Table of Contents
Acknowledgements ix
Foreword x
Foreword to previous edition What Babies and Children Really Need xiv
1 Introduction 1
First Love 2
2 Conception and Society: The Politics of Fertility 10
Evolution in Reverse/Retreat: Hereditary Influences 10
Age of the Mother 11
Increasing Use of Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) 13
Social Impact on the Mother of Delayed Motherhood 15
In a Nutshell 18
3 Does Early Development Matter? 21
Prenatal Factors 21
Prenatal Influences 22
Family History 23
Pregnancy 24
Prolonged and Excessive Vomiting (Hyperemesis) 25
High Blood Pressure 27
Pre-eclampsia and Eclampsia 27
Gestational Diabetes 28
Incompetent Cervix 28
Maternal Stress 28
Threatened Miscarriage 32
Teratogens Known to Cause Human Birth Defects 32
Smoking 35
Cocaine 35
Marijuana 37
Heroin 37
X-rays and Exposure Radiation 37
Exposure to Other Sources of Radiation 38
Multiple Ultrasounds 38
Nutrition 39
Exercise During Pregnancy 43
Risk Factors in Perspective 44
In a Nutshell 44
4 Events Surrounding Birth 48
Onset of Labour 49
Benefits of a Natural Birth 50
Time to be Born 51
Pre-term Birth 53
Factors Leading up to Birth 53
The Process of Delivery 55
Midwives, Helpers, and Hospital Birth 60
Induced Labour 62
Separation at Birth 63
Low Birth Weight 66
Long-term Effects of Premature Birth 66
Post-Mature Birth 67
Birth in Perspective 67
In a Nutshell 68
5 Events Following Birth - Risk Factors 73
The INPP Screening Questionnaire 73
The Questionnaire 74
Events after Birth - Looking Behind the Questions What Might the Questions Reveal? 76
Later Childhood - Developmental Indicators 91
Schooling 93
Scoring the INPP Questionnaire 101
In a Nutshell 102
6 Breastfeeding 104
Advantages of Breastfeeding for the Baby 105
Breastfeeding and Fatty Acids 106
Fatty Acids and Brain Development 108
Mechanisms of Breastfeeding 110
The Technological Revolution 111
Benefits of Breastfeeding for the Baby 113
Infant Feeding and Obesity 114
Benefits to the Mother 118
Contra-indications to Breastfeeding 120
Obstacles to Breastfeeding 120
In a Nutshell 122
7 Movement Instinct 124
Why Does Movement Matter to Your Child? 125
Reflexes - Reflections on the Inner World of the Developing Child 125
Reflexes -Training for Life 126
Rooting and Sucking Reflexes 127
Babkin and Palmomental Reflexes 130
Palmar and Plantar Reflexes 131
Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex 133
Innate Processes and Modern Mothering Practices 136
Tummy Time 140
Playtime on the Back 142
Symmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (STNR) 143
Vestibular Stimulation 148
Tonic Labyrinthine and Moro Reflexes 149
Why is the Development of Balance so Important? 151
Infants - Explorers of Space 152
In a Nutshell 153
8 Language Instinct 156
Mimetic Aspects of Language 161
The Importance of Interaction 162
The Nature of Sound 164
The Significance of Background Noise 164
First Sounds 166
Matching Sounds to Gestures 167
Communication of Affect 168
Factors Which Can Affect Mother-Child Interaction 169
Stages of Language Development 171
What Are the Implications of These Pre-language Milestones for Parent-Child Interaction? 175
Music, Reading, and Writing 176
Visualisation and the Emotional Aspects of Language 178
Reading Aloud 179
Putting the Pieces Together 180
Look Who is Talking 180
Music is More than a Pretty Tune 181
In a Nutshell 184
9 Building on the First Year: The Neuroscience Behind Regulation of Emotions 188
Emotional Development 188
Social Factors Affecting Motherhood 191
Choices about Childcare 192
The Nursery and Childcare Debate 193
Neurological Effects of Early Separation, Neglect, or Abuse 196
The Limbic System 197
Cerebral Cortex 202
Hierarchy of Mechanisms Involved in the Stress Response 204
Tips for Daily Living 206
In a Nutshell 207
10 Factors Parents Can Control 209
The Role of Discipline in Establishing Self-regulation 209
Parenting Styles 209
Being a Consistent Parent 210
Mealtimes Matter 211
Modelling 212
Reciprocal Emotion 213
The Changing Face of Child's Play 214
Impact of the Electronic Media 216
TV Time in Childhood 218
Frequency of Human Brain Waves and 220
Associated States of Arousal In a Nutshell 225
11 From Toddlers to Teens: Why Parenting Matters 227
Rough-and-tumble Play 227
Why Children Need Fathers 229
Teenagers - the Chrysalis Period 235
What Has Changed in the Environment in Which Teenagers Grow Up? 237
In a Nutshell 244
12 What Needs to be Done? 246
A Litany of Needs for the Parents of Tomorrow and the Children of Today 247
Charter for Childhood 255
The A, B, C, of Children's Needs - Only a Beginning 258
'The Hand that Rocks the Cradle' 259
Resources 262
Bibliography 263
Index 277
