Parents who are struggling to bond with their babies need more help

Baby Bonds report author Sophie Moullin writes for Mumsnet.

It’s an imaginary parent that can be sensitive and responsive to their baby 24/7. All new parents get exhausted and frustrated at times. But a significant minority of mums and dads consistently struggle to meet their baby’s needs – to tune into their signals, respond to their cries, and be a reliable source of comfort. As a result, about four in ten young children don’t bond fully with a parent, developing what psychologists call an insecure attachment.

Without mums or dads able to provide warm, consistent parenting, children often lack the secure base from which they best explore, learn, relate to others, and flourish. Insecure attachment has been linked to some of the key issues that thwart children from thriving, from poorer language development before school through to behavioural problems at school.

Read the full article here.