Attachment Between Young Mothers in Infants

The attachment between a parent and her young child impacts their behavior as an infant and throughout his later years. Depending on the relationship between the child and his mother, and depending on the security the child felt towards being responded to by his parent, will determine the child's attitude toward his mother and towards feeling protected when he's older.

Naturally, people are created so as to form a bond to the first figure that responds to their needs and cries. This behavior pattern of becoming close and depending on a parent figure is programmed into our bodies. Babies are given a signal to arouse the parent's response when the baby has needs. This signal is compared to a thermostat that is triggered to go off when the child's perceived security is compromised. A baby who heavily depends on his mother has a sensitive thermostat set to a low level. As soon as his mother leaves a room, he may begin to cry and this crying can be set off very frequently. The crying can continue until his caregiver returns. In this way, we are given this mechanism to ensure that our caregivers are never too far away to take care of our needs. A child who is used to his mother leaving frequently can suffer for this while still a young child and into his adolescence and later childhood. Extended separation has negative effects.

According to Ainsworth's studies, it has been proven that the attachment formed between mother and child is not due to the child's need for food; rather it is because the child craves an emotional attachment. Studies have proven the bonds can be formed with a parent figure that provides no food at all.