Thank you, Diane, and others who have written about their own bonding experiences following birth. My own experiences would take too many pages to share, but this has given me much food for thought to write it up for myself after all these years. But what I want to share relates to the correlation (huge, of course) between human birth and those of other mammals. I have recently had the pleasure of working with a veterinarian mom and repeatedly, as appropriate, brought in the mammalian connection to our conversations re sleeping arrangements, frequent feedings (constant contact species) and so on. I appealed to her knowledge and familiarity with the world of animals to make the point that human babies deserve no less than their "cousins." She got it. It's the eliciting of empathy and understanding of basic human behavior that so many moms need, not because they are callous, but because they've been influenced by our culture that says it's ok to let babies cry it out, sleep alone, be relegated to buckets that bump harshly against the carrier's legs making little heads toss back and forth, only to be placed on the floor away from human contact and the security of mother's arms. For new moms in particular, what they are familiar with is their recent job as teacher, social worker, vet, that presents an opportunity to parallel approaches they used in their work to the job they now have of raising an infant/child. I've appealed to moms who were social workers to look at emotional health, teachers, increased intelligence and awareness of environment. These are easier to use analogies with, but even the business woman can relate to the need, and opportunity, to slow down and enjoy not having to rush to work. For the proverbial type A mom who is used to being on the go and highly organized, I often discuss this mothering time as one in which she can grow and build on the gentler side of herself. For these moms, too, I hope that mothering hormones provide some relaxation and slow down mode. I think it really all goes back to meeting a mother where she is, recognizing her strengths and what she brings to the table and then helping her to see the world through her baby's eyes. Alas, sometimes this is harder to do than others, but I can only hope that our discussions, my modeling in how I relate to and handle her baby, and offering my unconditional acceptance of mom will make some inroad into how she parents. This sounds a bit grandiose, but I've seen moms have that ah-ha moment and I am satisfied with influencing one mom/baby at a time. And back to connecting humans as mammals, this is a favorite of mine, for it seems to strike a resonant chord with many. It's really hard to argue with, too. So, I thank Diane in particular, who has raised my awareness, both in her posts here and in her lectures, and given me yet another tool to reach parents and maybe influence how they care for their wee homo sapien. Barbara Latterner, BSN, RN, IBCLC (who hopes the previous faux pas in posting is erased with this lengthy musing) **************Ideas to please picky eaters. Watch video on AOL Living. (http://living.aol.com/video/how-to-please-your-picky-eater/rachel-campos-duffy/ 2050827?NCID=aolcmp00300000002598) *********************************************** Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html To reach list owners: [log in to unmask] Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask] COMMANDS: 1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail 2. To start it again: set lactnet mail 3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet 4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome