Objective: In spite of the huge physical transformations that occur during pregnancy, there is little research on the role of body experience in the establishment of the mother-child relationship in pregnancy. The aim of the present study was to address this gap. Method: A sample of 330 pregnant women completed questionnaires assessing mother-child relationship (the Maternal-Fetal Attachment Scale), body experience, and other demographic and pregnancy variables. Results: Pearson's correlations revealed a number of variables were related to mother-child relationship in pregnancy, and t-tests and ANOVAs showed some between-subjects differences based on demographic variables. After controlling for these variables, regression analyses revealed that body experience was a significant predictor of both subscales of the Maternal-Fetal Attachment Scale: emotional investment in the baby and maternal role-taking. Conclusion: These findings highlight the connection between body experience and the psychological tasks of pregnancy and draw attention to new ways of assessing and improving mother-child relationships as early as in pregnancy. Results are discussed in terms of their clinical implications.
Keywords: Body experience; mother-child relationship; pregnancy.