The Importance of Infant Attachment
Infant attachment plays a fundamental role in a child’s upbringing. Among other factors, it’s important to understand what attachment is and how it can influence people’s mental and emotional health.
What is infant attachment?
Infant attachment, and its importance, can be defined in many ways. It’s possible that you can recognize when you’re faced with attachment. Attachment can be felt, sensed, and even seen.
Even then, it’s important to be objective and define it as the relationship we establish with the people we build an emotional bond with. Especially, with the people you first meet: your mom, your dad, and your direct family.
The importance of infant attachment: Why should we talk about it?
Besides talking about attachment and its importance in your development, it’s a good idea to practice it. Attachments are a good thing to build and develop a relationship on. However, these aren’t their only benefits. You can sense them throughout your life.
Identifying good vs. bad attachment: There lies the question
There are a few factors that can help you understand when you’re facing a satisfactory attachment – something very important for a good mental and emotional development.
Are there different types of attachment?
Yes, there are. An attachment can be a strong emotional bond you feel for special people in your life. When you interact with these people, you can feel pleasure, joy and relief in stressful situations.
Also, if you wonder how to support those feelings of trust, it’s important to quickly acknowledge a child’s signals, expressing positive emotions and treat the child with care and affection. This can help them build a feeling of trust. Trusting that their parents will take care of them and protect them at all times.
Additional notes on the importance of infant attachment
Attachments can be certain or uncertain. A certain attachment relates to healthy, happier children, that later become healthy adults. While the types of anxious and disorganized attachments relate more with developmental disorders, mistreatment and negligence towards children.
The relationship between attachment and breastfeeding
The relationship between attachment and breastfeeding is well documented. If for any reason a mother can’t breastfeed her children, attachments can still form when there’s a loving, empathetic, and caring interaction. This is done through visual, physical, and emotional contact with the baby.
In conclusion
Infant attachment is essential for a baby. There are different types of attachments depending on the trust and care between the parents and their child. According to psychoanalyst John Bowlby, there are four types of attachment: secure, ambivalent, avoidant, and disordered.
As the child grows in a loving and secure environment, it’s possible for them to develop a good concept of themselves and others. Keeping this affective relationship can also help prevent future mental and physical problems.
An insecure attachment can happen if the child feels rejected by their caretakers, especially if their caretakers don’t know or haven’t been emotionally available to care for their children’s needs.
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- Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría.
- Sociedad Chilena de Pediatría.