Mothers start bonding with their baby before delivery

We often think parenting begins after birth – diapers, lullabies, and sleepless nights. But what if a mother’s bond with her baby starts much earlier, long before the baby is born?

A recent study led by Dr. Nora Medina from Thomas Jefferson University suggests just that.

Dr. Medina and her colleagues at the University of Chicago have shed light on how the emotional connection between mother and child during pregnancy lays the groundwork for future relationships.

This work goes beyond traditional research, which often begins after the child is born. By tracing bonds from the prenatal stage, Medina reveals new insight into how early experiences influence parenthood.

Her study focuses on a group often overlooked or misjudged – young, low-income, racially diverse mothers – and highlights their emotional resilience and strength. In doing so, she challenges long-held assumptions about who makes a good parent.

Mother-child bond begins before birth

Dr. Medina and her team followed 160 women from pregnancy through their children’s toddler years. The mothers came from racially diverse backgrounds and faced economic challenges. Yet within this group, the researchers discovered powerful stories of connection, emotion, and care.

Mothers who reported feeling emotionally connected to their babies during pregnancy later had stronger, more positive relationships with them. They interacted with greater sensitivity and warmth. These bonds weren’t fleeting emotions – they predicted lasting patterns in how mothers related to their toddlers over time.

On the other hand, mothers who had difficult experiences with their own parents struggled more to connect prenatally.

These women often expressed frustration and anger in their early parenting. The study reveals how cycles of emotional distance can repeat — but also how they can be identified and changed.

Bonding shapes how motherhood begins

Most parenting studies begin after childbirth. They examine how parents behave, what support systems they use, and how children respond. But Medina’s work shifts that focus to pregnancy itself – a time often treated as purely medical.

Her research fills a critical gap. The prenatal period isn’t just about physical development. It’s also an emotional window, where a parent begins forming their sense of identity and connection.

When that early bond feels strong, it can shape everything that comes after – from how a mother soothes her baby to how she sees herself in the role of a parent.

These findings suggest we need to rethink when parenting really begins. Pregnancy isn’t just preparation – it’s the beginning of a relationship.

Young mothers can build strong early bonds

In addition to emotional insights, Dr. Medina’s study takes on harmful cultural stereotypes. Young, low-income mothers often carry the burden of negative assumptions. They are seen as disengaged or incapable. Medina wanted to counter that image with data from real lives.

“Parenting is challenging, and young, low-income mothers face additional stressors,” said Dr. Medina. “I focused on studying mother-infant relationships within this population to produce findings that may inform parenting support programs more closely aligned with the lived experiences of young, low-income mothers.”

The results contradict common misconceptions. The majority of participants reported strong prenatal connections. They continued to show care, attentiveness, and love as their children grew.

This group, often painted in broad and negative strokes, revealed themselves as thoughtful, emotionally aware parents – navigating hardship with strength.

Early support and the mother-baby bond

Dr. Medina believes our systems need to support mothers earlier in the journey. Too often, interventions wait until problems appear. Instead, she proposes we begin during pregnancy, when emotional connections are forming.

Dr. Medina suggests that support to promote strong parent-child relationships should begin during pregnancy. Interventions should help young mothers explore their past relationship experiences and recognize how they shape their expectations of parenthood.

Programs that incorporate perinatal social workers or doulas could help facilitate these discussions and encourage healthier attachment patterns.

Support during pregnancy allows mothers to reflect on their own emotional histories. It also helps them build a sense of confidence and preparedness.

Early conversations about relationships, expectations, and past trauma can have lasting effects on parenting style and connection.

Access remains the greatest challenge

While the research offers clear solutions, one problem remains – access. Despite the promising insights, Dr. Medina says funding remains a key barrier to accessibility of such support programs.

Moving forward, she hopes to further investigate how familial and community-based support can help strengthen early mother-child bonds and improve long-term outcomes for young mothers and their children.

Her hope lies in community support networks – systems already embedded in many families’ lives. These local connections may offer flexible, culturally grounded ways to support young mothers.

Medina’s future research will explore how family structures and neighborhood ties can reinforce early attachment.

Dr. Medina’s study invites us to expand our understanding of what it means to parent. Parenthood doesn’t begin with birth – it begins with emotion, intention, and connection. Her work reminds us that even in challenging circumstances, strong relationships can take root early.

The study is published in the journal Infant Mental Health Journal Infancy and Early Childhood.

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