The study aimed to compare the effects of breastfeeding education and skin-to-skin contact on breastfeeding efficiency and maternal attachment. This study was a three-group randomized controlled study. This study was conducted with 92 women in a delivery room in Türkiye between October 2021 and May 2022. The study consists of continuous early SSC…

The first months after becoming a new parent are a unique and important period in human development. Despite substantial research on the many social and biological changes that occur during the first months of parenthood, little is known about changes in mothers' attachment. The present study examines developmental stability and change in…

Infants are born primed to develop attachment relationships. However, when infants are hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit at birth, the stress and trauma associated with the highly specialized medical environment can threaten the development of a nurturing and secure caregiving relationship. Infant mental health is an evidence-based…

This longitudinal investigation of 84 infants examined whether the effect of 12-month attachment on 18- and 24-month exploration and sociability with unfamiliar adults varied as a function of newborn irritability. As expected, results revealed an interaction between attachment (secure vs. insecure) and irritability (highly irritable vs. moderately…

Behavioral outcomes in mother-infant interaction in the first month of life after contact in the recovery room are described. In the first postpartum hour, personnel presented 62 infants to their mothers. Personnel crossed two modes (skin-to-skin versus cradling) and two durations (15 versus 60 minutes) of contact. Instances of maternal and infant…

While infant attachment has been largely studied, parental attachment is still relatively unknown, especially when referred to fathers. However, it is mainly recognised that parents' emotional involvement with the newborn contributes to the quality of the interaction and the care they provide. The aim of this study was to study mother-to-infant…

In a longitudinal study of 29 middle-class Japanese infants, an attempt was made to identify early temperamental dispositions that predict later attachment classification. Specifically, Ainsworth Strange Situation observations at 12 months of age were preceded by, among others, observation of distress evident in newborns when a nipple was removed;…

This paper reviews a few studies, both in animals and humans, that are relevant in helping us to understand factors affecting infant-mother interaction. (MM)

This paper, supporting father involvement in pregnancy, birth, and infant care, recommends that the father 1) acknowledge and accept the emotional impact of pregnancy and share this with his mate, and 2) mentally visualize himself in childbearing and childrearing roles. It suggests that multiple benefits accrue to all involved when the father…

Two experiments explored the influence of neonate characteristics on maternal behavior. Experiment 1 investigated the influence of maternal attribution to the neonate of certain behavioral characteristics on maternal behavior in interaction. After videotaped mother-neonate pair interaction, neonates were removed for a nominal examination. Mothers…

A case study is reported in which early "autistiform behavior" in a 4-week-old baby was reversed through intensive mothering. The baby, who had been developing normally, was bottlefed by "strangers" for 2 days and then began to avert her eyes from all people, an autistiform behavior which persisted and grew worse as the mother tried to…

Provides an update of information on infant nurturance and early learning of special interest to providers of services to parents and infants. (BR)

This paper presents an overview of the literature on mother-infant attachment behavior. Attachment is defined by Ainsworth as involving affection, discrimination, observable behavior, active participation by both parties, and reciprocal response. The process of attachment is seen by Stone, Smith, and Murphy as taking place in three stages over the…

The Instrument for Systematic Assessment of Parent Attachment Behaviors (ISAPAB) can be used to help families in need of information and support concerning parent-infant interaction. The ISAPAB is based on the assumptions that parent attachment behavior can be placed on a continuum from most optimal to least optimal, and that critical behaviors…

Examined the effect on father-infant relationships of a parent training program on infant massage and bathing. Infants in the treatment group greeted fathers with more eye contact, smiles, vocalizing, reaching, and orienting responses and showed less avoidance behavior than did control group infants. Fathers in the treatment group showed greater…