The principles of attachment parenting are designed as guidelines for parents on their journey through bonding with their child.
They are based on years of research.
And they successfully help children create healthy relationships with their parents.
But that’s not all!
They also help children create a secure bond with the other adults in their lives.
The principles are adapted to different family situations and can be applied as early as the period of pregnancy and preparation for the arrival of your child.
If you’re interested in the idea of creating a strong, healthy bond with your child, here are a few tips you should follow.
1. Start as soon as you’re pregnant
Preparation starts as soon as you become pregnant.
The importance of physical and emotional preparation for pregnancy, childbirth and later parenthood is undeniable.
It’s very important to research and educate yourself about pregnancy and childbirth, the options available for delivery and basic newborn care.
It’s also very important to prepare for breastfeeding as the best way to feed infants, which not only provides ideal nutrition for the infant, but also offers the child security, comfort and responsiveness to his or her needs.
Ongoing education on child development and child development stages is also important.
2. Respect and love are essential elements in giving your children a healthy relationship with food.
Breastfeeding is the best food for infants and children, meeting both nutritional and emotional needs.
Adapted breastfeeding is a way of feeding non-breastfed children, where the act of suckling itself becomes a moment to bond and create a relationship with your child.
This principle also includes feeding by following the child’s hunger cues and, for adult children, encouraging them to eat when they’re hungry and in the quantity they can.
3. Learn to meet your child’s needs
By responding to your child’s needs in the period after birth, we create a relationship with your child based on mutual trust.
Newborns don’t know how to calm themselves down, and they can’t do it alone.
It’s only natural that they need a calm, empathetic parent to respond to their needs and help them learn to regulate their emotions themselves.
4. Physical contact is essential
Carrying children and using touch as a means of developing and satisfying children’s needs is an essential principle of attachment theory.
Babies need physical contact and closeness to their mothers to develop properly.
Carrying children is one way of satisfying their need for physical contact, attention, security, stimulation and movement.
Skin-to-skin contact is extremely important for the development of newborns, as well as for breastfeeding, bathing and massaging babies.
5. Meet your child’s physical and emotional sleep needs
Children have needs during the day as well as at night.
Hunger, loneliness, fears, they’re too hot, they’re too cold, and so on.
They need a parent to soothe them and meet their needs.
Sleep training has a detrimental effect on a child’s development.
In fact, it can have long-term consequences for the child.
On the other hand, having the child sleep with his or her parents has positive effects on both the child and the parents.
6. Provide constant care and presence
Babies and young children have a strong need for their parents’ physical presence.
This is most often the mother.
Try to delay separation from the child as long as possible.
And if you really must separate from the child, make sure he’s looked after by someone he knows and loves.
Children need to feel safe when they’re at their worst.
He needs to know who he can turn to.
7. Practice positive discipline
Discipline children in an empathetic and gentle way.
It shouldn’t threaten the child’s dignity.
Besides, positive discipline strengthens the bond between parent and child.
Instead of reacting to behavior, discover the cause of the child’s behavior and solve it together.
Punishment is never the right solution.
In this way, you destroy all your efforts to build a trusting relationship with your child.
8. Seek balance in your personal and family life
It’s easier to meet children’s emotional needs if you feel peace and balance in your own life.
Surround yourself with people who support you in your upbringing.
Learn to put people first and don’t be afraid to say no.
You’re having fun raising your children, but you’re also spending time on yourself and your needs.