Thirty mother-infant pairs were observed in public and private
waiting rooms, in counseling sessions, and after immunizations during
scheduled visits to a child health conference when infants were 2, 4,
and 6 months old. Observations were noted on a schedule developed
for this descriptive study of the mother as observer, integrator, and
comforter. The study was grounded in child-development theory that
views mother-infant social exchange as an interaction system maintained
by reciprocal actions.