Final answer:
The most effective intervention to promote parent-infant attachment is to encourage rooming in, which fosters close contact and responsiveness, essential for forming a secure attachment.
Step-by-step explanation:
The best intervention a nurse can utilize to promote parent-infant attachment is encouraging rooming in. Rooming in involves allowing the baby to stay in the same room as the parents rather than being kept in a nursery. This practice supports the development of a strong bond between parents and their newborn as it promotes frequent and close contact. This physical closeness is essential for attachment, as the newborn has a well-developed sense of touch and responds positively to cuddling, massages, and gentle rocking. Secure attachment is established when caregivers are sensitive and responsive to their baby's needs, and rooming in facilitates these critical interactions. Additionally, newborns display reflexes like the Moro reflex and the grasping reflex that promote closeness and bonding with their caregivers.