Influence of cesarean section on mother-baby interaction

Fifty two mother-infant pairs were studied. Twenty six of these were delivered by the normal vaginal route (NVD group) and twenty six by Cesarean section (CS group). The NVD babies were roomed in with their mothers soon after birth whereas the CS babies had a mean separation of 2.8 +/- 1.0 days. The mother baby interaction was evaluated by (a) direct observation of the mother's behaviour during feeding, (b) observation of mother's behaviour during BNBAS (Brazelton Neonatal Behaviour Assessment Scale) on her baby, and (c) interview of the mother with attachment questions. Mothers in the NVD group showed significantly greater affectionate behaviour and encompassing compared to mothers in the CS group. They (NVD mothers) were more often involved in the care-taking activities of their babies and scored significantly higher for the interview implying a greater mother-baby attachment in this group.