Nurturing and Why It Is Important

Written By Lasting Peace Counseling

Post #3- Note, these posts follow an order to get an overall picture of human development/relationships and the impact of trauma.

After 40ish or so weeks of perfect conditions, things starts to change for both baby and mama. All of a sudden, the baby starts to be pushed down the birth canal for their arrival into this world. This is both a beautiful and unfamiliar experience for the developing baby. As the baby finally makes their appearance, we hear the expected cries and wails from her. She in a state of dysregulation (unable to control emotional/mental/physical distress). This is because everything the baby knew, completely changed. The once perfect temperature of the womb, is now a an uncomfortable room temperature. The once dark mellow lighting of their old home is now a bright world full of unknown colors and textures. The new sounds of this world are nothing of what they knew as they were muffled in the womb. This is completely stressful for the brand new human. So, the first thing that we typically see happen, is the baby is placed on the mother's chest.

Why?

So much is happening in this seemingly simple interaction. We see the baby begin to calm their cries, close their eyes, and snuggle into their mother's chest. This place is familiar. The baby smells their mother, hears her heartbeat, and mom's body temperature begins warming the baby to a perfect temperature, just like in the womb. So many synapses and neurotransmitters are being formed in the baby's brain at this very moment.

So what is happening here? The very beginning stages of:

1) Attachment

2) Co-Regulation

3) Attunement

4) Sense of Self

5) Development of the Window of Tolerance

6) Relationship

7) Safety

I will break these pivotal stages of development in the upcoming posts.