Feeding and the attachment relationship- the significance of maternal mental wellbeing

1. Feeding and the attachment relationship- the significance of maternal mental wellbeing Mandy Seyfang NPDI CaFHS 2014

2. Early on parents are concerned for • Biological needs “will my baby be healthy, can I keep it alive, will my body feed it adequately”. • Psychological needs “can I know this infant, relate and nurture, can I meet this infant without losing myself” Stern (1995)

3. Feeding • First major task (along with settling) of parenting • Opportunity for building a solid partnership… orit may become a struggle for stability

5. Attachment relationship “the dyadic regulation of infant emotion and arousal” Sroufe (1996) Relationship Baby Parent

6. The task of feeding is… Unavoidable- relentless struggle or frequent pleasure? • Directed by • conscious child rearing attitudes • unconscious processes- parents relational experiences from own childhood • child’s personality, development and inherent capacities

7. Co Regulation and Parent-Infant Relationships Co-regulation Positive reciprocity Positive feedback signals Confidence in own competencies Angels circle Diseases and constitutional factors Early childhood Personality Maturational / reorganisational processes Psychopathology Communication In everyday and phase – typical interactions contexts Joint mastery of developmental tasks Psychological and physical state representations, “ghosts” PARENT INFANT Basic adaptive Behavioural regulation Temperament Partnership- marital Family system Genetic or due to prenatal, perinatal, postnatal factors Social network Negative feedback signals Vicious cycle Lack of regulatory support Negative reciprocity Dysregulation Modified from Papousek & Papousek, 1990

8. Vicious cycle of escalating dysfunctional interactions

9. Introduction of solids • Sensitive moment for both parent and infant

10. Parental distress can be activated • In the feeding moment • which can lead to vicious cycle of dys-regulation

11. Early trauma- hidden trauma In infancy, traumais closely associated to the caregiver’s affect and availability for helping the infant to manage emotional dysregulation. Trauma in infants can be related to both direct traumatic experience of maltreatment as well as to the effects of parental behaviour that are “frightening, frightened, withdrawing, role revered or otherwise atypical”(p73) Schuder and Lyons- Ruth (2004)

12. Feeding • What is the meaning of the feeding to mother? • From her history of relationship with food and being with her caregiver

14. Feeding • What is the experience of feeding to the infant? • From his experience of relationship with food and being with his caregiver

15. Feeding an opportunity to “drink in” mother • Need food PLUS relationship- eyes, relaxed atmosphere • Hunger- food- contentment • Hunger- food- distress

16. What is served up with the food?

18. Can the parent contain their anxiety, distress, anger to… • Respond to infants cues for food • Maintain calm and relaxed throughout feed • Maximize predictability and sense of security • Resist sneaking or tricking or used car pitches • Stop constant feeding attempts • Resist using distractions and focus on moment • Establish limits around food choices • Use food for meeting hunger rather than emotional needs • Stop as soon as infant signals to stop feed

19. Parents provide structure, support and opportunities. Children choose how much and whether to eat from what the parents provide. • The parent is responsible for what • The child is responsible for how much (and everything else) • http://www.ellynsatter.com/showArticle.jsp?id=399&section=397

20. Supporting Parents to be calm around feeding

21. Worker Relationship Baby Parent System

23. “it is certain that the problem of fear is the meeting point of many important questions, an enigma whose complete solution would cast a flood of light upon psychic life” S. Freud, 1920, p. 340