Nest building, pup retrieving, and pup survival and growth were evaluated in primiparous control mice and those with cingulate cortical, neocortical, amygdala, or septal lesions. Mice with neocortical or amygdala lesions showed little or no deficits in maternal behavior. Mice with septal lesions were severely impaired in all aspects of maternal care. These mice did not build nests, showed a variety of aberrant behaviors during pup retrieving, and their pups died or gained significantly less weight than those of controls. Mice with cingulate cortical lesions retrieved pups more slowly than controls, and retrieving deficits were correlated with the extent of retrograde degeneration found in the anterior thalamic nuclei.