You believe saving the life of your child is an instinct. I don't, and here's why. This is exactly what I was taught, and I don't see how your scenario fits the qualifications.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instinc...fic_definition
A number of criteria were established which distinguishes instinctual from other kinds of behavior. To be considered instinctual a behavior must
a) be automatic,
b) be irresistible,
c) occur at some point in development,
d) be triggered by some event in the environment,
e) occur in every member of the species,
f) be unmodifiable, and
g) govern behavior for which the organism needs no training (although the organism may profit from experience and to that degree the behavior is modifiable). The absence of one or more of these criteria indicates that the behavior is not fully instinctual
If these criteria are used in a rigorous scientific manner, application of the term "instinct" cannot be used in reference to human behavior. When terms, such as mothering, territoriality, eating, mating, and so on, are used to denote human behavior they are seen to not meet the criteria listed above. In comparison to animal behavior such as hibernation, migration, nest building, mating and so on that are clearly instinctual, no human behavior meets the necessary criteria. And even in regard to animals, in many cases if the correct learning is stopped from occurring these instinctual behaviors disappear, suggesting that they are potent, but limited, biological predispostions. In the final analysis, under this definition, there are no human instincts.
Clearly you believe the opposing school of thought, so in reality we will never make amends other than to disagree.