The Development of Maternal Attachment from Fetal Affiliation to Infant Interaction

Abstract

This study was designed to examine the relationship between maternal fetal attachment and maternal child attachment during the early postpartum period. Attachment during pregnancy was measured by the Maternal Fetal Attachment Scale (MFA (Cranley, 1981). Mother infant attachment was assessed by the Nursing Child Assessment Feeding Scale (NCAFS) (Bernard, 1978) and the Funke Mother-Infant Interaction Assessment Tool (FMII) (Funke-Furber, 1978). Thirty two women completed the MFA during their 35th to 40th week of pregnancy and were then observed and rated while they fed their babies on the second and third postpartum day. The findings demonstrated positive and significant relationships between the MFA and the NCAFS (r=.73, p=.001) and between the MFA and the FMII (r=.69, p=.001).

In order to examine the validity of the assumption that the instruments used 9MFA, NCAFS & FMII) were measuring aspects of attachment as defined by attachment theory, the Attachment History Questionnaire was formulated and administered prenatally. No significant associations were found between the woman's relationship with her husband/partner, her mother,her father, her friends or her experience with early separation from parents and results on any of the attachment/interaction instruments. Sample, instrument and design limitations make this funding inconclusive.