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Another of the practices used in attachment parenting, it’s a slightly harder one to carry out, but well worth the effort. The main idea is to keep the baby with the mother as much as possible. This is said to calm and soothe the baby. Ideas for such came from primitive societies, where mothers do keep the babies with them at all times – when they’re tired, grandmothers or older sisters take a turn.
A sling is used to hold the baby in order to keep the mother’s arms free. In this, the baby is kept against the mother, with only a few wisps of cloth separating them. S/he hears the mother’s heartbeat much s/he did in the womb. Though it has not been proven scientifically, this is said to calm babies, and does indeed work much of the time.
This may be thought of as easier, because it allows the mother to nurse without having to move around too much. The baby is already with her. And, should the baby cry, she doesn’t need to go to him; he is already there with her.
The idea is that we try to make babies independent from the first moment they’re born. We begin preparing them for what must come eventually by forcing them to sleep alone and to spend time playing alone while the adults work. The attachment parents don’t think this way. It is as easy to work with the baby as without; one’s hands are free. Also, babies can be introduced to the many aspects of life through their parents’ constant companionship.
A mother can get to know her baby intimately by having him with her all the time. She will know when he likes to sleep, eat, and his basic personality traits. If he is a jumpy baby, or one who typically cries when not held, then she will know. And, by holding him and gently responding to his needs, she is helping him out and teaching him that all will be well.
These types of lessons are vital ones that are good to learn in the early days. It sets up a future that is secure. It shows the baby that the world is a good place, with good people in it. Babies raised in this way are often happier and better adjusted. They learned love, closeness and intimacy from their very first days.
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