Table 1 Eight MBCS behaviors with definitions

Eye Gaze

Looking or seeking eye contact: Mother looking straight at baby’s face, or mother seeking eye contact with baby.

Looking away: Mother looking away from baby.

Engages baby and responsive to baby cues/actions.

Interactive, engages baby: Mother makes frequent attempts to interact/engage infant. Mother directly or indirectly responds to infant cues (baby crying, looking at or touching mother),

Minimal or no responsiveness to infant cues. Mother makes minimal, or no attempt to interact or to engage with the infant. Mother not responsive - may appear detached.

Embracing (positioning) of the baby

Mother embracing baby: Close, protective. Baby’s body is enclosed in mom’s embrace

No embracing or cradling. Baby laying in unsafe position. Mother does not appear to notice baby may fall off her lap.

Direction of mother’s attention

Attention directed to baby: Mother focuses attention on baby,

Attention not directed to baby. Mother seems self-absorbed, her attention is not directed to baby, to others, or to her environment.

Type and quality of facial expressions

Regular: Mother facial expression regular, smiling.

Not regular: Grimacing, crying quietly, crying excessively. Quality of facial expression is flat or mother appears disconnected or “checked out”

Comfort

Comfortable: Mother appears comfortable or she says she is comfortable.

Not comfortable: Mother appears uncomfortable (eg., mother sighs, rolls eyes) or says she is uncomfortable.

General affect

Unbothered: Mother’s generally appears unbothered sad, or worried.

Bothered: Mother appears bothered, worried, sad, upset or very upset (distraught).

Anxiety

No such display: Mother does not appear anxious

Anxious: Mother bites nails, touches hair, repetitive nervous knee movement.