Introduction
Building the right relationship between parents and newborns is the most important aspect of the first months of life. Bonding, a feeling of strong attachment to each other, plays a major role in this context. In this first relationship with their parents, children develop knowledge about how the world works and what protection and support they can rely on. This essay argues that there is a long-term positive influence of parental bonding during early infancy on child development in the future.
Bonding with Newborn
It is an undisputed fact that the bond between a young child and their parents is extremely important. In the traditions of almost all cultures of the world, there is a principle of sensitivity to the development of children in the first days of their life. Similar patterns can be found in the attitude of animals towards their cubs in the first days of life.
That is, in the minds of mammals, there is an instinct to protect newborn creatures until they can do something on their own. The reason is that, from a biological perspective, human contact, such as touching and talking, makes newborns’ brains produce hormones that are vital for brain growth (“Bonding and attachment,” 2020). Without such care, there is a risk of pathological development in the future years.
Many parents may have doubts about the integral impact of bonding during infancy because newborns cannot memorize events happening to them at such an early age. Nevertheless, Joas and Möhler (2021) conducted the study with a sample of 97 healthy mothers and achieved a set of conclusions that strongly favor bonding. Firstly, maternal bonding influences children’s social skills in preschool age (Joas & Möhler, 2021). The mechanism lies in the fact that at school, children can build trusting relationships with peers and form a favorable learning environment around them.
Secondly, bonding during early infancy serves a protective function against developmental psychopathology (Joas & Möhler, 2021). Although other factors make bonding necessary, scholars are skeptical about proposing such claims because it is impossible to control all other influences in the long term. Nevertheless, the two reasons indicated show the verified consequences of building positive connections between a newborn and a mother.
Whether co-sleeping with newborns is part of bonding is a matter of academic debate. In general, co-sleeping is mostly a matter of cultural traditions rather than a factor suitable for scientific inquiry (Divecha, 2020). For example, the Western tradition of individualism and individual values has influenced the growth in the number of families that prefer separate beds for babies.
Concerning the academic perspective, some scientists note an increase in developmental safety when being in the biological system of sleeping in the same bed with parents (Divecha, 2020). At the same time, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued an opinion that separate sleep has more benefits (Divecha, 2020). Therefore, the decision should be made based on the parents’ perception of the practice of co-sleeping.
Conclusion
This essay elaborates on the scholarly justification of the crucial importance of bonding during early infancy. Babies form their primary attachments with the people who care most about them, especially their parents. There is no reason to argue that bonding can be substituted with alternatives, such as babysitter care. Some academic reasoning based on the scientific method has been presented to defend this position.
References
Bonding and attachment: Newborns. (2020). Raising Children AU. Web.
Divecha, D. (2020). How cosleeping can help you and your baby. Greater Good Magazine. Web.
Joas, J., & Möhler, E. (2021). Maternal bonding in early infancy predicts children’s social competencies in preschool age. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12, 1-9. Web.