Neonatal Bathing and Massage Intervention with Fathers, Behavioural Effects 12 Weeks after Birth of the First Baby: The Sunraysia Australia Intervention Project

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Abstract
A total of 32 first-time families from the Sunraysia district in Victoria, Australia participated in a study on the effects of a training programme (demonstration of baby massage and the Burleigh Relaxation Bath technique) with a particular emphasis on the father-infant relationship. The infants, whose parents received the training at 4-weeks post-partum, differed from comparison group infants on a constellation of behaviours at the 12 week home observation. Treatment group infants greeted their fathers with more eye contact, smiling, vocalising, reaching, and orienting responses and showed less avoidance behaviours. As well, in a 10 minute observation, the treatment group fathers showed greater involvement with their infants than comparison group fathers. The brief intervention at four weeks seems to have favourably affected the father-infant relationship in ways which would assist in the establishment of a positive bond between the first-time fathers and their infants.