Evaluating the ‘Me and My Baby’ (MaM-B) parent-infant bonding tool for use in UK universal healthcare settings

Aim

Assess how acceptable, reliable and valid the parent and infant relationship MaM-B tool is

What we did

• We developed an 11-item tool to measure a caregiver’s emotional bond with their baby. Responses are indicated using a four-point scale (‘never’, ‘sometimes’, ‘often’, or ‘always’). A text box gives caregivers the opportunity to record any comments or concerns they have about their relationship with their baby.
• The MaM-B was co-produced with health visitors, clinical psychologists and service managers in Bradford, Doncaster and North East Lincolnshire as well as with families from the Doncaster area.
• The tool was piloted in Doncaster and North-East Lincolnshire with 467 mothers during routine health visitor appointments 6–8 weeks after their baby was born.

Results so far

• High completion rates suggested the MaM-B was acceptable.
• MaM-B reliably measures a single construct, likely to be parent-infant affective bonding.
• Following further validation and reliability assessment, the MaM-B may be useful in research, universal health settings as part of a referral pathway, and clinical practice, to identify parents and caregivers in need of additional support and interventions.
• Some health visitors in Doncaster and North-East Lincolnshire have continued to use the MaM-B after the pilot ended to support conversations with families who may need more support.