Emmanuel Dumbu

The Effect of Socio-economic Factors on Maternal and Infant Behaviours: Zimbabwe and Other Developing Countries Emmanuel Dumbu

It is a fact that mothers are pre-disposed to respond to their babies' needs in one way or the other. However, do all mothers perceive and become aware of their babies' needs in the same way? This book attempts to explore how differences in socio- economic factors affect mothers and the ways they respond to the behaviour patterns of their infants. It uses research data to argue that differences in marital, employment and educational statuses affect mothers differently in interpreting and perceiving the behaviour patterns of their infants resulting in some babies being at risk because of failure by these mothers to respond to them appropriately and adequately. It is therefore the belief of the authors that after going through this book, the readers, especially mothers with infants, will have no doubt in their minds of how best they can respond to their babies in manners that are most satisfying and most rewarding.