THE SOCIAL-LIFE OF BONDING THEORY

'Bonding' as a crucial factor of the early post-partum entered obstetr ic and paediatric practice after the publication of Maternal and Infan t Bonding in 1976 by Klaus and Kennell. The concept has held its place since, as witnessed by medical textbook accounts of it, and the perce ption of 'instantaneous bonding' as a vital component of the ideal bir th experience has dominated media representations of childbirth and, u ntil very recently, feminist writing. Only during the last few years h as this literature taken into account research findings concerning the guilt and anxiety experienced by women whose expectations regarding ' bonding' are not realised. While it is now generally acknowledged that maternal attachment develops over an extended period of time, 'bondin g' as used extensively in both popular and scientific literature confl ates a wide range of meanings and blurrs the boundaries between proces s and outcome. This facilitates the entry of ideological elements into a field which is, by its very nature, deeply significant for human ex perience. We therefore argue for a continuing critical appraisal of th e role of 'bonding' in both general and scientific research.