I practice attatchment parenting and the only real drawback was my son Fox didn't want to have anything to do with daddy for ages...he's six now and very independent. He started school at almost four and didnt even cry when he left me...he didnt cry because he knew without a doubt in his head that I was coming back for him (Im not saying if your child did cry first day of school they were worried you weren't coming back....all kids are different) Fox and I (and daddy) are all very close.
As for the question if it matters what gender, I dont think it matters, if the mother is breastfeeding then the baby will be more attached to the mother yes but anyone else even male can create strong bond with carrying the bay and showing lots of affection.
This message needs to be broadcast loudly in our cold and impersonal society. There would be a lot less crime and social depression if parents responded with greater kindness and love to their children. In my book "letting a child cry it out" is tantamount to abuse.
Well, the gender of the parent makes a difference in how their adult brain and hormonal systems will respond to the pregnancy and infant exposures (more on that below). But, speaking specifically about holding babies, from the infant's point of view, carrying provides a good portion of the potential bonding patterns and positive input and interplays that lead to permanent hormonal and neurological changes, leading, in turn, to lifelong mental and physical health effects.
The infant's response to carrying depends in part upon the bonding that is otherwise going on, though, in ways, that baby just knows who mom is and is often happiest with mom --- but that's not to belittle the positive effects from father/male carrying or otherwise providing affection at all, and most infants seem quite happy with being carried by their fathers when the father is regularly involved.
Infants respond the most powerfully to nursing at the breast - a rather female exclusive event, though snuggly bottle nursing and other affectionate care (most powerful is skin-to-skin contact ) can be provided by male or female and baby will respond powerfully to either.The more general answer is that infants respond more strongly to the kind of attention that females tend to be more programmed to provide but they absolutely respond positively to male parents/caretakers holding and carrying...
... and males can certainly provide differing levels of affection and attention.
Back to the effects on adults (just out of interest)... the brain circuitry and hormonal responses in an adult being exposed to an infant are rather different. Male brains are altered toward more protective and devoted manners from co-habitating with a pregnant female and from being around the new mother and baby.
Mothers' brains change during pregnancy more powerfully than do male brains (a gender difference we cannot dispute), and then females biologically derive more benefit from responding affectionately to infant cries and from skin-to-skin contact with the infant (as opposed to just being nearby); their brain and hormonal responses developing toward strong desire to provide very intimate care to the infant. --- Linda Folden Palmer, DC, author The BABY BOND
I practice attatchment parenting and the only real drawback was my son Fox didn't want to have anything to do with daddy for ages...he's six now and very independent. He started school at almost four and didnt even cry when he left me...he didnt cry because he knew without a doubt in his head that I was coming back for him (Im not saying if your child did cry first day of school they were worried you weren't coming back....all kids are different) Fox and I (and daddy) are all very close.
kt1pl2 2 years ago
beautiful video, more people need to see this.
As for the question if it matters what gender, I dont think it matters, if the mother is breastfeeding then the baby will be more attached to the mother yes but anyone else even male can create strong bond with carrying the bay and showing lots of affection.
diverselady 2 years ago
This message needs to be broadcast loudly in our cold and impersonal society. There would be a lot less crime and social depression if parents responded with greater kindness and love to their children. In my book "letting a child cry it out" is tantamount to abuse.
BabyAfficionado 2 years ago 5
Does the gender of the parent matter? I think it does, because it has an affect on which gender is more physically affectionate when they grow up.
Abashi76 2 years ago
Well, the gender of the parent makes a difference in how their adult brain and hormonal systems will respond to the pregnancy and infant exposures (more on that below). But, speaking specifically about holding babies, from the infant's point of view, carrying provides a good portion of the potential bonding patterns and positive input and interplays that lead to permanent hormonal and neurological changes, leading, in turn, to lifelong mental and physical health effects.
corlinsmom 2 years ago
The infant's response to carrying depends in part upon the bonding that is otherwise going on, though, in ways, that baby just knows who mom is and is often happiest with mom --- but that's not to belittle the positive effects from father/male carrying or otherwise providing affection at all, and most infants seem quite happy with being carried by their fathers when the father is regularly involved.
corlinsmom 2 years ago
Infants respond the most powerfully to nursing at the breast - a rather female exclusive event, though snuggly bottle nursing and other affectionate care (most powerful is skin-to-skin contact ) can be provided by male or female and baby will respond powerfully to either.The more general answer is that infants respond more strongly to the kind of attention that females tend to be more programmed to provide but they absolutely respond positively to male parents/caretakers holding and carrying...
corlinsmom 2 years ago
... and males can certainly provide differing levels of affection and attention.
Back to the effects on adults (just out of interest)... the brain circuitry and hormonal responses in an adult being exposed to an infant are rather different. Male brains are altered toward more protective and devoted manners from co-habitating with a pregnant female and from being around the new mother and baby.
corlinsmom 2 years ago
Mothers' brains change during pregnancy more powerfully than do male brains (a gender difference we cannot dispute), and then females biologically derive more benefit from responding affectionately to infant cries and from skin-to-skin contact with the infant (as opposed to just being nearby); their brain and hormonal responses developing toward strong desire to provide very intimate care to the infant. --- Linda Folden Palmer, DC, author The BABY BOND
corlinsmom 2 years ago