Becoming a person? Learning from observing premature babies and their mothers

Abstract

This article focuses on the observation of two extremely premature babies, and the beginnings of their sense of self and perception of the world. It examines the mother–baby relationship and ways in which mothers may help their infants to take in and recover from the experience of premature birth, while they are recovering from the trauma themselves. The paper considers the possible significance of the role of an observer in these circumstances. Theories relating to the inception of psychological life are controversial. Numerous psychoanalysts and developmental psychologists argue that babies are born ready to relate. In recent years, some authors have postulated that ‘for infants to be born ready to receive experience, there must already be a rudimentary capacity in operation before birth’ [Shuttleworth, J. (1989). Psychoanalytical theory and infant development. In L. Miller, M. E. Rustin, M. J. Rustin, & J. Shuttleworth (Eds.), Closely observed infants (pp. 22–51). London: Duckworth]. The author goes on to consider how a premature baby becomes a person, what are the effects of prematurity on early psychological development and on the early mother–infant relationship, whether trauma is inevitable for premature infants and their mothers and how a psychotherapist can help them in this setting. Infant Observation is presented as a useful tool for learning about these ideas, and might also benefit babies, mothers and professionals.