The relationship between a mommy and her baby begins before birth -- usually during the twentieth week of pregnancy when the baby begins to kick and the mommy becomes aware of him as a living, moving person. From the moment of birth, however, this relationship suddenly blossoms and takes on the completely new dimension of the mommy caring for the baby as a separate individual. There is no doubt that maternal instinct is a very powerful force which determines how a mommy will care for her baby. There will, of course be many occasions when a mommy feels completely devoid of this very special instinct and wonders how on earth she will manage to get her baby off to a good start. The very fact that she wonders about such things is a sure sign that she will hit it off with her baby.
The basis, in fact, of getting a baby off to a good start lies with the interaction that occurs between a mother and her baby during the very first days of the baby's life. Interaction, at this stage, is not so dependent on the language of words, which comes much later, but with a "language" that allows a mommy and baby to "converse" with each other by sight, touch, hearing and even smell a and taste -- a conversation without words. A mommy and baby, in fact, have a rich "vocabulary" that allows them to interact in a very subtle way. If, for example, mommy positions her face so that her eyes are level with baby's eyes, he will focus and look at her, often within minutes of being born. If she talks to him softly when he cries, he will usually stop his antics for a while and listen. He enjoys being touched and cuddled and soon learns to recognize his mommy's touch and smell. His capacity to learn and remember is, in fact, quite remarkable.
BEING AT HOME IN THE HOSPITAL
In many countries, it has become routine practice for mommies to have their babies in hospitals rather than at home. Although this policy has, undoubted, made childbirth much safer for mothers, it does mean that the initial interaction between mommy and baby, which naturally flourishes best in a familiar home setting, now has to occur in an environment which is as strange for the mom as it is for the baby. In the past, Obstetricians and pediatricians were quite rightly preoccupied with the physical safety of mothers and babies. Today, however, they are increasingly aware of the emotional aspects -- of the importance, for example, of mommy and baby interaction. One result is that hospitals are no longer thought of simply as places where ill people go to get cured, but as places where perfectly healthy women go to experience one of the most important events of their lives -- the birth of a baby. Part and parcel of this new thinking is the need to try and make the maternity hospital feel more like home.
BEING AT HOME IN THE HOSPITAL
In many countries, it has become routine practice for mommies to have their babies in hospitals rather than at home. Although this policy has, undoubted, made childbirth much safer for mothers, it does mean that the initial interaction between mommy and baby, which naturally flourishes best in a familiar home setting, now has to occur in an environment which is as strange for the mom as it is for the baby. In the past, Obstetricians and pediatricians were quite rightly preoccupied with the physical safety of mothers and babies. Today, however, they are increasingly aware of the emotional aspects -- of the importance, for example, of mommy and baby interaction. One result is that hospitals are no longer thought of simply as places where ill people go to get cured, but as places where perfectly healthy women go to experience one of the most important events of their lives -- the birth of a baby. Part and parcel of this new thinking is the need to try and make the maternity hospital feel more like home.
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