What is attachment parenting?

Dr. William Sears, renowned pediatrician, author, and staunch advocate of “attachment parenting,” believes parents who spend much time touching their babies—skin-to-skin--help them to thrive and develop physically, emotionally, and intellectually.  “Attachment parenting involves what I call the 5 Baby Bs--birth bonding, breastfeeding, babywearing, bedding close to baby, and belief in baby’s cries. Skin-to-skin contact is vital for making this connection with baby and helps parents to know their infants and become experts in their baby’s needs.

Besides being enjoyable, stroking the skin is medically beneficial to the newborn. The skin, the largest organ in the human body, is very rich with nerve endings. At the time when baby is making the transition to air breathing, and the initial breathing patterns are very irregular, stroking stimulates the newborn to breathe more rhythmically, giving a parent’s touch real therapeutic value.”