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Supplementary carrying compared with advice to increase responsive parenting as interventions to prevent persistent
I St James-Roberts1, J Hurry, J Bowyer
1Department of Child Development and Primary Education, London University Institute of Education, United Kingdom.
Pediatrics
|March 1, 1995
Summary
This study found that neither increased infant carrying nor enhanced parental responsiveness significantly reduced infant crying in the first 12 weeks. Further research is needed to explore effective interventions for infant fussiness.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infant Behavior
- Parenting Interventions
Background:
- Infant crying is a common concern for parents, impacting maternal well-being and healthcare utilization.
- Previous interventions have explored methods to reduce excessive infant crying.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the effectiveness of two interventions, supplementary carrying and increased parental responsiveness, in reducing infant crying.
- To assess these interventions from birth up to 12 weeks of age.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving mothers and infants assigned to carrying, responsiveness, or control groups.
- Data collection included home-based diaries, audio recordings, and questionnaires to measure parental behavior and infant crying.
- Sample sizes at 6 weeks were 59 (carrying), 57 (responsiveness), and 94 (control) infants.
Main Results:
- The carrying intervention successfully increased infant carrying, but no significant differences in crying or fussing were observed between groups.
- The responsiveness intervention showed limited impact on carrying and feeding frequency, with no effect on parental interaction or play.
- No correlation was found between increased carrying while settled and reduced infant crying.
Conclusions:
- Neither supplementary carrying nor increased parental responsiveness, as implemented in this study, can be recommended as primary preventative interventions to reduce infant crying.
- Current evidence does not support these methods for significantly mitigating infant fussiness.