Importance of Attachment with Infants

806 Words4 Pages
The Importance of Attachment in the Life of an Infant 11/29/12 Fall Semester 6pm – 9:05pm Topic Paper Karen Eaton I chose to speak about the importance of attachment in the life of an infant. I chose this topic because I feel that the attachment between a mother and her infant is a very important part of life. The bonding with each other makes them feel special to each other and a strong bond is the foundation for later development or attachment. I also chose this topic because I am a relative care provider who cares for my three teenage cousins in my home. I am hoping to learn about the different types of attachment in infants and how it affects their lives. Attachment is defined as the development of the human bond between infant and parents or other caregivers. Schaffer, (1997) believes infants go through three steps: discerning the difference between humans and objects, distinguishing the mother from other humans and showing signs of missing the mother when she leaves. Developing stranger anxiety comes along at about seven months of age. Mothers are considered the primary care giver; however the roles of the father are being redefined by males. Decades ago fathers waited in the waiting room, now fathers are participating in the birth and may be the first person to hold the infant and are also being encouraged to take a more active roll in the infants care giving. Fathers are assuming more responsibility at home and it is said that fathers spending time playing with their children are found to be better adjusted to strange situations. Mary Ainsworth, in 1960 conducted a seminal longitudinal study of mothers and babies. Mary and a colleague developed a semi-standardized laboratory procedure for observing babies responses, this procedure was called the “Strange Situation”. This procedure was used to assess an infant’s attachment and
Open Document