Science of the motherbaby bond: How attachment impacts epigenetics, brain development and stress
- Duration: 60 Mins
- Credits: 1 CERP, 1 R-CERP, 0.1 Midwifery CEU
- Learning Format: Webinar
- Handout: Yes
Abstract:
Attachment begins during pregnancy, not in the moments, weeks, and years post birth. This attachment, the motherbaby bond, is forged through an awareness of the biological and emotional connection between mother and child from the very earliest moments of conception. The internal world of the mother and child is now known to be a strong influence in the behavior, health, and personality of a child. This crucial prenatal period is impacted by emotional and nutritional experience of the mother and has a lot to do with who babies turn out to be. The prenatal attachment that occurs, regardless of a mother’s conscious awareness, is changing the brain development, personality, and genetic expression of her baby. At no other time in their child’s life do parents influence who that child will be, both emotionally and physically, than during the 0-3 period of life. We now know that prenatal chronic stress leads to babies who cry more, sleep less, and are anxious. A mother’s thoughts create chemical signals that literally form her baby’s brain and lead to a happy or anxious child. Mothers have the ability to influence healthy brain development and genetic expression during pregnancy through the motherbaby bond. This presentation discusses epigenetics, brain development, molecular messaging between mother and baby, and the impact of stress on the baby’s future health.
Learning Objectives:
Objective 1: Define epigenetics
Objective 2: List three risks of chronic prenatal stress on the developing baby
Objective 3: development of the baby's brain and emotional stability
Objective 4: Identify three easy activities mother's can do during pregnancy to reduce the impact of stress on their pregnancy.