John Bowlby’s attachment theory emphasizes the necessity of a secure and healthy relationship between an infant and its primary caregiver. When working with parents to promote healthy attachment, a nurse would try to inspire certain behaviors that establish a strong link between parent and child. These are some of the behaviors:

1. Responsiveness: A nurse would advise parents to know their infant’s cues and requirements. Attending to the baby’s hunger, pain, or distress signs as soon as possible helps to create trust and a sense of security. Parents can develop a solid bond by constantly satisfying their infant’s needs by exhibiting compassion and care.

2. Emotional availability: A nurse would encourage parents to participate in positive and loving interactions with their infant to improve emotional availability. This includes offering comfort, tenderness, and warmth via soft touch, soothing voice, and eye contact. Providing infants with a loving and emotionally responsive environment helps them feel loved and valued, strengthening the attachment link.

3. Reciprocity: This notion emphasizes the back-and-forth interactions between parent and infant. A nurse would instruct parents on engaging in reciprocal relationships with their infant, such as responding to coos, smiles, and gestures. Encourage parents to participate in turn-taking interactions and to mirror their baby’s expressions and vocalizations to foster a sense of connection and shared communication.

4. Signal sensitivity: A nurse would teach parents to know their infant’s signals and nonverbal cues. Parents can read their baby’s demands and respond accordingly if they understand their baby’s communication style. This sensitivity fosters a sense of understanding, which helps create trust and supports a safe relationship.

5. stable basis: A nurse would emphasize the significance of providing the newborn with a stable base. Encourage parents to provide a safe and supportive atmosphere in which their newborn can confidently explore their surroundings. This includes developing consistent routines, providing a secure and predictable environment, and assuring the infant’s physical and emotional safety.

Nurses can foster a good connection between parent and child by boosting these behaviors in parents, which is critical for the infant’s emotional and social development. A secure connection lays the groundwork for a child’s future good relationships, resiliency, and beneficial mental health outcomes.

References:

1. J. Bowlby, Attachment and Loss: Vol. 1. Attachment (2nd ed., 1982). The fundamental books.

R. Feldman (2018). Attachment neurobiology in humans. Doi: 10.1016/j.tics.2017.10.009