Does maternal instinct exist in humans anymore?

Me thinking about random shit spawned this thought. Obviously, at some point along the way, someone knew what they were doing, otherwise the species would have died out and none of us would be here. Maternal instinct seems to exist in other species (birds sitting on their eggs, cats lugging kittens around and cleaning them constantly, etc.), but it seems like humans need someone to hold their hands every single step of the way when it comes to breeding.

I understand the need for medical intervention because women can't always safely give birth without it, and infants can't always survive without it either. But like we have medical experts who teach women how to tit-feed, which should come naturally, shouldn't it? Plus all these special and expensive bits and bobs that babies allegedly "need." Stuff that I'm sure past generations did not have, yet some of those babies still survived (I understand infant loss was much more common in the past too).

Makes me wonder if the maternal instinct has been bred out of humans in an effort to try and reduce the population. Obviously nature can only do so much, and there's plenty of information out there for breeders to make use of when they inevitably find themselves completely clueless. Have humans become dumber in this regard to prevent fewer people from reaching adulthood in the hopes that more of them die in childhood?

I'm sure there are other factors at work too, such as peer pressure and an abundance of often times conflicting information. But what did past generations of humans have that allowed them to raise at least some of their kids to adulthood without needing to consult a book every second? Was it really all just dumb luck?

Or could it be as simple as women not realizing they don't want to be mothers until after they've had kids?

Follow the trail of profit, it is convincing parunts they can't be self-sufficient.
Why do you think doctors don't want to sterilize the child-free? Doctors know that if a woman isn't sterilized she will likely wind up inpig sooner or later. Abortion is still a taboo for most people so many will have the brat(s).

I have a sincere admiration for the former Mrs. and Mr. Money Moustache. The former Mrs. lays it down:
https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2011/09/09/mrs-money-mustache-what-do-newborn-babies-really-need/

If you have a bunch of lazy breeders how hard is it to convince them they are helpless? Much of the medical expert stuff is due to paruntal laziness. These parunts can't even financially plan to take a break for having a brat or have the mental horsepower to figure out if they can't afford it they shouldn't breed. Companies feed off of this laziness (convenience food, convenience breeding shit, etc). If they have the means, convince them that buying a bunch of shit will make parunting easier and to demand a push gift for their efforts. There is also the (huge and profitable) infertility industry so that geezer mahms can feel young and validated that they waited wayyyy too long to have brats. Keep in mind roughly 50% of the population has an IQ below 100 and that doesn't take into account critical thinking skills, or lack thereof.

I think there is a hormone induced maternal response and if it fades too early then it becomes postpartum depression. That is just an opinion based on lots of observation, not the opinion of an expert who charges $10,000 a day. But, there are expensive treatments for PPD. My guess is that the society imposed views on maternity and paternity are mostly not instinct. The bullshit on women being nurturing and having that as an instinct. There isn't a gender associated with nurture, women have for the most part been forced into the role. Why would anyone with any power whatsoever want to clean human filth, go without sleep, listen to wailing, be bored to death with a human with the intellectual horsepower of a potato, etc?

I suspect some of the infant loss in the past was due to those nurturing parents realizing they couldn't afford another mouth to feed and starving an infant or two. And despite what present day baybee worshipping idiots think, better to let an infant starve than an entire family.

I think most men and women would abandon a baybee if there was no consequence. As a woman, I'd abandon a baybee to just get away while maintaining my sanity. This is one of the many reasons why I don't have brats.

I'm thrilled society imposes stringent requirements on parunts (of course there are always outs and exceptions) so that taxpayers aren't stuck supporting brats abandoned on a whim. What doesn't thrill me is the fact that prevention of this crap isn't considered a top priority. It is still too easy to have buyer's remorse.

Also, the brat worship (that has grown progressively worse) of society is appalling. I'm not seeing the big deal made out of lots of stuff that is no longer allowed such as brats walking to school without an adult, brats playing outside without adult supervision, etc.

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Cambion
Me thinking about random shit spawned this thought. Obviously, at some point along the way, someone knew what they were doing, otherwise the species would have died out and none of us would be here. Maternal instinct seems to exist in other species (birds sitting on their eggs, cats lugging kittens around and cleaning them constantly, etc.), but it seems like humans need someone to hold their hands every single step of the way when it comes to breeding.

Human beings come out of the womb extremely undeveloped because the female's pelvis is just too narrow. Some science boffin once said that humans weren't ready for birth until they are a year and a half old. Humans are also very slow developers, as compared to kittens or puppies. Both of the latter are functional animals by their first year. Most humans can't walk, and many can't even crawl by then.

The big change today as compared to past human families is today there is no extended family to teach moo not to kill brat. Humans need a lot of training to raise their undeveloped larvae.

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Passive Aggressive
Master Of Anti-brat
Excuses!

Freya said, "Also, the brat worship (that has grown progressively worse) of society is appalling. I'm not seeing the big deal made out of lots of stuff that is no longer allowed such as brats walking to school without an adult, brats playing outside without adult supervision, etc."

Great post, by the way, Freya.

That quoted part is about the fear-mongering bombarding society in general and parents in particular. The powers that be want everyone afraid, so they concoct garbage such as disappearing children, child sex trafficking, stranger danger, and so forth, when every crime statistic says crime is way down from its peak in the 1970s. If strangers were grabbing kids, we'd have constant Amber Alerts and news stories. We don't.

All good points, freya! I didn't think about the pretty distinct fact that good old fashioned marketing can make breeders (especially first-time breeders and ESPECIALLY first-time mothers) feel insecure enough about their own abilities that they can be convinced to buy things they don't need. Things that promote convenience, seem practical (like baby ass wipe warmers - yes that's a thing), match the theme of the nursery, or are just so cute that they have to have it!

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freya
Why would anyone with any power whatsoever want to clean human filth, go without sleep, listen to wailing, be bored to death with a human with the intellectual horsepower of a potato, etc?

Because they're told they're doing the most important job in the whole world! Wiping butts and cleaning puke is the best job ever! Funny how nobody says that taking care of the elderly is the most important job in the world when it's essentially the same thing as taking care of a baby. Only the "baby" in the latter case might be a 90-year-old with dementia, nothing to lose and a mean right hook.

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kman
Freya said, "Also, the brat worship (that has grown progressively worse) of society is appalling. I'm not seeing the big deal made out of lots of stuff that is no longer allowed such as brats walking to school without an adult, brats playing outside without adult supervision, etc."

Great post, by the way, Freya.

That quoted part is about the fear-mongering bombarding society in general and parents in particular. The powers that be want everyone afraid, so they concoct garbage such as disappearing children, child sex trafficking, stranger danger, and so forth, when every crime statistic says crime is way down from its peak in the 1970s. If strangers were grabbing kids, we'd have constant Amber Alerts and news stories. We don't.

Thanks kman. The fear-mongering is real and is a huge factor in advertising. Most news articles are paid for by advertising.

We live in the one of the safest times ever, even older cars have incredible safety ratings compared to even 20 years ago. They just pander for profits. And it is always the young dumb breeders who claim anyone older than 30 just doesn't understand why a breeder with five brats and 25 years old doesn't need to finance the latest icrap phone. It isn't that different than the way teenagers think and in many instances it is arrested development. Advertisers LOVE 25 year olds who still think they are competing in high school.

I was that way in my early teens too, then I grew up by my late teens.

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Cambion
Because they're told they're doing the most important job in the whole world! Wiping butts and cleaning puke is the best job ever! Funny how nobody says that taking care of the elderly is the most important job in the world when it's essentially the same thing as taking care of a baby. Only the "baby" in the latter case might be a 90-year-old with dementia, nothing to lose and a mean right hook.

Thanks Cambion. This is a really good point. Most people ship off the elderly to group homes/nursing homes/whatever. Can you imagine what would happen if they did the same with their brats? It is is basically the same premise, as you pointed out.

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freya

Thanks Cambion. This is a really good point. Most people ship off the elderly to group homes/nursing homes/whatever. Can you imagine what would happen if they did the same with their brats? It is is basically the same premise, as you pointed out.

The orphanage will be coming back when abortions and birth control are banned in the USA.

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Passive Aggressive
Master Of Anti-brat
Excuses!