The effect of mother–infant skin-to-skin contact on infants’ response to the Still Face Task from newborn to three months of age

The effect of mother–infant skin-to-skin contact on infants’ developing social expectations for maternal behavior was investigated longitudinally over infants’ first 3 months. Infants with and without skin-to-skin contact engaged with their mothers in the Still Face Task at ages 1 week, 1 month, 2 months, and 3 months. Infants with skin-to-skin contact began responding to changes in their mothers’ behavior with their affect at 1 month; infants without skin-to-skin contact did so at 2 months. At 3 months, infants with skin-to-skin contact increased their non-distress vocalizations during the still face phase, suggesting social bidding to their mothers. Skin-to-skin contact accelerated infants’ social expectations for their mothers’ behavior and enhanced infants’ awareness of themselves as active agents in social interactions.

► Skin-to-skin contact (SSC) may benefit infants’ social cognitive development. ► Still Face Task was given to infants with and without SSC over their first 3 months. ► Infants in both groups show changes in attention to the task as newborns. ► Infants with SSC show affect changes to the task a month before infants without SSC. ► Infants with SSC show evidence of social bidding at 3 months.