Prenatal and Postpartum Scenario
Prenatal and Postpartum Scenario
Lauren M. Phillips
PSY/280
Professor Plunkett
May 14, 2015
Prenatal and Postpartum Scenario
There is not set way to raise a child. Every child will have different needs from their family and it is a journey for both parties. This is just a few key elements that are vital to raising a new child that will be vital to a healthy development. Don’t panic though, many will come to find that a lot of these things will come naturally.
Bonding
Bonding is an essential aspect of a healthy baby’s growth and development. Most parents may not even realize than when they meet there child for the first time there is a very important reaction occurring. The most important early child development is the power of the touch and stimulating the child’s senses. “Oxytocin’s first important surge is during labor. Passage through the birth canal further heightens oxytocin levels in both mother and baby. High oxytocin causes a mother to become familiar with the unique odor of her newborn infant, and once attracted to it, to prefer her own baby’s odor above all others’. Baby is similarly imprinted on mother, deriving feelings of calmness and pain reduction along with mom. When the infant is born, he is already imprinted on the odor of his amniotic fluid. This odor imprint helps him find mother’s nipple, which has a similar but slightly different odor.”(Palmer, 2002).
Nutrition
Nutrition is key to an infant’s growth. There are two ways that a newborn can be fed, breastfeeding and or formula fed. Breastfeeding is the best form of nutrition for an infant. Every time a child nurses they are receiving exactly the nutrients they need with no added fillers that come in some formulas. Breastfeeding may not be for all mothers, some aren’t capable whether it be from stress or illness or even choice. Every parent must do what they are comfortable with. For the first six months doctors recommend that babies stay on a liquid diet until their digestive systems are
Lauren M. Phillips
PSY/280
Professor Plunkett
May 14, 2015
Prenatal and Postpartum Scenario
There is not set way to raise a child. Every child will have different needs from their family and it is a journey for both parties. This is just a few key elements that are vital to raising a new child that will be vital to a healthy development. Don’t panic though, many will come to find that a lot of these things will come naturally.
Bonding
Bonding is an essential aspect of a healthy baby’s growth and development. Most parents may not even realize than when they meet there child for the first time there is a very important reaction occurring. The most important early child development is the power of the touch and stimulating the child’s senses. “Oxytocin’s first important surge is during labor. Passage through the birth canal further heightens oxytocin levels in both mother and baby. High oxytocin causes a mother to become familiar with the unique odor of her newborn infant, and once attracted to it, to prefer her own baby’s odor above all others’. Baby is similarly imprinted on mother, deriving feelings of calmness and pain reduction along with mom. When the infant is born, he is already imprinted on the odor of his amniotic fluid. This odor imprint helps him find mother’s nipple, which has a similar but slightly different odor.”(Palmer, 2002).
Nutrition
Nutrition is key to an infant’s growth. There are two ways that a newborn can be fed, breastfeeding and or formula fed. Breastfeeding is the best form of nutrition for an infant. Every time a child nurses they are receiving exactly the nutrients they need with no added fillers that come in some formulas. Breastfeeding may not be for all mothers, some aren’t capable whether it be from stress or illness or even choice. Every parent must do what they are comfortable with. For the first six months doctors recommend that babies stay on a liquid diet until their digestive systems are
References: Milestone chart: one to six months - BabyCentre. (2014, August). Retrieved from http://www.babycentre.co.uk/a6476/milestone-chart-one-to-six-months Palmer, L. F. (2002). Bonding Matters. . . The Chemistry of Attachment | Baby Reference. Retrieved from http://babyreference.com/bonding-matters-the-chemistry-of-attachment/