The aim of the present study was to investigate maternal feelings towards their child's developmental acquisitions from 24 to 28 months. Sixteen primiparous mothers, aged 21 to 36, from different socioeconomic backgrounds, took part in the study. They lived with their partners, in the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre. A semistructured interview was held, which was analyzed using a qualitative content analysis. The analysis focused on maternal experience and child development. Mothers reported a growth of vocabulary, motor skills, understanding and memory capacity, as well as the oscillation in the child´s independence and dependence. Maternal feelings of pleasure, admiration and gratification were expressed as well as feelings of tiredness, irritation and stress. These changes and the way mother and child deal with them help to strengthen their relationships with the outside world, and also influence their mother-child interactions.
Child development; Childhood; Mother child-relations
