Will My Baby Love Me?

Question

My boy is 8 weeks today. He’s a very chill baby for the most part, doesn’t seem to care who holds him or anything. He’s smiled at me like once and seems to be able to focus on things and will really stare at us now, so I’m not really worried about milestones. Except I try to get him to smile and he won’t besides that one time.
I’m just wondering if any one has felt this way. I’m worried my son doesn’t really have a connection/bond with me and won’t like me lol. It sounds silly but when he was born he had to go to the NICU and we never got the hang of BF, so he’s on formula now, and I worry these things have prevented a strong bond.
I’m sure partly I feel this way because In the beginning I struggled with feeling that connection, maybe I still do, but I know it’s growing stronger each day and I love him so much.
He was really cute today with my husband and was just watching and listening to him in awe (I think he likes male voices) but I got kind of jealous and started thinking all of the “ what ifs”. Is this just one of those normal things new moms stress about and later down the road, realize it was silly to think this?

Answer

I wondered if my son would ever love me for weeks. I’d cry because I didn’t feel that “instant bond” everyone says you get, how as soon as your baby is born nothing else matters except for them and the way they love you is like no other… except non of that was true for me. I didn’t cry when he was born, I didn’t have a surge of emotions or feel overwhelmed with love and happiness. Once he started smiling at 5 weeks I kinda felt a bit better of it, like “oh he must like me a little bit”. He had colic and horrible reflux so basically he was crying around the clock and I couldn’t calm him down. I thought he HATED ME. Then once he started giggling… I finally cried for a good reason and had that overwhelming sense of love and affection, and I could really tell he felt the same. That was around 3 or 4 months. Now as he’s older (over 5 months), he’s always looking for me, smiles at the sound of my voice and is calmed down by my efforts. Sometimes they just need time. Just like us, and that’s ok💓 I felt awful about it at first but then I kind of sat back and reminded myself that my son was a BRAND NEW human.. he had to figure everything out and learn he could trust me and that he was safe with me in this big scary world. He already loves you I’m sure, he just may not know how to display it the way us adults do or it may be very subtle the way he shows you. Keep up the hard work mama!!

Answer

Smiling doesn’t happen this early - so do not worry about that . And you are the best mom for him. He doesn’t know what love is but he is attached to you as his caregiver and can recognize you through smell. These first few months are the hardest but never doubt he loves you !

Answer

I felt the same way but about 3-4 months is when the smiles and giggles came in full force and he was able to fully express his emotions. My bond with him now is amazing.

Answer

I didn’t get an instant bond with my son at first, exhaustion and stress didn’t help at all 
But we did get there and my son is literally glued to me and always wants to give me cuddles and tells me how much he loves me and misses me when I go to work