Inequalities in parent-infant relationships: A BiBBS Study

The earliest relationships between babies and their caregivers can act as a risk factor for social and emotional wellbeing in infancy and impact on later health and development. Difficulties in parent-infant relationships are likely characterised by inequalities, with families experiencing adversity at greater risk. However, the small literature documenting the associations between sociodemographic factors and early parent–infant relationships is limited and inconsistent. The literature on perinatal mental health suggests a high likelihood of inequalities relating to including Ethnicity, age, parity and socioeconomic status.
We want to use the full BiBBS cohort to explore, in depth, the differences in parent-infant relationship difficulties by ethnicity, age, parity, levels of social support, loneliness and financial insecurity. We also want to explore if difficulties bonding during pregnancy predict how well caregivers are bonded to their infants once they are born.