By Kevin Wilson

However, in 1946 Dr. Benjamin Spock published 'The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care.' Dr. Spock was one of the early proponents of mothers caring for their babies by using their own judgment to determine what was best for their baby. Today there are still many who warn new parents that excessively holding their baby will spoil the child. These people are known as 'regulators.' Regulators believe that the child needs a disciplined routine to develop. The second group of people is referred to as 'facilitators'. The facilitating parent acts reactively to the childs physical or emotional cues of distress.

In 2001, A. Scher from the University of Haifa, Israel, conducted a study to determine which method of parenting created a stronger bond between the mother and child. Overwhelmingly, babies whose mothers used a facilitating approach to parenting displayed more 'attachment' to their mothers than babies whose mothers used a more regulating approach.

So what does this mean for a new parent? It simply means that by holding your child and appropriately caring for your child when they begin to fuss, you build a relationship of trust and security with your baby. Building this sense of trust with your baby will actually foster your babys confidence to explore and interact with others. So relax, and worry more about what your baby wants and less about the way your peers and associates say.

The author is a proponent of 'attached' parenting techniques and other benefits of baby sling carriers.