What is the Significance of Leftward Cradling Bias

Abstract

Maternal cradling bias is the act of human females to tend to cradle new-borns to the left side in the first few weeks of life. Many factors contributing to the occurrence of leftward cradling bias have been explored including handedness and hemispheric dominance, neural development in neonates, breast feeding influences and early communicative. Accepted best practices for developmental support for premature infants incorporate positioning and holding neonates in their protocols. Questions as to what function leftward cradling serves and what impact it has on the developmental trajectory of the infant in the first few weeks of life is the subject of much research. This paper will review the literature focusing on maternal cradling bias and explore implications on best practices for paediatric professionals.