Will I love my second baby as much as my first? Prevalence and psychosocial correlates of maternal‐fetal relationship anxiety for second‐time mothers

Bibliographic Data

ID11276745
AuthorsBrenda L Volling (0000-0002-2806-7237, Department of Psychology University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan USA, corresponding author), Lin Tan (0000-0002-9384-264X, Department of Health Behavior and Health Systems University of North Texas, Health Science Center Fort Worth Texas USA), Lauren Rosenberg (0000-0001-8719-9005, Department of Psychology University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan USA), Lauren R Bader (0000-0002-9347-2132, Institute for Advanced Study Université Toulouse Capitole Lauren Rosenberg is now at Mathematica Policy Research Ann Arbor Michigan USA)
Year2023
Volume44
Issue4
Pages541-553
Publication date2023-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInfant Mental Health Journal (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0163-9641 • E-ISSN: 1097-0355
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/imhj.22060
PMID37149744
OpenAlexW4375847277
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited53

Most mothers have more than one child. Second‐time mothers may worry about whether they will love the second baby as much as their first child. The current study examined mothers’ maternal‐fetal relationship anxiety (MFRA) to their second baby, the prediction of mother‐infant bonding (MIB) and infant‐mother attachment security post‐partum, and the psychosocial correlates of mothers’ MFRA during pregnancy. Mothers ( N = 241, 85.9% White, 5.4% Black, 2.9% Asian/American, 3.7% Latina) and their second‐born infants (55% boys) living in the Midwestern United States participated in a longitudinal investigation starting in the last trimester of pregnancy, and 1, 4, 8, and 12 months postpartum. Most women reported little to no anxiety about forming an attachment to their second baby (89.1%). MFRA predicted less maternal warmth toward the baby at 1, 4, and 8 months postpartum, but did not predict security of the infant‐mother attachment at 12 months. Prenatal MFRA was also related to maternal depressive symptoms, an insecure attachment with the first child, more marital distress, and more adult attachment avoidance and ambivalence prenatally. Mothers worrying about loving a second baby as much as their first child may be experiencing other psychosocial risks that have repercussions for the developing mother‐infant relationship

Anxiety · Biology · Developmental psychology · Fetus · Obstetrics · Pregnancy · Psychiatry · Psychosocial · Attachment and Relationship Dynamics · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Clinical Psychology · Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum · Medicine · Psychology