The Beginning of Life and the Art of Early Attachment

The arrival of a new person in this world marks one of the most incisive and significant moments in a family’s life. This transition from the salvaged tightness of the womb to the noisy and bright outside world requires enormous adaptation from all parties involved. In modern obstetrics, the focus is increasingly on the understanding that the early minutes andHours are of vital importance not only for the physical health, but above all for the mental development of the infant. Scientific findings of the past decades have shown that nature has equipped the start of life with special biological mechanisms that are intended to ensure survival and well-being.

The magical early hour after arrival

Immediately after delivery, a window of time opens, which is described by experts as extremely valuable for the first contact. In this early hour, the parents, especially the mother, make a deep emotional connection with their offspring. Particularly in maternity hospitals, which are geared to the needs of newborns, great emphasis is placed on ensuring that the spatialand organizational prerequisites for this intimate moment. If this ideal process is not possible for medical or organizational reasons, the parents do not have to reproach themselves for life. The human biological system is flexible enough to successfully establish such a connection at a later date.

The biological peculiarity of human development

Unlike many other mammals, human infants are born in an extremely immature state. This circumstance is the result of an evolutionary compromise between walking upright and the development of a particularly large brain. Nature has placed the time of birth in such a way that the head can barely pass through the maternal pelvis. That’s why the smallBeings in the first twelve months of life are much more helpless than the offspring of other animal species and are necessarily dependent on the devoted care of their caregivers. Some scientists even believe that the gestation period would actually have to take several months longer to reach greater maturity.

Immediate skin contact as a key to rest

In order to make it easier for the newborn and the parents to arrive, direct skin contact is recommended in the initial hour. Ideally, the infant rests on the mother’s chest, while the father closely accompanies the situation at her side. In this way, the child perceives the familiar heartbeat and hears the voices of his parents, who he already knows from his time in the womb.Due to the last hormonal secretions during childbirth, infants are often still wide awake and ready to interact at this stage. Sleep only follows when the early impressions have been processed and the deep rest has returned.

Overcoming rigid clinical processes

If the usual procedure in the maternity hospital does not provide for this close contact, the parents should always seek consultation with the responsible staff. No healthy child needs to be separated from the mother immediately after delivery, even for the initial medical life test. An experienced midwife can easily perform these necessary examinations on the abdomenof the mother. This also applies to childbirth by cesarean section, provided that the mother and child are in good health. While the mother’s medical care is running, the father can hold the child on his bare chest and thus take over the function of the warming hug.

The essence of emotional connection

Building a secure bond is the fundamental issue of early parenthood and forms the foundation for all future interpersonal relationships. It is not a state that you simply possess, but a dynamic process that develops over and over again through time and attention. However, this connection can also tear,if the caregivers are not present or internally turn away from the needs of the child. True security arises for the child through the knowledge of being welcome with all his emotions and not being left alone in crises. This includes consistently comforting in any situation without judging the child’s behavior or punishing them for their reactions.

Choosing the right place for the early days

If the family stays in the clinic, the choice of a quiet family room is of great advantage, where the child can sleep directly with the mother. A separate cot is by no means safer in the early days, as the infant is not yet able to regulate his body temperature and breathing independently. Physical closeness to the mother serves as a natural regulator for allvital functions of the small organism. Only if the mother has to take strong medication that could affect the child, a heated side bed is the better alternative. After an uncomplicated natural birth, nothing stands in the way of the early passage into the familiar home environment as soon as the mother and the child feel ready for it.

The importance of home aftercare

In their own home, the newborns are protected from dangerous germs and the family can arrive at their usual rhythm. Preparing the living space and providing fresh food for the breastfeeding mother are essential steps for this transition. After an early discharge, continuous care by an experienced aftercare midwife ofinvaluable. This professional not only assists with breastfeeding, but also takes care of the following important check-up in the home environment. At the same time, the physical complaints of the mother after birth must not be ignored, because the regression of the uterus often causes severe pain.

Dealing with pain and external appearance

With these painful afterbirths, it is essential that the environment acknowledges the mother’s pain and actively offers support through warmth or gentle massages. The use of compatible painkillers is completely appropriate at this stage and helps the mother to gather the necessary strength for the care of her child. The external appearance of a newly born personoften differs greatly from the idealized representations in the media. The skin may have an unusual coloration, and the body is often covered by protective substances or remnants of childbirth. The head is often still deformed by the passage of the pelvis, but this regulates itself in the following days.

Safely holding and warming the infant

Many adults are initially unsettled and afraid of injuring the delicate being by grabbing too tightly. However, nature has provided the infants with an enormous resistance, so that normal and safe holding is easily possible. The only important thing is the supporting posture of the head, since the neck muscles cannot yet support the heavy head on their own.In addition, the small creatures need a lot of heat, as the outside temperature is perceived as very cold compared to the womb. The parents’ own body heat is the best and most natural way to give the infant a safe and secure feeling.

The optimal diet to start your life

Starting a natural diet is sometimes difficult when parents are confronted with conflicting advice. The early clarification of the support by a qualified specialist in infant nutrition can offer valuable security here. Natural breast milk is the only species-appropriate food for a human child and lays the foundation for astrong immune system. It protects the offspring from numerous health risks and promotes physical and mental development in a way that can not be achieved by any artificial alternative. Artificial preparations are only an emergency solution if natural breastfeeding is not possible for compelling reasons, and should not be frivolously used as an equivalentReplacement.