin...
📹 Massage+ 30, 10, 5: How to Massage Baby and Help Their Development: • How to Massage Baby & ...
📹 The Benefits of Massage+ 30, 10, 5: • Benefits of Massage+ 3...
📹 Crying, Cooing, and Communication in Baby's First Year: • Crying, Cooing, Commun...
🏠 Visit Pathways.org for more FREE resources: www.pathways.org
👶 Download our FREE, award-winning mobile app, featuring important milestones to keep baby on track: pathways.org/mobile-app
🔗 Bonding with Baby in the NICU: pathways.org/bond-with-baby-i...
🔗 Learn more about the states of newborn alertness: pathways.org/the-best-time-to...
🔗 Learn more about baby’s hunger cues: pathways.org/baby-hunger-cues/
📧 Stay in the know! Keep up with our latest FREE materials by signing up for our weekly email newsletter: pathways.org/sign-up/
___
👪 ABOUT PATHWAYS.ORG
Pathways.org is a non-profit organization that provides free, trusted resources so that every parent is fully empowered to support their child’s development. Our milestones are supported by American Academy of Pediatric findings. Our resources are developed with and approved by expert pediatric physical and occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists.
___
👋 COME JOIN US
Facebook: / pathwaysdotorg
Instagram: / pathwaysorg
Pinterest: / pathwaysorg
Twitter: / pathwaysorg
___
#playingwithbaby #nicubaby #preemie #newbornbaby #bondingwithbaby #newparents #parentingtips #babygames
___
00:00 Bonding games when sitting with baby
00:03 Face-to-Face
00:22 Getting to Know Baby
01:05 Lap Hold
01:29 Looking at You
01:51 Rattle Up and Down
02:19 Side Lying
02:30 Swaddle and Sit
02:54 Swaddle-Up
___
Copyright © 2024 Pathways Foundation
All materials including videos are provided at no cost; no fees or charges may be associated with any of the Pathways.org materials without prior written approval.