My Connection with My Unborn Baby

As a first time mom and a professional, I was motivated to give my best to my baby. I am an avid reader, so what I read during my pregnancy was directly linked to how I can best take care of my baby. I read throughout my pregnancy that pre-natal stage is an equally active stage for the baby. As soon as I found (from the internet) that my growing baby in my tummy is ready to listen to sounds, I was ready to talk to her. I constantly read to her. I made up some pet songs and rhymes that I used to share with her. I used to put her to sleep everyday with a lullaby. A lot of instrumental and classical music went on in the house so that the baby will get to hear good music and hopefully will develop a preference to melody more than the dhin-chak that she was bound to experience when she stepped out of the tummy. Not knowing what influence all these may have on the baby in the bump, I trusted and kept things alive for her. The first time I realized that it did have an effect was the first time I had to put the baby to sleep. It was our second night in the hospital. Baby was crying hysterically. Mommy-in-law, the know all, done all was failing and seemingly getting frustrated with no success. So the crying lump of fat was dropped in my arms. Ooh! What a feeling! At that very moment, I had changed completely. From a daughter, daughter-in-law, wife I had become something else. A mother. A mom. Someone's whole world. Someone's lifeline. I was under tremendous pressure to help my little angel at that moment. What I did was what I had been doing with her in the Bump. I sang our night lullaby - a number by Lata Mangeshkar! Lo and Behold! My angel stopped crying and slept fast asleep. I was relieved and happy and my trust grew manyfolds that connecting and bonding with the baby does help. 
Bonding between parents and their child provides the baby's first model for intimate relationships and fosters a sense of security and positive self-esteem. And parents' responsiveness to an infant's signals can affect the child's social and cognitive development. Babies are ready immediately to bond. But parents take time. Bonding is a process, not something that takes place within minutes and not something that has to be limited to happening within a certain time period after birth. For many parents, bonding is a byproduct of everyday caregiving. You may not even know it's happening until you observe your baby's first smile and suddenly realize that you're filled with love and joy. But as concerned parents, when we know bonding is good for our baby, shouldn't we make attempts to ensure it happens as early as possible?