Maternal holding preferences: a consequence of newborn head-turning response.
Salk observed that in an overwhelming majority of cases (80%) mothers prefer to hold their infants across the left shoulder. This preference occurs over a diversity of cultures and is not related to the hand preference of the mother. Salk suggested a fetal imprinting to the sound of the heartbeat as the mechanism responsible for this phenomenon. While such speculation is intriguing, it is not scientifically testable. 2 experiments were performed to examine a more testable hypothesis. Results of these studies suggest that the initial head-turning preference of an infant is related to the holding preference of its mother.
D000367:Age Factors; D002755:Choice Behavior; D006257:Head; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D009068:Movement