Worried I’ve damaged my bond with my 9mo… how can I improve it?
Is there anything I can do to improve my bond with my 9mo?
We’ve had a really tricky start with colic, goo allergies, burnout, really poor sleep and postpartum rage (all of which are under control now) which have meant I’ve screamed and shouted around baby and got frustrated with them more than I’d care to admit. LO clearly loves me, gravitates to me, smiles all the time, I can make them belly laugh like no one else and I’m ultimately primary care giver. But I worry that I’ve damaged our bond even though the vast majority of our interactions have been positive. Mostly I’m thinking this because she’s a super independent little lady, when she’s fallen a few times (she’s cruising!) she’s taken ages to calm down even with cuddles and really it’s the dummy that’s calmed her down. Shes also not very cuddly, always something more fun to do unless she’s really tired. Her way of crying has also started charging in the last few weeks, less mad baby cry and now like genuine toddler upset which is honestly heartbreaking to hear, full on sobs.
I’m potentially overthinking because of guilt from how I’ve dealt with things… but apart from what I’m doing (playing, cuddling when she lets me, kisses and strokes and generally trying to make our days fun and stimulating) is there anything I can do to improve our bond?
Posted Mar 6, 2026, 3:51 PM UTC