Smoking Frequency During Gestation Analysis

Broderick and Blewitt (2015) stated, John Bowlby and Erik Erikson “proposed that the relationships that an infant has with one or a few caregivers during the first year of life provide him with a working model of himself and of others” (p. 133). Attachment theory plays a large role in cognitive and emotional development because it sets a foundation for the child. A case study of Angela, a 17-year-old mother, and her 11 month-old son, will dive into the attachment relationship between the two and extenuating circumstances surrounding that attachment. Angela is attempting to raise her son under the roof of her mother; who doesn’t support a paternal relationship for Adam. Angela’s attachment relationship with her son is an example of intergenerational transmission of attachment due to her attachment style with her own mother. Studies have shown positive and negative influences of teen mothers living in a home supervised by an adult, concerns with maternal attachment leading to disruptive behaviors, young children being untrusting of a mother due to an insecure attachment, and potential interventions to support a positive attachment relationship.

Being a stay-at-home mother was the main contributor to the type of bond that was created (Manis, 2014). Nameste had a constant caregiver early on which helped pave the road to her attachment to me (Manis, 2014). Another parenting decision that ushered her to secure attachment was never forcing her into uneasy settings (Manis, 2014). I paid close attention to her emotional needs (Manis, 2014). When she was upset in a situation I would swoop in and calm her down (Manis, 2014). If she could not be soothed I would remove her from the situation (Manis, 2014). She was only babysat for short amounts of time by a familiar caregiver (Manis, 2014). Which limited the number of caregivers allowing her to form a stronger bond with

Despite work that has criticised this, mothers today still are kept together with their baby directly after birth. Klaus and Kennell's research would suggest that early attachment does have positive consequences. However, research is not conclusive in deciding whether attachments do form in this ‘critical period' or not.

The first developmental stage of the life span is prenatal development. A major environmental factor in this stage is the mother. “Women who adopt healthy eating patterns during pregnancy not only contribute to fetal well-being, but also reduce the likelihood of developing chronic illnesses and enhance overall health” (Fowles, E., & Fowles, S., 2008, p. 149). Furthermore, “heavy drinking during pregnancy is associated with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders involving outcomes as intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), placenta abruption, stillbirth, spontaneous abortion, birth defects, and neurodevelopmental disorders” (Meyer-Leu, Y., Lemola, S.,

There are numerous controversies in the world in the modern era. Some controversies are fought for excessively, when it is not needed. Furthermore, other controversies do not receive the attention needed. For example, smoking while pregnant is one that is not fought over enough. Smoking while pregnant has countless corrupt factors to it. Why would you not prevent the side effects of smoking while pregnant when they are preventable and in your’ control? Many

Researchers have begun to use attachment theory, as a framework for understanding interpersonal and emotional outcomes of adults. Attachment theory also creates, an understanding of how parent relationships, affects a child’s early physiological development throughout adult-hood. In the past, research done on father -child relationships, has generally, focused on the attachment the child develops, when the father is absent in the child’s early stages of development. In my research, I found recent studies, performed on father-child relationships, and how secure attachment bonds are developed, when the father is not only present, but positively active in the child’s life. The active presence of a father during the first years of a child’s life are important in the development of the child’s social skills. This topic was specifically close to heart, because my father was an absent alcoholic drug addict for the first ten years of my life. He has been sober now for nine years, and I wonder how his absence and sobriety have affect my attachment bonds and social skills.

Over the years, statistics show that smoking cigarettes can cause many serious health issues. These issues compound when the smoker is expecting. Fourteen percent of U.S. mothers smoke while pregnant despite knowing the fact that smoking causes harm to both mother and child. In younger mothers, age 25 and under, that number rises significantly to 20 percent. If a woman smokes then becomes pregnant, she must decide whether or not to quit. Woman are aware that cigarettes are not good for them or their baby, but do they understand the severity of smoking while carrying their unborn child in their womb? In this paper I will evaluate how women who smoke while pregnant are at high risk for early miscarriage, preterm birth, and birth defects. Is smoking a cigarette worth risking the life of your unborn child?

More then 15% of women smoking while pregnant. Babies who's mothers smoke have more then 20% higher chance of being born with cleft lip, cleft palates, shortened or missing limbs, and abnormally shaped heads compared to babies born to nonsmoking mothers. Babies born to mothers who smoked during pregnancy are even more likely to have learning disorders and behavioral problems.

Neonatal abstinence syndrome is the term given to newborn babies experiencing a number of signs and symptoms as a direct result of exposure to addictive drugs whilst in the womb. (Medline Plus 2016). The main risk factor for these babies is parental drug/alcohol misuse during pregnancy. This is an internal risk factor as the babies are born addicted to a substance. It can be argued that there is a link between individuals who have drug and alcohol issues, and external risk factors such as unemployment, domestic

Smoking during pregnancy is associated with many adverse outcomes for children as well as negative consequences for child health and development. Maternal smoking late in pregnancy reduces birth weight and size. Babies that are born to habitual smokers "weigh, on average, about 9 oz. less, and are shorter both at birth and in the years to come" (Berger 115). Nicotine is the addictive ingredient in cigarettes and breaking that habit can be nearly impossible for some women. What is the acceptable way for her to stop smoking? It's my opinion a woman needs to gather all of the information she can and then discuss her options

The concept of infant-mother attachment is as important to the child as the birth itself. The effect this relationship has on a child shall affect that child for its entire life. A secure attachment to the mother or a primary caregiver is imperative for a child’s development. Ainsworth’s study shows that a mother is responsive to her infant’s behavioral cues which will develop into a strong infant-mother attachment. This will result in a child who can easily, without stress, be separated from his mother and without any anxiety. Of course the study shows a child with a weak infant-mother relationship will lead to mistrust, anxiety, and will never really be that close with the mother. Without the

There are a number of influences that contribute to the formation of attachments and the differences among individuals. One influence on attachment is the amount of time a caregiver spends with an infant. The amount of time can be affected by the age, health, and social status of the mother. For example, a younger, teenage mother, may return to school in order to complete their education. Returning to school can preoccupy a mother and create a disconnect when an infant’s distress and behaviors are not attended to or ignored. Another example of how the amount of time spent with an infant can be affected is a single-mother or a mother who returns to work within the sensitive time of an infant’s development. Similar to the younger mother example,

By responding with care and comfort, this enables for an “attachment bond” to form between the infant and caregiver, most commonly the mother (White et al., 2013). Following on from Bowlby’s theory, Mary Ainsworth investigated the theory of attachment through observing the reactions of infants when their mothers left them alone with strangers. The investigation was named as the “Ainsworth’s strange situation assessment” (White et al., 2013). It was discovered through this investigation that infants who had secure attachments with their mothers were upset when separated and were easily soothed when the mother returns. This investigation implies that infants with secure attachment to their mothers show signs of normal social development.

Attachment theory is the idea that a child needs to form a close relationship with at least one primary caregiver. The theory proved that attachment is necessary to ensure successful social and emotional development in an infant. It is critical for this to occur in the child’s early infant years. However, failed to prove that this nurturing can only be given by a mother (Birns, 1999, p. 13). Many aspects of this theory grew out of psychoanalyst, John Bowlby’s research. There are several other factors that needed to be taken into account before the social worker reached a conclusion; such as issues surrounding poverty, social class and temperament. These factors, as well as an explanation of insecure attachment will be further explored in

This stress can sometimes lead to an increase in risky behaviors, such as drug and alcohol use. Not uncommon, the newly single parent may find that they are more easily depressed or experience an increase in anxiety. When parental abilities begin to break down the opportunity arises for the children to also dabble in risky behaviors. As stated in the International Encyclopedia of Marriage and Family, “children in single parent homes tend to have higher absentee reports and higher dropout rates”.