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Separation for childbirth: The effect on the sibling

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Abstract

The reactions of 14 young (one to three and one-half years) first born children to the routine two to six day separation associated with maternal childbirth were compared with 17 children permitted to visit their mothers in hospital for one hour per day. Behavior observations in the home one to two weeks after birth compared to those made two to four weeks before birth as well as maternal questionnaires revealed significant increases in tekmper tantrums, excessive activity and sleep problems in both groups. Children, however, who sisited were initially significantly more responsive to their mothers and new siblings.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Neonatology, The Fairfax Hospital, 3300 Gallows Road, 22046, Falls Church, VA, Georgetown, USA

    Mary Anne Trause PhD

  2. Georgetown University School of Medicine, Georgetown, USA

    Mary Anne Trause PhD

  3. Case Western Reserve University, USA

    Diana Voos BA, Carolyn Rudd BS, MN, Marshall Klaus MD & John Kennell MD

  4. Booth Memorial Hospital, USA

    Michele Boslett RN

Authors
  1. Mary Anne Trause PhD
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  2. Diana Voos BA
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  3. Carolyn Rudd BS, MN
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  4. Marshall Klaus MD
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  5. John Kennell MD
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  6. Michele Boslett RN
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Additional information

This work was supported in part from Grant Foundation and Maternal & Child Health Grant MC-R-390337.

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Trause, M.A., Voos, D., Rudd, C. et al. Separation for childbirth: The effect on the sibling. Child Psych Hum Dev 12, 32–39 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00706671

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00706671

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