>
>Heather writes:
>
>None of  us here, even looking after our own infant as the constant primary
>caregiver  (in the early mornings, late evenings and night, say)
>
>
>~~ I wouldn't actually consider a primary caregiver to be someone who  spends
>this small amount of time with a baby, even if this was the baby's  mother.


Nor would I....the time is too small. I used this phrase because in 
the case in question, posters were saying the father was the constant 
primary caregiver, and I was assuming this was the length of time 
available for 'constant primary caregiving', as indeed, as you say, 
Jaye, is the case in many situations.

>  A
>baby's waking hours in this situation would be spent with someone  else,
>while the mom is the stand-in for the nanny who is the more constant  figure
>between say 7AM and 7PM. This is a common situation where I live, 
>actually. With
>solitary sleeping ( and then often layering in sleep  training), some babies
>actually spend only an hour or two/day with their moms  from Monday-Friday. I
>always wonder what effect this has on attachment.


Actually, the science would be reassuring on that - as long as the 
nanny is the same nanny, and does not leave when the child is still 
young, and as long as the nanny really loves the baby (both 
conditions not always fulfilled). The baby in this situation would 
attach to both the nanny and the mother (eventually).

Heather Welford Neil

NCT bfc, tutor, UK

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