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Mother-child bonding at 1 year; associations with symptoms of postnatal depression and bonding in the first few weeks

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Abstract

Some mothers experience neutral or negative feelings toward their new infant. This study examined the association between symptoms of postnatal depression and mother–infant bonding and the persistence of these feelings over the first year. Bonding was assessed using the Mother–Infant Bonding Scale (MIBQ), at four times postnatal, “early weeks” (1–4 weeks), 9 weeks, 16 weeks and 1 year, in 50 depressed, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression scale (EPDS) ≥13 at 4 weeks post natal, and 29 non-depressed mothers. A significant association between the EPDS score at 4 weeks and bonding score at 1–4 weeks, 9 weeks, and at 1 year postnatal, χ 2(1) = 9.85, p < 0.01, 5.44, p < 0.05 and 5.21, p < 0.05, respectively, was found, with a trend at 16 weeks. There was a strong association between bonding in the early weeks and all later time points χ 2(1) = 17.26, p < 0.001, 7.89, p < 0.01 and 13.69, p < 0.001, respectively. Regression showed early bonding rather than early depression was the major predictor of bonding at 1 year. Women who are depressed postnatally can fail to bond well with their baby and this can persist for a year. Early identification and intervention for poor bonding is indicated.

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Acknowledgements

Funding of this study was provided by the Foundation for Integrated Health. We thank Diana Adams for all her help on the project and also all the mothers and babies who took part.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Krembil Neuroscience Centre, Toronto Western Hospital, 399 Bathurst Street, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5T 2S8

    Madeleine O’Higgins

  2. Thomas Coram Research Unit Institute of Education, University of London, 27/28 Woburn Square, London, WC1H 0AA, UK

    Ian St James Roberts

  3. Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, Hammersmith Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK

    Vivette Glover & Alyx Taylor

  4. School of Biomedical Sciences, King’s College, London, Stamford Street, London, SE1 9NH, UK

    Alyx Taylor

Authors
  1. Madeleine O’Higgins
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  2. Ian St James Roberts
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  3. Vivette Glover
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  4. Alyx Taylor
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Correspondence to Alyx Taylor.

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O’Higgins, M., Roberts, I.S.J., Glover, V. et al. Mother-child bonding at 1 year; associations with symptoms of postnatal depression and bonding in the first few weeks. Arch Womens Ment Health 16, 381–389 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-013-0354-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-013-0354-y

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