Focus on attachment parenting
To most parents the concept of attachment parenting is not one they know a lot about. I was first introduced to the concept by my ante-natal yoga teacher who gave me a leaflet for the Natural Nurturing Network. Upon first glance I thought
"why do we need an organization for people that share a bed with their baby? Don't most parents do that anyway?" I was later to learn that bed sharing is the exception rather than the norm, in the world in general, it is the opposite. Bed sharing is just one facet of attachment parenting, but it's a good place to start.Although I had planned on having my baby at home we ended up in hospital. On being moved from the delivery room to the ward for the night, for some strange reason I asked if I could have my baby in bed with me, I say ‘strange reason’ because I had every intention of having her in the bed and would have done so even if I had not been given permission. However, I remember the midwife saying that all babies slept next to their mother (in a plastic cot) and they did not usually sleep in bed with them. It made me wonder if I was the first mother to suggest it – I hope not! Anyway we did sleep together that night, she slept on my chest or at my side with a pillow between her and the bars of the hospital bed.
It is widely accepted that skin to skin contact between a new born baby and its mother is vitally important to establish a close bond.
Parents are encouraged to spend at least an hour getting to know their baby. However when it comes to sharing sleeping space the importance of this to the bonding process appears to be overlooked.