Sequential observation of infant regulated and dysregulated behavior following soothing and stimulating maternal behavior during feeding

Purpose To describe maternal behaviors occurring before infant regulated or dysregulated behavior at three times in early infancy and examine behavioral patterns over time with their prematurely born infants. Design and Methods Video recordings of 37 dyads were coded on infant regulated and dysregulated behaviors following maternal soothing and stimulating behaviors. Results At each time, infants showed more regulation after maternal soothing than after maternal stimulating. Further study is merited. Practice Implications Knowing infant regulation and dysregulation following categories of maternal behavior could help mothers anticipate infant regulatory or dysregulatory behavior in response to their own behavior and identify supportive caregiving strategies.