Newborns of depressed mothers who received moderate versus light pressure massage during pregnancy.
Sixty-four neonates (M age=6.8 days) of depressed mothers who received moderate pressure massage versus light pressure massage therapy during pregnancy (month 5 through month 8) were compared on their behaviors during 15-min observations and on their performance on the Brazelton Neonatal Behavior Assessment Scale. The group of neonates whose mothers received moderate pressure massage spent a greater percent of the observation time smiling and vocalizing, and they received better scores on the orientation, motor, excitability, and depression clusters of the Brazelton scale.
Field
Tiffany
T
Touch Research Institutes, University of Miami School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics (D-820), P.O. Box 016820, Miami, FL 33101, USA. tfield@med.miami.edu
Hernandez-Reif
Maria
M
Diego
Miguel
M
D003863:Depression / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic; D006801:Humans; D018730:Infant Behavior; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008405:Massage; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D015588:Observer Variation; D009949:Orientation; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000523:psychology*; D012018:Reflex