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Expectations for fathers to play a bigger role as caregiver has increased as female jobs and education has increased in many societies.

Studies show an increase in fathers’ involvement in childcare since the 1970s. This suggests that the ideologies and expectations of fathers have changed since then, resulting for more males to have a wider presence in children’s development and childcare.

Nordic countries (Finland, Iceland and Scandanavia) are shown to be most involved in child care, player a major role for children’s development. However, in Asian countries and many developing countries, fathers are less involved in childcare due to society and tradition.

This leads to mothers having a bigger impact as primary caregiver as they play a greater role for children’s development.

Reference: Wei-Jun Jean Yeung (5:45pm)

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Mothers don't have to be primary care givers

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Mothers don't have to be primary care givers

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Deprivation damage: Bowlby's research showed some separated children show no negative effects. 'A child should experience a warm, intimate relationship with its mother' but it's not exclusive to a childs mother.

Mothers not fathers: Men are capable of close attachments with children. Stereotypes have changed. Men can adjust to the role of primary caregiver - studies by Field 1978 and Grossman 2002.

Freuds view: At the time of his writing, women didn't have to the right to vote so his views are a reflection of the time. Social norms and values have changed.

(getrevising.co.uk)

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Most men aren't psychologically equipped for this intense emotional relationship (biologically and socially). Female oestrogen = caring behaviour.

Freuds view: Mother-infant relationship is important in the oral stage - dependent on mother to satisfy libido. Separation anxiety - realising bodily needs would go unsatisfied

NHS recommends breastfeeding for the first 6 months. Builds a physical and emotional bond to the mother.

(getrevising.co.uk)

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Mother's don't need to be primary caregiver

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Mother's don't need to be primary caregiver

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Attachment theorists now suggest that infants are biologically predisposed to emit signals such as crying, smiling, clinging etc. to elicit nurture and proximity to not just their mothers but also fathers or any other care givers(Ainsworth, Bell & Stayton,1974; Lamb 1978b). Consistent and prompt respondings to child's needs lead to child's perception of adults as concerned, predictable and reliable and to formation of secure attachment.
(books.google.co.uk)
As a result this suggests that children are more concerned whether they are given a sufficient amount of attention, which any caregiver can provide them with, which will later lead to formation of secure attachment if needs are satisfied.  Therefore, this doesn't have to come from mothers.

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Mother doesn’t need to be the primary care giver

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Mother doesn’t need to be the primary care giver

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Toddlers will go to their primary care giver over a parent when in distress. This shows that the primary care giver does not need to be the mother of the child. (Infant behaviour and development. 2013 T. Umemura)

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Relations among childhood trauma, maternal caregiving, and infant affect and attachment

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Relations among childhood trauma, maternal caregiving, and infant affect and attachment

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Karlen Lyons- Ruth believed that the relationships among maternal childhood experiences could led to adult trauma related symptoms, infant effect and attachment where he investigated 45 low income mothers and their 18 months old infant that went through a history of sexual abuse that was associated with decrease involvement with the infant, more restricted maternal effect and trauma related symptoms. However, infants of mothers who had experienced childhood violence or abuse were less likely to have a secure attachment with their child than infants of mother who have not experienced adult trauma. This will cause a problem with their personality or mental issues later when becoming an adult.

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Mothers do not need to be the Primary care giver 

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Mothers do not need to be the Primary care giver 

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Infants often prefer one care giver at a time when feeling distressed regardless of them being their mother or not. The individual who spends the most time with the child will ultimately be the Childs primary care giver. When distressed, regardless of the security of their attachment to each parent or individual, toddlers more often interacted with the primary caregiver therefore even if the the child had a good bond with the mother if the father was the Childs primary care giver the child would approach the father in times when they are feeling anxious rather than the mother.

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for example in Ainsworth's study, which was based in Uganda, he found that when the children were hunger or distressed they would divert their behavior towards the mother to satisfy their feelings with affection and with care. using this study this shows that if the mother is not present then this emotional bond that they are seeking and not getting will cause psychological problems later on in their adult life and could lead to severe mental health issues. For example like trust issues or problems expressing their feelings or even anxiety and overthinking. This is because they would have no one to turn to and express what is going on . In this study he also saw that when the child's caregiver had left the room the child showed no reaction but as soon as the mother left, the child started to cry. This would also show that the mother should be the primary care giver since the emotional bond that is made between the mother and child is stronger than any other bond and acts as a basis of forming relationships for the child later in their adult life.

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mother doesn't need to be the primary care giver

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mother doesn't need to be the primary care giver

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Harry Harlow did an experiment with monkey to see whether they valued food or touch and comfort. he did this by placing a mother that was made out wires and contained milk and another mother that was made out of just cloth and was soft but had no feeding facilities, he found that the monkey went to the soft cloth mother rather than the wire mother with feeding facilities. This shows how comfort and touch is preferred over food. And comfort and touch can be provided by anyone and not just the mother. This could make anyone the primary care giver if they give the right amount of affection and love to the child.