Coming home and sharing the joy of a new baby with others is such a special and precious time. Usually filled with lots of visits and hugs from family and friends, it's a time to gaze in wonder at this new life and share the ups and downs of being a new parent. The normal rites of passage, though, aren’t possible during a global pandemic and, naturally, you may feel at sea without your usual support network around you.
But you’re not alone.
Over 15,000 babies have been born in Scotland since the end of March 2020. And you, as mums, dads and carers, are parenting in a world no others have experienced before. You are doing a vital job in exceptional circumstances.
The good news is that many of the things you do that help your baby, like cuddling up to share songs, rhymes and stories, can make you feel more relaxed too! So not only are you helping your baby’s brain development, you are giving yourself a wee re-charge too.
In 2017, Jackie Kay, our Scots Makar (national poet), wrote a love-filled poem for the Scottish Government's Baby Box, so every family in Scotland can cherish and share her words. It’s a poem which is especially relevant now for the parents and carers who haven’t been able to share the joy of your newborn in the usual ways - and for all the grandparents who haven’t met their new grandchildren yet.
But mostly, it’s for the new babies who have been born during these unprecedented times.
Mum’s heartbeat in the womb is the first sound a baby hears. Its steady rhythm offers comfort to your baby. When you listen to a poem, its rhythm can have the same effect, soothing and comforting both you and baby. The bond you create by sharing songs stories and rhymes with your wee one will last a lifetime, and your baby will reap the benefits long after the pandemic has passed.
Welcome wee ones to the world!
Coorie doon and enjoy some precious moments with your wee one as Jackie shares her poem.
You can find out more about the benefits of sharing songs, stories and rhymes with your little one on our get started with Bookbug(this link will open in a new window) pages. We look forward to welcoming you and your baby to a Bookbug session when they’re back up and running.