Attachment In Premature Babies: Main Difficulties

The bond of attachment between a mother and her baby is essential for the emotional health of both. However, in the case of premature babies, certain additional difficulties appear.

Being the mother of a premature child is a substantially different experience than being the mother of a full-term child. From the beginning of their life, these babies often experience health complications, hostile technological environments and isolation due to long periods of hospitalization. All these variables generate an impact on the psychism of the mother and the child and begin with difficulties in the establishment of attachment in premature babies.

Every pregnant woman imagines and hopes to live a complete pregnancy and a childbirth without complications; She dreams of holding her baby in her arms after giving birth, breastfeeding her and taking her home to start a life together.

In the case of premature infants, these expectations are truncated and the woman has to make an accelerated duel of all those lost illusions to face the reality of a fragile child who will need constant medical assistance. And this inevitably affects the emotional relationship between mother and baby.

What is attachment?

Attachment is called the affective, intense and lasting bond that is established between the baby and its main figures of care. The relationship with the mother is usually the first and the most relevant, and this will shape, depending on how it develops, many of the psychological aspects of the child.

Attachment is defined around two variables: the baby who sends signals (cries, movements, gestures …) and the adult who receives, interprets and attends to them. Thus, a secure attachment is formed when the mother is able to perceive and understand the needs of her child and to respond to them appropriately. And, conversely, insecure attachment is established if the mother’s responses are insufficient, inconsistent, or inappropriate.

Nature favors the establishment of this link by various means, mainly through the hormonal processes that are triggered during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum. Also, as the baby and his mother spend time together, the mother gains expertise and experience in interpreting the demands of her little one. That is, he understands it better every day. But what about attachment in premature babies?

Difficulties in establishing attachment in premature babies

When a premature baby is born, many of these conditions that facilitate the establishment of attachment are not present. Mainly the following difficulties occur:

• The pregnancy does not come to term. The last months of gestation are very relevant on a psychological and emotional level for the woman, since they allow her to prepare for the imminent arrival of her baby and the assumption of her role as mother. If the baby is premature, this time shortens without warning and all these processes remain in the air, generating a feeling of incompleteness.

• During natural childbirth, the body releases various hormones that promote the establishment of attachment. However, many preterm births are performed by cesarean sections or using artificial methods to induce contractions. Therefore, this hormonal action is hampered.
• Breastfeeding contributes greatly to the creation of the bond between mother and child. However, many of these babies need to be admitted and fed by other methods because their prematurity does not allow them to suck adequately.
• If the baby needs to stay in the incubator, it is exposed to isolation and, above all, to the absence of its mother figure. That necessary time of coexistence in which the mother learns to know and understand her newborn is postponed  and this makes it difficult to establish the attachment relationship.
  

How to alleviate these difficulties and achieve a successful attachment?

Clearly, the situation for premature babies and their families is complicated on many levels. However, certain measures can be taken to alleviate the effects of these conditions that hinder the establishment of attachment.

For example, the greater involvement of parents in the care of the newborn in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) is essential.

In the same way, longer access hours so that they can spend as much time as possible with the baby can facilitate the situation. And, likewise, practicing the kangaroo method and starting breastfeeding as soon as possible are alternatives that provide very positive results. In short, any action that favors the interaction between mother and baby will be of great help.