In our talk, Dr. James Mckenna explains how our capacity as a species to adapt to our environment and use tools means that cultural evolutions are varied, some even veering us off the path of what might be more natural, genetically speaking. In his view, we are built for family ties, connection, and wired for a deeply important bond with our mother or caretaker. The healthy baby’s “premature” body at infancy is still incredibly dependent on the mother’s body as its environment. And for these reasons, among others, Mckenna argues that human babies are not physically ready for our culture of putting a newborn baby in a separate room, whereby we expect them to learn independence in a crib, away from mother.

As an anthropologist Mckenna’s life’s work revolves around the study of cultures and human evolution. With the birth of his son, he and his wife discovered that their new parent readings about how to care for infants were steering them directly in opposition with everything that seemed to them, natural, and instinctive.

This personal experience led him on a path to establish the Mother-Baby Behavioral Sleep Laboratory at the University of Notre Dame.

Who is Dr. James McKenna?
Dr. James McKenna is the leading expert on mother-infant sleep in the United States. He founded and directed the Mother-Baby Behavioral Sleep Laboratory at the University of Notre Dame - the first of its kind to study the physiology and behavior of cosleeping parents and infnats. He has appeared on NBC, CNN, ABC, The Today Show, and NPR, and is a global voice on the relationship between bedsharing, breastfedding and SIDS.


Connect with James McKenna
Twitter ➡️: [ Ссылка ]
Website ➡️: [ Ссылка ]
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----CONTENT IN THIS VIDEO---
00:00 Introduction
01:33 Primates, and human babies
09:46 The fourth trimester
12:18 Babies don't manipulate
16:38 Cosleeping isn't for everyone
21:36 Defining cosleeping
27:03 Cosleeping bassinets
27:51 A carrying species
33:42 The importance of touch
35:03 Breathing and SIDS
41:45 Cry it Out
45:00 The idea of a "good" baby
47:56 The mother is the habitat
54:02 Evolution and world cultures
56:54 SIDS
01:06:32 The medical context
01:09:00 Why guidelines are needed

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----BOOK DISCUSSED ----
📖 Introducing breastsleeping - a new understanding of humanity’s time-honored sleeping and feeding arrangement: Safe Infant Sleep: Expert Answers to Your Cosleeping Questions ➡️ [ Ссылка ]
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----About Gentle Finds----
Gentle Finds was founded on the idea that each one of us plays a part in creating the world we live in through the choices we make. In our relationships, the work we do, and the products we buy, our everyday movements leave a mark, for better or worse, and Gentle Finds is here to help you leave a gentler mark. I find gentle inspirations to share with you, with practical tips about how we can be nicer to ourselves, each other, our bodies, and our environment. Subscribe, follow, and start your gentle journey today!

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