I know – you’re exhausted! Every one of us is working these days, and the last thing we want to do is to cater to a baby who won’t stop crying! In addition, you probably have never heard of Mary Ainsworth, John Bowlby, or attachment theory and research. What these researchers in psychology and human development have found is that Attachment is the most important affectionate tie that humans will have with special people throughout their lives. The way their relationships will be characterized, the model for these relationships, begins with their parents or first caregiver.
Many theoretical perspectives in psychology, such as the psychoanalytic perspective and behaviorism regard feeding as the primary context for the development of the infant-parent emotional bond. However, research has shown that although feeding remains an important context for building a close relationship, attachment does not depend on hunger satisfaction. Human infants can also become attached to people who do not feed them!
The most important thing to know is Attachment research found that the continuity of care-giving is linked to later development. When parents respond sensitively, not just in infancy but during later years as well, children are likely to develop favorably. In contrast, children of parents who react insensitively over a long period tend to establish lasting patterns of avoidant, resistant, or disorganized attachment. These kids are at a greater risk for later academic, emotional, and social difficulties.
So – baby’s been changed, fed, and comforted – but still is crying. It is hard to pinpoint the cause, but most likely your baby just misses you, and wants to linger in your arms and receive a little more human comfort and love. These early months are difficult for parents of babies with active temperaments – but hang in there – the bond you establish with your baby will set the stage for their close relationships in life.
