In the 1960s I rode on the floor board of my mothers car, in the  1970s it was 
the  back of my fathers pick up and never wore a seat belt until I was 
pregnant with my first child 23 years ago.  We all lived, we never had any 
injury, etc. Since we were all safe and secure in our transportation method, 
should I ignore the information that says seat belts save lives?

There are levels of attachment aand some theorists would say there is more 
to attachment than the Stranger Situation. We do know that there can be 
emotional damage done by some forms of parenting. I am sure I would have 
passed the Stranger Situation test as a baby, but I assure you my mother 
neglected us and abused us from infancy until we were to big for her to do so, 
and yet we love her because she is our mom. In the same time in history being 
used to suggest that attachment is just fine without attachment theory 
parenting styles, breastfeeding was almost unheard of in the USA  Perhaps the 
connection is there after all. Just like those moms who had not intended to 
breastfeed find themselves breastfeeding after private time skin to skin with 
their babies.  Something changes in a mom when her baby is skin to skin, and 
something can change when she breastfeeds and responds to her baby. (I 
know that this is not always the case, just as I know that some mammals get 
up and abandon their young, but abnormality is not proof that normal does not 
work.)

Breastfeeding is most successful for most babies when the mothers feed them 
on cue and meet their needs so they continue to trust the access to food.  
While some women can manage to schedule feeds and sleep train for long 
hours, the majority of women see a drop in their milk supply when long periods 
of time between feedings become the habit.  I have read websites that 
suggest a baby can get enough milk from mom feeding just three or four times 
a day when they are as young s 6 months.  Considering what we know now 
about how the body manages milk supply, I think that is misleading.  For many 
mothers when they miss even one feeding on a regular basis they notice a 
drop in supply, and a fussy baby at the breast because the flow is not as 
expected.  At some point we have to respect the way the breasts work and 
the way baby digests and educate the mothers to the science of making 
breastfeeding work.

Attachment Parenting International is an organizatio.  Attachment Parenting is 
a term coined by Dr. William Sears.  However, Attachment Theory is more than 
the both of them.  And it is the theory we need to be aware of.  To suggest 
that because babies would likely have performed well on the Stranger 
Situation test to determine attachment in the past is not a reflection of what 
we know today about attachment theory.  What we have learned about infant 
brain development has changed in the past 15 years and to ignore that 
research because 'we have always done it this way and children turned out 
fine' is no different from ignoring the science we have now that says 
breastmilk and formula are not equal.

As an LC I cannot and do not separate responsive infant care from 
breastfeeding because they go together.  I am not involved in other API or AP 
per Dr. Sears parenting choices regarding discipline because I am no longer 
being asked.  However, part of my consultation does and will continue to 
include the importance of being responsive and trusting the baby'scues and 
meeting the baby's needs.  I will share ways to do so that are easier, but how 
a mom manages to be available to her child is up to her.  I provide this baby 
brain 101 to anyone involved in the baby's care.  Sometimes that means 
fathers, grandmothers, baby nurses and nannies who have been instructing 
mom to stop holding her baby so much or who interfere with breastfeeding 
success by refusing to bring the baby to mom on cues to be fed. As I said, so 
far, as soon as they hear it is about science and not weakness of the mother 
to be strong enough to teach her baby to be alone, no one argues about it 
anymore.  To me, educating about what we know today about the importance 
of not letting baby cry, not having the baby sleep across the house alone at 3 
weeks, etc. is about being evidence based in my practice.  Since the research 
supports attachment theory based infant care, and I cannot find any research 
that supports the alternative is better for breastfeeding success, I will 
continue to teach current research to my clients because I act in the best 
interest of the baby and I practice evidence based care.

Take care,
Pam MazzellaDiBosco, IBCLC, RLC

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