Can You Hold Your Baby Too Much?

Have you ever wondered if you're doing everything wrong when it comes to your child's attachment? Or worried that holding your baby all the time is creating a "clingy" kid?

This episode is your permission slip to put that worry down.

In this episode, Miss Beth sits down with Michelle Charriere of Babies and Brains (@babiesandbrains) to talk about what attachment actually is, why it's not a pass/fail thing, and why so much of the anxiety parents feel around it comes from comparison rather than anything they're doing wrong. Michelle got her start doing trauma and attachment work with families in the foster care system before founding Babies and Brains, and she brings that same grounded, no-shame approach here — covering everything from what really counts as trauma for a baby, to how to repair after a hard moment, to preparing an older sibling for a new baby.

If you have a baby, toddler, or are expecting another child, this is one of those episodes you'll want to save and share with a parent who needs to hear that their attachment isn't as fragile as they think.

In this episode, you'll learn:

- What attachment actually means, and why it isn't a yes/no thing

- The difference between secure and insecure attachment

- Whether there's a set timeline for a child to form attachment with a caregiver

- What actually counts as trauma for a baby, including NICU stays and traumatic birth

- How to repair with your child without needing a blowup to justify it

- How to prepare an older child for a new sibling, and when to start

- Why unfamiliar change feels unsafe to a child's nervous system