Left-side preference in holding and carrying newborn infants. A three-year follow-up study

Observation of maternal infant holding was made during the postnatal week. Among 264 observed mothers 37 were right-holding and 35 could be traced 3 years later. They were matched with 35 left-holding mothers. The right-holding mothers had more contact with the district nurses and Child Health Centres during the 3-year follow-up period, although their children were equally healthy. Other between group differences were also found illustrating a greater need for support and more anxiety about their children among right-holding mothers. Maternal parity seemed to have a stronger correlation to maternal anxiety about her child than did side preference for holding during the lying-in period.