BONDING BATH - PROCESSING AND HEALING FROM A DIFFICULT BIRTH
The bonding bath is a method developed by German midwife Brigitte Meissner to recreate the bonding of mum and baby after birth and support the healing process after a traumatic or stressful birth experience. Brigitte Meissner calls is “Babyheilbad” which translated literally means “baby healing bath”.
What is the Bonding Bath?
Birth and the start of life isn’t always easy and joyful. Especially if it doesn’t go the way the mum had hoped for or if there were complications, the experience can leave mum, baby and dad sad, disappointed or traumatised. The golden hour after birth is so important for mum and newborn to have immediate and uninterrupted skin-to-skin bonding.
The bonding bath recreates that moment of birth when the newborn is laid wet on the mum’s naked chest and the two bond skin-to-skin. Recreating this moment is a healing and comforting experience for mums, babies, and dads.
For whom is it for?
Every new mum can do a bonding bath but it’s especially useful if you had
A c-section
An operative vaginal birth (forceps or vacuum)
An unexpected (too) quick birth or a very long prolonged birth
Separation from your baby after birth
Breastfeeding challenges
Difficulties bonding with your baby/ absence of maternal feelings
Extreme baby blues or postpartum depression
When and how often should you do the Bonding Bath?
You can do the bonding bath any time after birth, in the first few days or weeks later.
You can repeat the bath more often. This way, it can optimally unfold its healing effect. Meissner says “The babyheilbad unfolds its full therapeutic potential for the baby only through multiple repetitions. Experience shows that many babies cry more the first two times when they “tell” their story and then enjoy the cuddle a little bit more each time. This subsequent bonding heals a lot.”
What do I need for a bonding bath?
Time
A quiet and safe place
Baby bathtub
Large cozy towel
Instructions: How to do a bonding bath?
When you do the bonding bath for the first time you can tell your birth or pregnancy story before the bath. Tell your story to your baby because it’s your shared experience.
For the bonding bath:
Create a cozy and undisturbed atmosphere. The room should be warm and you might want to have dimmed lights, fairy lights or candles.
You can play quiet background music. If you created a playlist for birth – have that one running. Basically, you can re-create the environment that you would have liked to have for your birth.
If you bottle feed, have a bottle ready next to you.
For the first time, it’s recommended to have your partner or a person you trust with you.
Prepare the bathtub with water for the baby (you don’t need any soap). If possible bring the bathtub right next to your bed.
Lie down comfortably on your bed without clothes covering your chest. Cover yourself with a large and cozy towel.
Your partner or support person bathes the baby and puts the wet baby straight from the water on your naked chest after the bath.
Cover the baby and yourself with the towel.
You don’t have to dry your baby as it’s supposed to be the same as at a calm birth.
With that, you recreate the moment of birth and bonding for mum and baby.
Your partner can quickly put a diaper between your baby’s legs and then lie next to you so that the three of you can enjoy this moment for as long as you want.
You can (breast)feed your baby after the initial bonding. Most babies show an increased need to suckle after the bath because their deep primal instincts are touched. When those are meet, healing occurs.
Alternative ways
If you have to bath the baby in the bathroom, then you can bath your baby and take it right out of the water right on your chest. Give your baby a big hug, put a towel around you and snuggle up in bed together.
It’s possible for mum and baby to bath together in a big bathtub and then snuggle up in bed together, wrapped up in a big towel.
The skin-to-skin contact with the naked and wet baby is very emotional for most mums. Because it is similar to the situation in which a newborn lies on the mum’s breast after a vaginal birth. That’s the moment that many mums miss after a difficult birth experience.
The bonding bath can evoke strong emotions in both you and your child.
Let your tears flow and let your baby cry.
Let your feelings out.
Stay together skin-to-skin.
Don’t rush the moment.
Take all the time that you and your baby need.
IF YOU, OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW NEEDS HELP after a stressful or traumatic birth experience:PANDA NATIONAL HELPLINE: 1300 726 306BIRTHTRAUMA ASSOCIATIONBIRTHTRAUMA CONSULTANCYRelated Blog Posts