I have to step up here....I didn't have a good bond with my daughter. She is now 7 years old. Her daddy is the light of her life despite the hostiility toward each other like siblings. (thats another story).
At birth, from a drugged up and epidural and emergency c-section, frustrated at myself there was no bond but just an awe when they handed me for the first time.....beautiful baby! Just beautiful! My husband was at my side and I told him to look after her. He went with her, for clean up and inspection and she was OK but needed to go into the incubator with lights. She had jaudice really bad and blood incompatibility that just went wronky for a little bit. She stayed at the hospital for a week while I went home on the fourth day after surgery. I felt a loss, frustrated not breast feeding her or felt not doing it right which none of the nurses would help any why she is not latched on properly (as I found out later). Pain and more pain, pain killers drugged up, brain in a fog. I didnt have prenatal post partum depression either. Lucky me!
When it comes to my daughter, I would give her a warm house, a bed, food for her to eat and all the books she would ever want. Oh, the hugs, I love them even thru my pain (possibly fibromyglia) and she knows when I hurt, she would give me a kiss anyway. I would love her all the same but the maternal bond isn't there. She does look up to me for comfort, hugs, kisses or outright frustrated that I would talk to her and make sure she understood why or what reason why things didn't go the way she wanted it to be. She is a very loving child and if anything happens to her, I would do everything in my power to keep it happening. I would defend her for my life if a man even think about molesting her too......he would be gone (hubby would KILL him if he ever finds out if a man molest her) or reported to jail, get no PASS card. Nothing worse than a woman fighting like a tiger for her child. You cross my daughter, you will pay for MY H*** I will undo to you. If looks can kill, yep, that's me.
I don't have that strong maternal bond and my own mother was loving and kind but not the huggable, lovable mom all kissy kissy. My dad's family are very devoted to their kids and expressed so lovingly that it was sickening but that is THEM! I have to be grateful that my daughter sees that in her grandpa and my sister which all of them have strong maternal instinct. As long she is involved with them, she will be just fine. She does not have any interest in playing girl things but love to wear jewerly and dresses but does not play with dolls. Loves to play in dirt, mess with the chickens, ride horses (riding lessons) and express interest in doing more horse back riding lessons.
I am glad she lives thru me, horses and chickens and no way I ever encouraged her but she knows I love them. Now she wants to go to 4H which I have not found one yet that would deal with livestock, real farming than city 4H ers.
I can understand OP and how she felt. When I got pregnant, not expecting it to be so soon, after losing my job but it HAPPENS and afraid that my boyfriend (hubby now) would leave me. Nope, it was irrational and insecure feelings I had. Hubby stood up to the plate and he did a good job of it. Who decided to get up nights to check on his daughter so I can rest? He did. Even when she was sick, he stayed up with her. We both had an obligation to her as our only child and we will do the BEST we can for her.
If she was gone, I would cry even she was at Grandpa's house for an overnight stay...the house is too quiet. If we go to reenactments without her, we missed her fun even her whiney butt when she is tired. By the second day without her, we HAVE to get her back.