An exploration of mothers’ experience of infant observation

Abstract

This paper explores the experience of infant observation for mothers, emphasizing the developing relationship between mother and observer and how this relationship shapes the mothers’ experience of the year long observation. Their experience of the observation and relationship with the observer from the beginning of the observation through to its termination is explored, as is the impact of the observation on them and their relationship to their infants. Unresolved feelings of loss, hurt, confusion, abandonment and anger at the conclusion of the observation unexpectedly emerged. Practice implications are briefly considered.

Keywords:

• Primitive anxieties
• use of observer
• containment
• termination
• unresolved loss