The influence of maternal representations of the child on parenting behaviors: A longitudinal study from pregnancy to 4 years postpartum

Abstract Maternal representations of the child begin forming during pregnancy and evolve through interactions with the baby. Research suggests that prenatal representations may have a more stable impact on parenting than postnatal representations, but their long‐term impact remains unclear. This study examines (1) how prenatal and 1‐year postnatal representations are associated with parenting when child is age 4 and (2) whether prenatal representations have a more enduring influence on later caregiving than postnatal representations by exploring how stability or shifts in representations across time shape parenting. One hundred fifty‐five US mothers, oversampled for intimate partner violence and low income, participated in this longitudinal study. Prenatal balanced representations were significantly associated with more sensitive and less unresponsive parenting, whereas disengaged representations were linked to lower sensitivity and greater unresponsiveness. Postnatal representations predicted sensitive parenting but were not significantly associated with intrusive or unresponsive behaviors. Examination of changes in prenatal to postnatal representations revealed that mothers who shifted from balanced (prenatal) to non‐balanced (postnatal) representations displayed higher sensitivity than those who remained non‐balanced. Results highlight the consistent impact of prenatal representations on parenting, emphasizing the need for timely interventions during pregnancy and the early postpartum period to promote positive parenting.