Employed mothers' concerns about separation from the first‐ and second‐born child

The effect of birth order on mothers' anxiety about separation from their infants was examined. Forty employed mothers were assessed in 1982 when their firstborns were 7 months old and again when their second-borns were 7 months old. Assessment included two measures: an Interview-Based Rating Scale (IBRS) and the Maternal Separation Anxiety Scale (MSAS). Findings revealed that mothers felt less guilt and anxiety about separation from their second-borns than they had from their first-borns at a similar age. They were more positive about the effects of separation on the child; however, their concerns about employment-related separation did not change.