Bonding With My Babies the Natural Way

My husband and I have two daughters and the bonds we have with our girls are precious pieces of gold; they formed in their own unique ways even though they are based on the same powerful ingredients.

When my oldest daughter Bethany was born I worried that the bonding didn't happen immediately. I felt guilty that the deep heartfelt bond didn't happen the moment I snuggled her tiny body close to mine. Oh, it was there, of course. And it slowly started showing itself. In moments when her eyes connected with mine, and I knew she knew me. In the smell of her sweet skin after a bath. The first non-gas smile first smile. BAM! There was that connection I waiting for. I didn’t just love her—I was in love.

Bethany’s very first—and chaotic—bath was a bit traumatizing for her. WE were traumatized too, and tensions were high. My husband Corey scooped her up, settled down on the couch and began methodically rubbing and massaging her back, humming softly. Her wailing stopped, the room grew still, and slowly she slipped off to sleep. It was in that baby massaging moment that I watched their own special bond begin to grow.

Bonding with my second daughter Audrey was the same in some ways, but different in most.

I remember our first night home, rocking her in the dark of night trying desperately to get sleep to come. Her face was pressed against my shoulder and as I shifted in my seat it slipped in closer, pressing her tiny cheek against my neck. Her tears stopped, a little sigh slipped out and she fell deep asleep. As time wore on whenever she was tired or upset she’d slip her hand to the side of my face, rub my arm, or cling to my finger and calm would come. She loved getting out of her bath, the warm towel, the lotion and the soothing massage.

Interestingly, almost 7 years later Bethany still waits each night for that back rub from her Daddy—and I think he does too. He still has the power to send her off to sleep. And Audrey remains my snuggly one. When she’s scared, tired, or just needing some extra love, she’ll come running, full tilt into my arm. She’ll press her face against my skin, waiting for the other arm to wrap around her. And that's the sweet spot where we connect.

The bonds with our girls truly are special and unique, like so many of the bonds we form in life, they're rooted in time, love, and touch. The products we used during those connecting moments was as big a concern for me as the time itself. I needed something that achieved the results I needed while still being "safe" for my babies, something like the Johnson's Natural line.

For Audrey, the Johnson's Natural Baby Lotion, which is paraben-free, dye free and allergy tested would have been perfect for her after bath massage, soothing away the irritated skin she often suffers from. The Johnson's Natural Baby Wash & Baby Shampoo, being that it's made from 97% naturally derived ingredients, phthalate-free and dermatologist tested, would have been a great match for Bethany's dry scalp. The time and thought put into creating this product line wouldn't have just met the needs of our girls bodies, but of my concerned mama's heart.

Our girls may not be babies any longer but that hasn't stopped us from wanting to try the Johnson's Natural Baby line on them. Audrey's eczema on her little hands recently flared up, leaving her little hands itchy & raw. Since she has sensitive skin, she's hesitant (read: she's not above taking a swing at my head to avoid lotion contact!) to try new things. Gladly, her fears quickly dissipated after I applied the lotion. We both loved the soft fragrance that is a unifying characteristic throughout the whole line, she loved that the pump had a large enough head for her easily use and didn't shed even a tear as it was rubbed onto her skin. We've only used it a few times but I'm impressed that it does not cause any stinging and with how well it's working.

The Johnson's Naturals Shampoo and Body Wash both have the same soothing fragrance which I would describe as “clean.” I love that while it does a great job of cleaning the girls' skin it doesn't feel like it's stripping the natural oils off and it rinses away easily. When it's all said and done, their skin is clean and soft after a bath and so are my hands!

True bonding with baby takes time, patience, and love. Whether it’s a back rub from Daddy, the touch of Mama’s skin, or the help from a product in this special line, the bonds may look different, but they sure are special.