I recently attended a day of postpartum depression lectures. One of the
presenters discussed the brain changes during pregnancy and these changes being
specific to preparation for child care and infant survival. It causes an
increased sense of awareness, anxiety, etc in preparation for being very in tune
to and aware of the needs of the baby--think survival of species. His
information coupled with other presenters made me very aware of the importance of
what we do and say to a mother during labor and delivery and the early
postpartum period as everything we say is being filtered with a heightened sense of
awareness. It also makes me think that skin to skin, real of mother baby
togertherness from the moment of birth, breastfeeding, and a multitude of other
behaviors we interfere with during the birth of a baby plays a bigger role
than we may be aware of in terms of postpartum depression, breastfeeding
success, adaptation to the role of mother, etc. If indeed it is true that the
brain actually changes during pregnancy, than the stress of what we say and do
to mothers and babies coupled with the attitude that it is normal -- even
while it feels so very wrong -- can only add to mother's sense of distrust in
herself.
As for crying, ever check out Harvey Karp's website and the description for
why babies cry excerpted from his book?
_http://www.happiestbaby.com/book_excerpts.htm_ (http://www.happiestbaby.com/book_excerpts.htm) The idea is that
babies are not really communicating with caregiver, but only with self, and
that the baby is not even trying to communicate at all--has no idea he is
even sending a message. That we are just accidental eavesdroppers. More in
line with what I choose to accept as a valid theory is what a pediatrician said
at the same discussion day on postpartum depression---Baby cries for a
reason. That babies come born with a competent system of communication and at the
moment of full term birth have neonatal behavioral competences that allow
them to survive and to develop attachment. The cries are a form of
communication we should not ignore. Maternal response to cries affects baby's stress
levels as baby has a sense of expectations being met, and it is very destructive
to a newborn to not know what to expect. He was discussing the impact of
ppd on newborn mental health and physical responses in terms of maternal
response being affected by maternal mental health. Listening to the presentations I
repeatedly heard that the mental health of the mother impacts the health of
the baby. That there are risks to not caring for ppd and the risks are for
both the mother and the baby. I also heard we are likely underestimating the
impact of ignoring the baby's cries when considering long term mental health
of the child who will someday be an adult...
Now, lets combine these two "theories"---mother's brain changes to respond
to crying babies and baby cries for a reason. What happens when mother is c
onditioned to ignore a physical response -- the desire to answer her baby's
cries and her physical pull to put her baby to breast (thinking of Odent's
work)? What happens to the brain of the baby when all the adaptations for
expectations are skin contact and breastfeeding are ignored repeatedly? Can't be
good for a mother's balanced brain activity to be constantly in conflict with
that "mother" mental pull that is biological and cultural expectations. And,
I can't see how it would be good for a baby to be constantly denied that
which it expects to receive in order to survive.
I wonder what would happen if we started over. Created a birth environment
where normal was respected -- even if not always possible - and the attempt
to maintain it was always considered for all newborn care, even the most high
risk. Breastfeeding is a big piece of this picture. What if the research
of brain change is true, and mothers' brains are altered during pregnancy to
respond? It seems to me that for species survival, offering the breast
would be the 'normal' response. What if we understood more about the brain's
response to denial of biological adaptations? What if we understood more about
chemical balances and hormonal balances being affected by interference with
biological norms? Is it possible we may come to the place maternal/infant
health care that recognizes and respects the importance of the technology and
life saving medical advances and at the same time recognizes and respects the
emotional and mental health of mothers and babies. Maybe this would be a
step in the direction of breastfeeding being seen not only as a choice, but a
normal phase of the female reproduction and human infant adaptation all in the
name of healthy human survival.
When I consider the impact of choices and uncontrollable events on the
lives of babies, I can't help but think what an adaptable creature the human
really is.
Just my morning ramblings....
Pam MazzellaDiBosco, IBCLC
Florida, USA
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