Baby Cradling Linked to Depression

Cues to a mother's mental health might be found in the way she holds her baby. New research suggests that moms who cradle their babies on their right-hand side may be showing signs of extreme maternal stress. The findings may hold clues to identifying women at risk of developing post-partum depression, a condition that affects 1 in 10 new mothers.

The study looked at the relationship between maternal mood and stress and how it affects the preference for cradling on the left or right. The results indicated that mothers who were neither stressed nor depressed cradled to the left in 86% of the cases, regardless of whether they were right- or left-handed, and to the right in 14% of the cases. Examining the group of stressed mothers, it was shown that the preference was for right-side cradling.

Most new mothers do not realize when they are overly stressed and in need of support. Researchers say studying such non-verbal cues as cradling preference could potentially help doctors identify new mothers who are at risk of developing depression before it's too late.