EVALUATION OF THE BABY CALMING RESPONSES DURING SWINGING AND SOUND STIMULI AND INFLUENCE ON MOTHERS — SEVEN TO EIGHT MONTHS OLD BABIES AS A CASE STUDY —

Abstract

In the present study, babies calming responses to two different cases of swinging stimuli (including mothers swung the babies in their arms, and electric swinging apparatus), and sound stimuli (including brown noise), as well as ‘no stimuli’ case were assessed with behavioral index (scored based on the state of crying and facial expression), heart rate, sympathetic nerve activity index, parasympathetic nerve activity index. The ‘brown noise’ which was presented to the subjects was 70 dB (A-weighted sound pressure level). To carry out this study, 8 babies (seven to eight months old) were exposed to both swinging and sound stimuli, whether individually or simultaneously. The main results of this study revealed that each swinging stimulus calmed crying babies down in comparison with the ‘no stimuli’ case. It was obvious that mothers swung was more effective than electric swinging. However, the calming effect of sound stimuli was not significantly recognized. On the other hand, there were no multiplier effects when each baby was exposed to both swinging and sound stimuli at the same time. About the mother state, it was found by physiological index that the hug was a physical load.