Title: Feeding Attachment: Nurturing Attachment Through Every Bite
Date: June 4th, 2024
Time: 5:00pm - 6:00pm CST/ 6:00pm - 7:00pm EST
Description:
The single most crucial ingredient in laying a healthy foundation for children is caring, nurturing relationships. For babies, this foundation develops as caregivers and parents build bonds and attachment. Caregivers are a baby’s first teacher, from initial communication skills and sweet coos to little fingers reaching for their mother’s dinner plate. Each part of the journey is remarkable and carves a special place in a caregiver’s heart. AIMHiTN strives to assist caregivers and families as they begin this journey, presenting a supportive collective of four trainings specifically targeting how caregivers can thrive in their pivotal role of bonding and attachment. Bonding with an infant is developed through consistent interactions from those that are most important around them: mothers, fathers, siblings, and caregivers alike. After this bond is strengthened, attachment wraps a baby in security and warmth, through an infant’s first two love languages: touch and feeding.
In this fourth and final training under the Family Training Series, we explore how feeding is more than just sustenance—it’s a powerful tool for building strong emotional connections between caregivers and infants. Whether through nursing, bottle feeding, or feeding tubes, the act of feeding fosters deep attachment bonds. This presentation delves into practical tips and tricks for caregivers to maximize feeding time as an opportunity for bonding not only between mother and baby but also among siblings and fathers. Discover how simple yet meaningful interactions during feeding can shape lifelong attachments and promote healthy family dynamics.
Presenter(s):
Crystal Gilreath, M.S., IBCLC, IMH-E®, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant
Hi, I am Crystal! I am an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and also endorsed as an Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist. Before my journey brought me to AIMHiTN, I spent five years working for the TN Breastfeeding Hotline helping families
navigate their feeding journeys, followed by nearly five years working with a
home visiting program where Reflective Supervision was incorporated into my
role.
About AIMHiTN:
The Association of Infant Mental Health in Tennessee (AIMHiTN) exists to support infants and young children and the adults who impact their early relational health. Our focus is on prenatal care up to a child's sixth birthday because we know it's those earliest years that matter most. AIMHiTN delivers education, training, and resources to assist caregivers, educators, healthcare providers, and other professionals in their everyday interactions with infants, young children, and their families. Our work helps ensure healthy communities and a productive workforce for generations to come, creating a brighter future for all. Simply put, we support the workforce that supports our future workforce.
