July 28, 2010
The Duke University Medical School study followed 500 people from infancy into their thirties, finding that babies who receive above-average levels of affection and attention are less likely to suffer from stress, anxiety, hostility and anger.
Researchers watched the mothers’ behaviour with their eight-month-old babies, ranking them according to what they described as maternal affection — based on the number of times they were negative, cranky, caressing or extravagant.
“Even a simple assessment of the quality of the mother-infant interaction at such an early age captures something very important in terms of the future psychological health of that infant,” lead author of the study and assistant professor at Duke University, Dr Joanna Maselko, said in a media release.
The study’s findings, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, “make a strong case for policies that would help foster positive interactions between infants and parents, such as paid parental leave,” Dr Maselko said.
The research team also recommended that medical insurance should cover services that would help to develop and strengthen the bond between mother and child, such as baby massage classes.
Mother & Baby expert Sally Cranfield, a baby massage instructor, recommends skin-to-skin contact to create a strong parental bond. This stimulates the production of oxytocin, which calms and relieves pain and helps to reduce the levels of the stress-related hormone cortisol.
“The tradition of baby massage is strong in other cultures, but was lost to ours as baby care became more medicalised,” Sally said.
“Now we’re rediscovering this lovely way of exploring the bond between parent and baby.”
It’s a great way for you to get close to your little one and spend quality time together, and will strengthen the special bond between you, Sally added.
The authors of the Duke University study, however, noted that the finding of their study was still theory-based and that many other factors influenced stress and anxiety levels — including genetics and socioeconomic factors.
