Maternal behavior affects many species.
Researchers have found that mothers carrying a baby and a cat carrying her kitten by the scruff of the neck had similar results.
The researchers looked at pulse rates, crying and squirming behavior of 12 human infants, aged 1 to 6 months, when the baby was left in a crib and when held by the mother when sitting in a chair or carrying the baby. The carried babies cried and squirmed the least and had the lowest pulse rate. The babies left in the crib were the fussiest and the mom’s sitting produced in-between results.
Here’s the interesting part, when the mother who had been sitting holding the child started walking, the infant’s pulse dropped, and the crying and squirming stopped within 2 to 3 seconds. That’s right, 2 to 3 seconds.
When the researchers measured what happened when a cat picked up a kitten, they got similar results. The kitten’s heart rate plunged, it became passive and assumed a compact posture. The researchers got the same results when they picked up the kitten by the scruff of the neck.
So…if your baby is upset, pick the baby up and start walking and expect a change in 2 to 3 seconds!
Researchers have found that mothers carrying a baby and a cat carrying her kitten by the scruff of the neck had similar results.
The researchers looked at pulse rates, crying and squirming behavior of 12 human infants, aged 1 to 6 months, when the baby was left in a crib and when held by the mother when sitting in a chair or carrying the baby. The carried babies cried and squirmed the least and had the lowest pulse rate. The babies left in the crib were the fussiest and the mom’s sitting produced in-between results.
Here’s the interesting part, when the mother who had been sitting holding the child started walking, the infant’s pulse dropped, and the crying and squirming stopped within 2 to 3 seconds. That’s right, 2 to 3 seconds.
When the researchers measured what happened when a cat picked up a kitten, they got similar results. The kitten’s heart rate plunged, it became passive and assumed a compact posture. The researchers got the same results when they picked up the kitten by the scruff of the neck.
So…if your baby is upset, pick the baby up and start walking and expect a change in 2 to 3 seconds!
(Reported ScienceNow by Dennis Normile, 4-21-13)
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