Kids just expect more from their mother. You are their number one nurturer, feeder, comforter and carer. Dads might be doing 50 per cent or more of the parenting, it doesn't matter. This is a biological instinct that babies crave their mother's attention.
There are many reasons why babies may show a strong preference for one caregiver over another. Sometimes it's about proximity, routine, or familiarity. Sometimes it's linked to life events and developmental milestones. And other times, these preferences just come and go for no particular reason.
Here's how it works: A baby who cries upon seeing her parent after a long separation is expressing his secure attachment to his parent.
This reflex is believed to be the baby's natural instinct to reach out and cling to their parent. That's not to say daddy isn't a good alternative, it's just a natural instinct that babies automatically want to stay close to their mother as a way to survive.
If a child feels comfortable actively rejecting one parent, that means she's securely attached, Dr. Heard-Garris said. That may sound counterintuitive, but if a child were unsure of a parent's love, she would cling to any scrap of affection, Dr. Heard-Garris said.
Emotionally absent or cold mothers can be unresponsive to their children's needs. They may act distracted and uninterested during interactions, or they could actively reject any attempts of the child to get close. They may continue acting this way with adult children.
At around that time they start to initiate social contact with their mothers. Only between about 3 and 7 months of age do babies start to show a strong preference or attachment for mothers, fathers or members of their own family in general.
“Most babies develop a preference for their mother within 2 to 4 months of age. From birth, the combination of sight, smell, and sound likely all help babies distinguish their mother from others.
It's a very normal part of childhood, and can result in them acting particularly clingy, and even possibly crying when you're not around. Separation anxiety initially crops up in babies between 4-12 months old, as they start to develop their sense of object permanence.
While separation anxiety plays a big role in baby's attachment, Casares says children can also get clingy when they're dealing with stress, uncertainty, change or are tired or hungry. After all, when your little one is feeling unsettled, it makes sense they turn to you, their caregiver, for comfort.
If baby starts crying, soothe him for a minute or two after the parents leave. If baby is still crying after the parents have been gone for a few minutes, try and distract baby with a toy, blanket, pacifier, singing a song or playing a game like peek-a-boo.
1-3 Months
The first three months with your baby often seem the hardest. Sleep-deprived parents can feel overwhelmed, but that is normal and you will quickly learn how to read your baby's cues and personality. Don't worry about “spoiling” your baby at this stage.
Every stage of parenting has its challenges, but one poll reveals what age most parents feel they struggled with the most.
The phase can start as early as six to eight months and continues until around age two – when object permanence is fully established.
When your baby gazes into your eyes when they're in your arms, it's baby's way of expressing they're attracted to you, and want to get to know you even better. Babies will try to copy your facial expressions, test it out by sticking out your tongue when baby is gazing at you, they may well copy.
Though there is no clear answer, research has found that, in general, fathers tend to be more loving towards their children than mothers. In one study, fathers were found to be more responsive to their children's needs, both emotionally and physically.
A toxic mother creates a negative home environment where unhealthy interactions and relationships damage a child's sense of self and their views of relationships with others. Over time, it increases the risk of poor development in the child's self-control, emotional regulation, social relations, etc1.
“Parental burnout is a state of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion. It leaves parents feeling chronically fatigued, often experiencing sleep and concentration problems, and it can lead to depression, chronic anxiety, and illness.”
If your daughter feels unloved, she may suffer from several emotional problems. Symptoms can include depression, anxiety, self-harm, and more. These feelings are often the result of the way her parents treated her during her childhood.
It's not typical for a baby to reject its mother unless the mother neglects to care for the baby. In this situation, your baby could develop a condition known as Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD). But, sometimes, it might seem like your baby doesn't like you because of how you interpret their behaviors.
Normally babies develop a close attachment bond with their main caregiver (usually their parents) within the first months of life. If they are in a situation where they do not receive normal love and care, they cannot develop this close bond. This may result in a condition called attachment disorder.
Studies have shown that infants as young as one month-old sense when a parent is depressed or angry and are affected by the parent's mood. Understanding that even infants are affected by adult emotions can help parents do their best in supporting their child's healthy development.
It reduces risk of pregnancy complications.
Experts recommend waiting at least 18 months between pregnancies because it reduces the risk of your youngest child being preterm or low birthweight (especially if you're over 35).