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.