The Continuum Concept

I was introduced to this concept tonight. So I am obviously no expert, but I thought I'd share this concept and a website associated with it. It sounds very similar to attachment parenting. Like AP, it is a "natural" parenting style.

Basically the concept is that we should be parenting the way it has been done through our evolution. If you think about "natural" parenting, the way that parenting was done before our society, you think of mothers wearing their babies on their chests or backs as they went about their day..."gathering" and whatever else they were doing. You think of mothers breastfeeding their babies whenever they were hungry, sleeping with their babies, and basically meeting their babies' demands throughout the day. It is called the continuum concept because it refers to constantly meeting the continuum of your babies needs.

Now the therapist in me comes out...One thing I would be willing to bet money on is that back then there were a LOT less children with behavioral problems and a lot less adults with mental health issues!

This website is The Jean Liedloff Continuum Network. Here is my favorite quote...

"Infants whose continuum needs are fulfilled during the early, in-arms phase grow up to have greater self-esteem and become more independent than those whose cries go unanswered for fear of "spoiling" them or making them too dependent." 

I love it because it basically sums up none other than my favorite topic in the world...attachment research.

We had it right from the beginning. Then our society decided that was all wrong and introduced things like "cry-it-out," scheduled feedings, physical separation from parents for the majority of the day, and the (in my opinion, ridiculous) concept of "spoiling" our children by using these instinctual concepts.

I am intrigued! I will do some more research on the Continuum Concept and will hopefully be talking more about it. I think I may look on Amazon to see if I can get this book for cheap :)