I thought Anne articulated nicely about "whose baby is it?" and
associated problems in the NICU or postpartum. For years, when I taught
nursing students and staff, I used a one-page article authored by Barry
Brazelton, MD from the 70s that warned against staff attachment taking
priority over the more necessary attachment of the parents. This should
be obvious, but...

In addition, Dr. Ernest Freud of London, England (researching at the
Anna Freud Infant Center there), has recently published an article, "The
Whose-Baby-Syndrome" which outlines what he thinks is going on along
these lines. He spent 10 years simply observing in NICUs world-wide,
then formulated this "syndrome" (he thinks there is not enough
information to call it a theory of behavior, hence, "syndrome"). He
presented this topic at the LLL Western Regional Conference last August
(1996) in Anaheim, CA (tapes are available). His insights and comments
are a scathing indictment of the NICUs *inhumane* approach to caring for
families and babies. Of course, he is viewing this from a psychoanalytic
perspective, making it that much more interesting and compelling in my
mind. Alas, his paper is only published in German, but I (in a moment of
weakness voluteered and) am in the process of translating it (and also
Dr. Marcovich's excellent paper "On the Humane Care of the Premature
Infant: New Methods of Neonatology"). Both papers need to be in English
ASAP. (I'm working on it, I'm working on it...!!!)

Katharine West, BSN, MPH
SHerman Oaks, CA