Massage is a fantastic way to bond with your newborn, and also helps him or her in tangible ways – you’ll stretch out little legs and arms that are used to being curled up, alleviate any dry skin conditions with the oil, and provide warmth and comfort.

This morning, I placed Veronika on a soft blanket on the floor between my legs, wearing only a diaper. Be sure to use an edible vegetable oil, or a specifically formulated baby oil for this purpose.

Starting at the shoulders, rub down the arms and out to the fingers.

Repeat on the legs, rubbing from the hips down to the toes.

You can also gently massage baby’s belly, and turn her over and rub the back.

It’s fun to sing, too, to the tune of a familiar nursery rhyme. As I rubbed her feet for example, I sang, “We’re rubbing Veronika’s feet, we’re rubbing Veronika’s feet, hi ho the derio, we’re rubbing Veronika’s feet.”

You probably spend lots of time staring at your newborn’s face and making little expressions – wide open mouths, silly faces, sticking your tongue out. Adults tend to get silly around babies! But this little activity is almost the reverse of that, and is such a wonderful way to see your baby.

I simply held Veronika on my lap, her head cushioned in my hands, and looked at her gaze, trying to copy what she did with her eyes.

You can make wide eyes when your child’s eyes are wide, or blink when they blink.

Copying expressions is such an important first step toward reading facial cues and teaching emotional intelligence, and you’ll have an adorable time with this one.