Neuro-biology has come a huge distance in the past 10 years. They are finding that the very beginning of our ‘life’s journey’ has a tremendous effect on how we relate to ourselves and others in adulthood. Trauma anywhere from in the womb, during birth and the first 5 years especially effect which genetics (in terms of: long term brain health, cardio, metabolism, glucose, organ function) will turn on later on in life (adulthood). This has been the major finding in the Genome project. They uncovered something called Epi-genetics. Epi-genetics are what can be described as: how life experiences turn on and off certain genes. *Bruce Lipton was a major researcher in the Genome project and is well published
As babies both in the womb and on the outside, it is super important to experience attunement in right connection with our caregivers, in order to build important neuro-connections around nervous system regulation. The imprints we are recording in the nervous system around pre and perinatal experiences reflects how secure, available and responsive our caregivers are to our needs as little ones which, get translates later on in adult life into how secure, available and responsive we are in relationship with others as well as your selves. Our nervous system is intently recording our experiences from this time in a way that will imprint whether we are para-sympathetic nervous system dominate or sympathetic nervous system dominate. In short, secure attachment and attunement equals growing a healthy brain.
Birth is a major life passage with life and death significance. The state of the newborn’s nervous system reflects the quality of prenatal parenting, genetic factors and the parents’ attachment history. Secure Attachment equals optimal right brain development translating into efficient regulation of emotions, stress coping skills, social relationships, and strong cardiovascular, neuro-endrocrine and immune system functions.
The intensity of birth is often a reflection of how well attuned a mother is with her baby, how she is relating to the experiences of her life, coupled with her feelings about entering motherhood. Babies navigate birth by using their unique and varying degrees of spiritual consciousness and free will; coupled by, how well attuned their parents have been throughout pregnancy and, the quality of support being provided in the immediate field through all the medical staff and practices surrounding the birth. Unexpected things do happen during birth and when they do the parents’ ability to come into close contact with the baby (during and in the months after birth) while offering attunement to the baby’s experience can greatly lessen the trauma of birth to becoming deeply embedded in the newborns nervous system. Some of the most simple, yet powerful techniques to lesson trauma for a newborn:
· Constant Skin to Skin – this can be a cure for just about any amount of trauma or de-stabilization in the baby’s system. Babies are not meant to be separate from mom and dad physically for the first 8 months of life and they like constant contact especially as they make this transition form an inside baby to an outside baby.
· Slow down – babies register what is happening 10 times slower than an adult.
· Deep Slow Breathing – while concentrating on the energetic heart space when coming into contact with the baby.
· Eye Contact – allow the baby to gaze at you for as long as they want as you breathe slowly. Eye gazing builds a strong Amygdala (an organ in the brain that dominates the human stress response and is the storehouse of emotional memory. This little organ is in rapid growth and building its association around emotional safety beginning in the 3rd trimester and the 1st 3 months).
If the baby is crying do not try to hush. Give contact, keep the awareness of heart center and be open to whatever story they are trying to tell you through their cry. Of course, babies should never be left crying for long periods alone and a panicked cry should be soothed right away. Simply, do not try to be in a hurry or panic when your baby cries. Sometimes especially in the first 3 months if something happened that was unsettling about their birth (long labor, interventions, medications, Pitocin, c-section, life saving measures for mom or baby, separation, needing to be in the hospital for an extended stay) they want the caregivers to really understand how difficult it was for them. Try to attune to what they may be experiencing. Being an outside baby is a new experience for them and it can take 8 months for them to begin to differentiate that they are actually outside of mommy’s tummy. Slow down for them so that they can understand what is happening in an integrated way.
These simple skills can be very helpful for babies having trouble breastfeeding too. Often times everyone gets into a panic if the baby is not nursing well and too often a lactation consultant will come and show mom some very forceful techniques to get the baby to latch. Simply slowing down, skin to skin, deep breathing, eye contact and attunement practiced together with lots of love and patience is all the little ones need to figure out how to nurse.