The Continuum concept

The Continuum Concept forms the basis of Attachment Parenting and is where Attachment Parenting draws a lot of its ideas from.
Jean Liedloff states that for babies to achieve optimum physical, emotional and mental development babies need the kind of experience we were adapted for during the evolution process. Experiences such as :-

Constant physical contact with its mother(or other well known caregiver.)
co-sleeping.
Breastfeeding on demand.
being carried in arms or other caiier whilst adult goes about day to days tasks.
cries being immeadiately responded to without judgement or displeasure.

In contrast to this babies in the modern western world usually experience:-

Traumatic seperation from mother at birth due to medical intervention and placed in a crib in a ward with other crying newborns.
scheduled feeding.
sleeping alone after crying it out.
Caregiver belittling or punishing crying.
being excluded from day to day activities by being placed in a crib, cot or playpen.

It is said that children whose continuum needs are fulfilled during the early, in-arms phase grow up to have greater self-esteem and become more independent than those whose cries go unanswered for fear of “spoiling” them or making them too dependent.