'My baby doesn't need me': understanding bonding failure.

Andy Sluckin describes and analyses the experiences of six women in the context of recent studies into bonding failure and puts the case for specialist therapy, without which, he suggests, improving the relationship between mother and child may be slow and only partially successful.

Abstract

Little is known about the prevalence of failure to bond, what causes it and its consequences for both mother and baby. A number of different factors may be implicated, such as caesarean birth, a crying baby or lack of support from the mother's partner, and it undoubtedly has an effect on the mother-child relationship. Andy Sluckin describes and analyses the experiences of six women in the context of recent studies into bonding failure and puts the case for specialist therapy, without which, he suggests, improving the relationship between mother and child may be slow and only partially successful.