Topic Content:
- Title: Maternal Affection and Bonding
- Text: New Oxford Secondary English Course for SSS2 pages 218-219
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.
Maternal Affection and Bonding:
From the time of its birth, the newborn needs tender care, including gentle strokes and skin-to-skin contact.
Some physicians believe that the first twelve hours after birth are crucial. They say that what mother and child require and want most right after the delivery is “not sleep or food, but to store and struggle and to look at and listen to each other”. But is this what happens in all cases?
Instantly, parents reach out, cuddle, stroke and snuggle their baby. The baby, in turn, becomes securely attached to his parents and responds to their attention. The power of this bond is so strong that parents will make sacrifices to care for the infant without letting up.
On the other hand, without a loving parental bond, an infant may literarily wilt and die. Therefore some doctors believe it is important that a baby be given to its mother immediately after delivery. They suggest that at least 30 to 60 minutes of early contact between parent and infant should be provided.
Despite the emphasis that some put on bonding, early contact may be difficult if not impossible in some hospitals. Often newborns are separated from the mother because of the danger of transmission of infection to the child. Some evidence indicates, though, that the rate of fatal infections may actually drop when newborns stay with their mothers. So, more and more hospitals are open to early extended contact between the mother and the newborn.
Some mothers do not become emotionally attached to their baby, the first time they see it. So they wonder, will I have trouble bonding? Admittedly, not all mothers fall in love with their baby at first sight.
Yet there is no need to be anxious.
Even when maternal affection for the baby is delayed it can develop fully later. “There’s no one birth circumstance that makes or breaks your relationship with your child,” observes an experienced mother. Still, if you are expecting a baby and have concerns, it may be wise to have a discussion with your obstetrician in advance. Be clear about your wishes on when and how to interact with your newborn.
Questions and Answers:
1. What do a mother and child need most after delivery?
A – The thing the mother and child need the most after delivery is to stroke and struggle and to look at and listen to each other.
You are viewing an excerpt of this Topic. Subscribe Now to get Full Access to ALL this Subject's Topics and Quizzes for this Term!
Click on the button "Subscribe Now" below for Full Access!
Subscribe Now
Note: If you have Already Subscribed and you are seeing this message, it means you are logged out. Please Log In using the Login Button Below to Carry on Studying!
Responses