Motherhood: the emotional awakening

During her physical pregnancy, a mother also undergoes a psychological pregnancy in which she imagines her baby as having certain physical and intellectual attributes. Shortly after birth, a mother finds that her "imagined baby" encounters her "real baby"--a moment when her prepartum thoughts of an idealized baby may conflict with the reality of her newborn. This encounter contributes to the future of their relationship in many ways, some of which may have clinical implications. For example, in the case of a preterm or premature birth, the mother is also premature psychologically and may need professional support to effectively deal with her unexpected infant. The Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale can be an effective therapeutic tool during these perinatal encounters.