Researchers at Swansea University have found that mothers’ birth and postpartum experiences are correlated with the child’s early personality. The research was published in the journal PLOS ONE.
The new study included young mothers with only one child under the age of one who were in good mental and physical health. They were asked to describe their experiences during the birth process and the behavior of their babies from birth. The scientists also discovered whether the mothers saw any connection between the characteristics of the birth and the behavior of the baby.
The results showed that although the birth process is psychologically and physically important for mothers, they do not believe that their children’s early temperament or behavior is directly related to this process.
Some mothers who experienced a complicated birth that required medical attention reported that the baby exhibited erratic behavior. But they did not associate it with difficult childbirth. The researchers suggested that this may be due to mothers’ inability or unwillingness to accept, through guilt or denial, after a difficult experience that their infant’s behavior could potentially be related to the birth process.
Although simple or uncomplicated births were associated with a calm baby, mothers who experienced difficult births and a difficult postpartum period also did not associate their child’s temperament with what they experienced during the birth process.
The results highlight the need for a good social support system during and after birth.