that going on a night out 4 days after giving birth is a bit OTT?

[mears]

Wearing mini skirt and thigh boots and baby over an hour away at granny's overnight?

Would you?

Apart from psychiatrists getting very rich

No - not putting baby at risk.

But yes - defying nature. Mammals of all species generally keep their newborns close. It's instinctive behaviour, particularly in species whose young are especially helpless and vulnerable, as ours are.

Katiestar, I don't think you can judge all that on this new mum having one night out. How she cares for the baby overall is the important thing.

had i had the chutzpah i would have done so.regrettably i didnt

defying nature?

given as humans we have highe executive function,conscience and morals we aren't that comparable to mammals

scottishmummy what was the yes posted in response to?

Would also want to add that newborns instinctively prefer to be with their mothers than with other carers. I imagine it must be quite strange for a newborn to be separated from the only voice, touch and smell it really knows. 24 hours might seem like a very short time to an adult, but to a 4 day old baby it probably seems like an age.

Yes of course it is OTT.

And I for one am a HUGE believer in mothers having me-time (boak at that phrase) and going out for the night and having grannies do the night shift.

Just not at 4 days post birth.

a lactating mammal is non comparable to a lactating human

we have higher executive function,conscience,extended support networks, and reproduction isn't reducible to blithely saying what other mammals do

"given as humans we have highe executive function,conscience and morals we aren't that comparable to mammals "

Err, except when it comes to reproduction, childbirth and breastfeeding (and by extension early postnatal life). All of these things are governed by the most primitive parts of our brains and by our hormones. In any case - babies are not 'civilised' - they are creatures of complete instinct, and their need to be cared for in a way which makes them feel as comfortable and secure as possible in the first week of life surely counts for something doesn't it?

Patagonion cavy baby left in creche after birth.
"After the young are born, the mother puts them into a communal den (crèche) with babies from other maras. It?s possible a crèche can house the offspring of up to fifteen cavy mothers."

So while unusual it's not unheard of for a mammal to not keep it's baby close after birth.

so sabire the post birth experience of a mammal is comparable to post birth experience of a human

that is risible

we are not reducible to biology. we are complex psychosocial beings

great link juuule

The physiology of lactation is similar in most mammals: their young need to feed often in order to ensure a good milk supply, and therefore the mother is instinctively geared towards keeping her baby close to her during this period to maximise the chance of establishing lactation.

Interesting that we are the only mammals who ignore our instincts (or are devoid of them) when it comes to caring for our young, and the only mammals who fail at breastfeeding en masse.

humans are mammals.

Mears, I agree with you completely.

I am astonished at what some here have extrapolated from your obviously light hearted original post

I agree that it's not all the same to the baby, a 4 day old baby is only just getting to know the world and the voice and smell of the mother is his/her security.

"So while unusual it's not unheard of for a mammal to not keep it's baby close after birth"

But it's not usual with primates, or in 99.9% of human evolutionary history.

and good secure attachment and bonding is ongoing process,reinforced and made positive. an overnight stay will not disrupt parenting

and as bowlby said we dint need to be perfect just good enough

I wouldn't have done it, or wanted to do it. But neither would I object to someone else wanting to do it. I'd be envious of their energy and ability to get themselves together enough to go on a night out!

Sabire originally you said "mammals".

I don't think that an overnight stay will disrupt parenting.

I'm just wondering what's happened to this woman's instinct to keep her newborn baby close to her.

why do you persist with assumption her instincts are impaired?

why won't you answer what your yes post was in response to? just interested?