The experience of an observer who during the infant observation becomes an expectant mother herself

Abstract

In this paper we would like to share and discuss some reflections which have emerged from conducting infant observation seminars. During the seminars, one or more observers found themselves pregnant and brought their observations to an end towards the end of their pregnancy. The notes of these seminar groups were collected over a five-year period, and these notes form the research basis for the hypotheses we will present. The transformation in the relationship of the couple observed mother/observer expectant-mother becomes more and more complex, linked to the change of the identity (observer versus mother-to-be) and the crossing projections between mother and observer. The seminar group are required to give sensitive and extended attention to such states of mind.

Keywords:

• Pregnant observer
• changing identity
• reworking relationship
• seminar group
• primary maternal preoccupation
• neutrality
• interrupted observation

We are warmly grateful to our students of the MA Observation Course in Florence, Venice and Palermo and particularly to S. Sighinolfi, J. Schiano, V. Fenzi, who allowed us to quote directly from their infant observation papers.