Early Emotional Development HPD 4C Working with School age Children and Adolescents – Mrs. Filinov

Have you ever heard that you shouldn’t touch a baby bird Have you ever heard that you shouldn’t touch a baby bird? Why do you think this is so?

Bonding at Birth Common wisdom is that you should never touch baby birds if you find them because the mother bird will abandon them.

Bonding at Birth Scientists have known that animals have a “sensitive period” following birth when a deep bond is formed between mother and baby. If this bond is disturbed, sometimes the mother will reject the infant. Research indicates that human mother-child bonding is also beneficial.

Bonding at Birth This is one reason for changes in the childbirth practices in hospitals. Today, birthing rooms are less institutional and more home like. Babies are handed to their mothers right at birth if possible.

Even in the case of Caesarean delivery (the surgical removal of the baby through an incision in the abdomen), a mother can remain awake for the surgery with the use of an epidural that freezes her below the waist that allow the mother to see and touch her newborn right away.

Most hospitals encourage rooming in where a baby stays with her mother in her room day and night.

There is also a growing interest in midwife- assisted births and home births that improve the opportunity for early mother-child bonding. Midwives are professionals who help mothers with normal, uncomplicated pregnancies, labours and deliveries. Midwives in Canada must have a four-year university degree in Midwifery.

Some hospitals and midwives provide breast- feeding coaching and most community health programs have breast-feeding clinics that mothers can continue to attend for a few weeks to support and educate mothers about breast- feeding.

Mothers who cannot breast feed should not feel guilty Mothers who cannot breast feed should not feel guilty. Bonding is promoted when bottle- feeding when infants are held close and eye contact is made.

Discussion question: Why do you think that a mother would not breast-feed their baby?

Fathers and Infant Bonding Today, fathers are encouraged to be support members of the labour and delivery team which allows them a closer bond with their newborn infants. Even before birth most father attend prenatal preparation classes with their partners.

They can read materials to prepare themselves for their parenting role They can read materials to prepare themselves for their parenting role. Some cultures do not encourage men to be involved in infant care, but this tradition is also changing in Canada as all men experience the positive emotions of bonding with their child.

Strengthening Bonding Ties It is important to remember that bonding is a process, not a moment. The emotional bond between infants and parents continues to grow and strengthen as the parent holds, cuddles, talks to, and cares for the newborn.

The process of bonding is carried out in different ways throughout life; the parent and child revise and solidify their emotional relationship as the child progresses through infancy, childhood, adolescence and into adulthood.

Discussion question: Describe how fathers can become involved in the bonding process with their infants.