Author(s): Haruka Kokaze* and Rong Zi Zhou
Mother-infant interactions substantially impact the infant's neurocognitive, linguistic, social, and motor skills, which, in turn, support the infant’s growing abilities to explore, think, and make sense of their surroundings (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021; Hofer, 2006; Rocha et al., 2020). Early studies on the growth of mother-infant interactions (e.g., Ainsworth et al., 1974; Ainsworth et al., 1979; Potharst et al., 2021; Tessier et al., 1998) during the formative months of infanthood place a strong emphasis on attachment, an intimate bond formed between a newborn to their mother figure. Countless studies have found that a robust attachment stems from an active, affectionate, and secure interaction between mother and infant (Ainsworth, 1979; Bögels et al., 2014; Mountain et al., 2017; Potharst et al., 2021). Active bonding, defined as a form of uninterrupted and open attachment, is one of the most crucial foundations of attentive parenting (Ainsworth, 1979). Studies show that attentive parenting strongly predicts decreased distress symptoms in children (Tessier et al., 1998). As reciprocal attachment caregivers, those who share the responsibility of raising children with others (i.e., family members), active mother-infant bonding also increases positive parenting experiences for new mothers by decreasing symptoms of distress post-birth (Anderson, 1989). Thus, paid maternity leave predicts positive parenting, because it facilitates positive mother-infant interactions (Brito et al., 2022; Tessier et al., 1998).
