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- John H. Kennell, MD*
- Marshall H. Klaus, PhD†
- *Professor of Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH.
- †Adjunct Professor of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, CA.
IMPORTANT POINTS
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Continuous support by an experienced woman during labor results in a shorter labor, with a greater than 50% reduction in the need for obstetric interventions that may interfere with early mother-infant contact and interaction.
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Continuous labor support for the mother results in an increased incidence and duration of breastfeeding, more affectionate mother-infant contact, and psychological benefits.
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The crawling ability of the newborn infant, the sensitivity of the mother’s nipple, the marked decrease in crying when the infant is skin-to-skin with the mother, and the warming abilities of the mother’s chest are adaptive.
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When the infant suckles from the breast, there is an outpouring of 19 different gastrointestinal hormones in both the mother and the infant, including cholecystokinin and gastrin, which stimulate growth of the baby’s and mother’s intestinal villi, increasing the surface area and absorption of calories with each feeding.
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Encouraging mother-infant contact from birth on and rooming-in could increase breastfeeding significantly and decrease the incidence of failure to thrive, abuse, neglect, and abandonment of infants.
For almost three decades, there has been special interest in the bond between parents and their infants in the hope that better understanding of this relationship could result in improved perinatal care routines and a reduced incidence of parenting disorders such as child abuse, neglect, failure to thrive, and abandonment. Recent research findings provide a compelling rationale for major changes in some birth practices related to the bonding process.
Definitions
The term bonding refers to the emotional tie from parent to infant; attachment generally is used for the tie from infant to parent. A bond can be defined as the unique relationship between two people that is specific and endures through time. Parenteral bonds to their child can persist during long separations of time and distance, even though visible signs of their existence may not …
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