I have been catching up on the last few days lactnet and wanted to
contribute to the thread about attachment parenting and Dr Bell's research.
        I have spent a considerable amount of time thinking about how to
best teach parents respect for their infant. This seemed the most effective
way of helping parents to recognize the cues, and normal behaviour of their
babies. One of the earliest observations I made was that parents and their
attending health professionals refer to infants as though they are some
separate species.  We refer to infants in specialized language.  When was
the last time you heard an infant in a hospital referred to as a person?
Heavens, we have enough trouble referring to adults as people and not the
'primip in bed 1'.  So I have made a conscious effort to humanize my
teaching about human infants. I refer to babies as tiny human beings. In my
prenatal classes I ask the parents to stop and think about what their
reactions would be if they were in a similar situation.  "Do YOU find it
comfortable to eat with your head turned over your shoulder? Well neither
will your baby."  When I am working with a mother and her babe, I talk to
the infant as well as the mother. -- As you can imagine the parents often
find this hilarious but usually comment on how much attention the baby pays.
You know how babies like to focus on faces, well usually they co-operate and
REALLY concentrate when I chat with them. Does it work as a tool to assist
with breastfeeding?  It certainly calms them but I doubt if they have any
intention of following my directions. Oten it DOES demonstate a level of
interaction parents have never seen.
        When I read about E--o, or 'military-style' parenting (I come from
several generations of a warm, affectionate military family so I prefer to
specify military style as opposed to military family)  I hear a profound
lack of respect for the small human we have welcomed to the world.  If
parents learn to accept that their infant is indeed a human, not some
strange otherwordly species, that many of the reflexes and needs they
demonstrate are ones that we adults share, then the whole process of
parenting becomes easier.  Afterall they are ALREADY experienced at being
human, even if they have never been parents before.
        Sorry, about this aside. I don't try to be too obvious about my
teaching just insinuate it in the way I approach the babies I meet. :)
        Thanks Rhoda -- on the lovely dry Canadian West Coast