‘Parenting and Children’ at Psychology, Philosophy and Real Life, Page 7

The most important relationship we have in life is probably the first one, with our primary caretaker, usually, although not invariably, the mother. It is in this first relationship that we get our first taste of how to exchange love, care, pleasure, comfort, nourishment, in which we learn whether the world is a safe place that responds to our needs, or not.

It is of no surprise to anyone that women in their thirties or forties coping with work, young children and ‘running a home’ are exhausted to an extent which is dangerous to their health. What can we do about this dramatic state of affairs?

So, stress before and during pregnancy affects not only the gender of the baby but their future health and, so we are told, their intelligence. Not too much pressure, then!

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children over the age of two spend no more than 2 hours per day with screen media, and children below two should have no screen time at all. My computer-phobic baby seems to agree. Do I have the same needs as she does?

Warning signs of postpartum depression include constant fatigue, feelings of inadequacy as a parent, lack of joy in life, withdrawal from family and friends, excessive concern for the baby, or thoughts of hurting the infant. Is it impossible not to feel some of these things?