3 ways to make the most of quality time with your baby

It’s natural to worry when you return to work or are away from your baby for any extended period: Will my baby still feel attached to me? Will they love their other caregivers more? 

Fortunately, research shows that you can have a deeply connected and secure relationship with your baby even if you can’t be with them all the time. What matters most is the quality—not the quantity—of the interactions between babies and their caregivers. Rather than focus on the time you aren’t spending with your baby, think about how to connect with them when you are together ❤️

1. Take a few minutes to reunite

If you’re returning home after being at work, give your baby 5 to 10 minutes of your undivided attention rather than jumping right into the tasks of everyday living. You can read a book together, go outside, or just sit with them and tell them about your day. 

2. Play face-to-face

When you and your baby make eye contact, smile, and laugh together, you boost oxytocin—a hormone related to feelings of love and connection. So however you play, do it facing them. Try these ideas to get started: 

• Have a back-and-forth “chat.” Coos and babbles are your baby’s way of starting a conversation  😊 When your baby makes a sound, repeat it back to them, then pause to give them time to respond.
• Sing your baby’s favorite song. Even if you don’t think you have a good voice, your baby will love the sound because it’s yours.
• Join your baby in tummy time. Lay on your belly facing them, so you can look into their eyes. 

3. Connect through touch

Touch is a research-backed way to reduce stress hormones for both you and your baby. Try massaging your baby’s trunk, legs, and arms gently during a diaper change or as you get them ready for bed. Or, snuggle them close and rock or sing to them before putting them in their crib. 

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Learn more about the research

Field, T., Grizzle, N., Scafidi, F., Abrams, S., Richardson, S., Kuhn, C., & Schanberg, S. (1996). Massage therapy for infants of depressed mothers. Infant Behavior and Development, 19(1), 107-112.

Huston, A. C., & Rosenkrantz Aronson, S. (2005). Mothers’ time with infants and time in employment as predictors of mother–child relationships and children’s early development. Child Development, 76(2), 467-482.