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Newborn babies present significant behavioral variability. Irritability constitutes one of the most researched behavioral characteristics in newborns. It can be the source of early interactive dysfunctions between the mother and the baby. The question that emerges through this literature review is: how can it influence the child’s later attachments? For Ainsworth, neonatal irritability primarily influences maternal sensitivity, which in turn plays a direct role in the constitution of the infant’s attachment patterns. Since this work, recent studies have reexamined this link, suggesting it is nonlinear. Moreover, other factors must be considered alongside maternal sensitivity in order to understand the precursors of attachment. The mothers of irritable newborns are less sensitive than those of non-irritable babies, but their representations of their baby’s temperament can also influence their sensitivity. This paper sheds new light on the debate between proponents of attachment theory and the behaviorists while suggesting that these two theoretical trends are not mutually exclusive.