The development of early object-relations based as reflected in baby-observation

The present article shows some aspects of the psychoanalytical observation of a baby from its birth until its second year of life. The observation con centrates on the development of the object-relation between mother and chil d and its internalization by the child. Situations of separation in the chi ld's everyday life are of special interest. These processes were not direct ly accessible to the observer. The deep and detailed observation and the ve ry intense emotional reactions provoked by the setting - weekly observation s in everyday situations, no intervention and no comment, no advices to the mother - made it possible to perceive intuitively the child's world. Recor ding of the meetings from memory, the subsequent detailed working through i n supervision as a sort of "second digestion" and the further recording of this suervisional process help in focussing and facilitate "learning from e xperience". This special method of oberserving babies is part of the educat ion in "psychoanalytical observations in scial professions Tavistock" - sin ce 1968 a compulsory course in the Tavistock model of training child and ad olescent therapists.