Attachment with Children
Many families enter parenthood with an expectation that as soon as they see their new baby they will be overwhelmed with love. This is not always the case. This doesn't necessarily mean anything is wrong, but sometimes it takes a while to adjust to having brought a new person into the world.
However, there are times in which parents or caregivers may feel disconnected from their child. These parents have described feeling as though they were looking after someone else's child, or that they loved them but felt disinterested. There are many factors which can contribute to such feelings, such as a traumatic pregnancy, birth, history of trauma, difficulties in family or origin, having an unsettled baby, or mental health concern.
Attachment relationships between caregivers and children are key to a child's social and emotional development. As such, it is important to ensure that parents do feel connected to their children in order for them to provide the best possible environment for their child to develop and thrive. Strong attachment relationships provide children with a sense of value and importance in the world. For this reason we love to work with families where this attachment bond has not been as straightforward as one may imagine. Many parents are able to develop strong attachments with their children despite a difficult start. However, at times this takes professional assistance.
If you are concerned about feeling disconnected from your child(ren), or feel overly anxious about their safety and wellbeing, gaining professional support from those who have experience in this work is important. Contact us for more information.