Actually, what started me on this meander was the memory that as a little girl, I had no contact with babies whatsoever. I was the younger of only two, and youngest of all the cousins; we had no baby-having neighbors, either.
I grew up never even baby-sitting, having zero contact, and then hit adolescence at the surge of modern (Friedan-era) feminism which spiritedly trashed amd repudiated every feminine virtue.
Consequently, I had never even touched a newborn until I touched my own. And I had little idea of how to care for him, except you swabbed one end and fed the other. My own mother was 1500 miles away, and much debilitated and disabled, and sisters and female kindred I had none.
Of course, being bookish, I read my way into the motherly arts; and thanks to the conservative Catholic set I had fallen into (prolifers) I read the right stuff. CCL and the La Leche League tracts, and the attachment insights of Dr. Sears.
I felt acutely my lack of aptness for what should be normal feminine nurturant behavior. And that was partly due to the lack of a competence-building and baby-loving motherculture.
I had very similar experiences, except that I babysat. When Anoreth was born, I was largely clueless. (I also had a job, so she was cared for by people who knew what they were doing - probably for the best, under the circumstances!)
Dr. Sears was a big help to me, when I finally found myself at home full time with children.