Foetal trauma, body memory and early infant communication: a case illustration.

This paper presents the complex case of a male patient who started life as an unwanted pregnancy and adoptee in an era of socio-cultural shame and blame. When able to contact his birth mother later in life, he experienced a number of confronting synchronicities as well as visions which he felt were related to failed abortion attempts and to other pre- and post-natal events. The case material lends weight not only to Freud's, Ehrenwald's and FitzHerbert's assertions that the earliest form of mother-infant communications is telepathic in nature but that this mode of communication can be retained if emotional trauma inhibits normal developmental processes. Contemporary neuroscience research is presented supporting the hypothesis that emotional memory can become imbedded in the psyche/soma of the foetus. Such memory traces can later emerge into imagery and/or words if the traumatic impingement has been substantial enough and if other defensive strategies are in place. Clinical implications are then suggested regarding analysts' attention to the emotional conditions underpinning their patients' conceptions and foetal development; the connection to projective identification components of the countertransference as being aspects of the earliest telepathic mother/infant communication channel and the need for reductive analyses in analyst training programmes.

Neonatal responsiveness to the odor of amniotic fluid / Respuesta neonatal frente al olor del líquido amniótico

This study evaluated the neonatal responsiveness to the odor of amniotic fluid during the first hours of life. Twenty five newborn infants born by C-section at 36-40 weeks of gestation were evaluated with 1; 5 or 25 drops of amniotic fluid at 1 hour, 3.5 hours and 6 hours of life. A five stimuli habituation plan was used and global motor activity was recorded. Mixed-design ANOVAs for repeated measures demonstrated time differences and showed the highest reactivity at 1 hour, a reduction at 3.5 hours and a recovery at 6 hours (p < 0.0000). Maximum response was observed at the beginning, with a subsequent reduction (p < 0.0088). T tests were used to compare mean differences from baseline to the stimulation period. It was observed that one drop was enough to trigger a response, even at 6 hours of life (p = 0.045). Apparently, babies are able to detect minimum amounts of amniotic fluid and habituate the response with repeated exposure during their first hours of life.(AU)

En este trabajo se evaluó la respuesta neonatal al olor del líquido amniótico durante las primeras horas de vida. Veinticinco recién nacidos por cesárea entre las 36 y 40 semanas gestacionales fueron evaluados con 1; 5 o 25 gotas a la hora, a las tres horas y media, y a las seis horas de vida. Se utilizó un esquema habituacional de cinco estímulos y se registró la actividad motora global. Los ANOVA mixtos para medidas repetidas reflejaron las diferencias en los tiempos y mostraron la mayor reactividad en la primera hora, la disminución de ésta a las tres horas y media, y la recuperación a la sexta hora (p <0,0000). La máxima respuesta se observaba al comienzo y luego disminuía (p <0,0088). Con las pruebas T se compararon las medias entre el basal previo y el período de estimulación. Pudo observarse que una gota era suficiente para generar una respuesta, aun a la sexta hora de vida (p = 0,045). Aparentemente, durante las primeras horas los bebés pueden detectar mínimas cantidades de líquido amniótico y habitúan su respuesta con la exposición repetida.(AU)

Neonatal responsiveness to the odor of amniotic fluid / Respuesta neonatal frente al olor del líquido amniótico

This study evaluated the neonatal responsiveness to the odor of amniotic fluid during the first hours of life. Twenty five newborn infants born by C-section at 36-40 weeks of gestation were evaluated with 1; 5 or 25 drops of amniotic fluid at 1 hour, 3.5 hours and 6 hours of life. A five stimuli habituation plan was used and global motor activity was recorded. Mixed-design ANOVAs for repeated measures demonstrated time differences and showed the highest reactivity at 1 hour, a reduction at 3.5 hours and a recovery at 6 hours (p < 0.0000). Maximum response was observed at the beginning, with a subsequent reduction (p < 0.0088). T tests were used to compare mean differences from baseline to the stimulation period. It was observed that one drop was enough to trigger a response, even at 6 hours of life (p = 0.045). Apparently, babies are able to detect minimum amounts of amniotic fluid and habituate the response with repeated exposure during their first hours of life.

En este trabajo se evaluó la respuesta neonatal al olor del líquido amniótico durante las primeras horas de vida. Veinticinco recién nacidos por cesárea entre las 36 y 40 semanas gestacionales fueron evaluados con 1; 5 o 25 gotas a la hora, a las tres horas y media, y a las seis horas de vida. Se utilizó un esquema habituacional de cinco estímulos y se registró la actividad motora global. Los ANOVA mixtos para medidas repetidas reflejaron las diferencias en los tiempos y mostraron la mayor reactividad en la primera hora, la disminución de ésta a las tres horas y media, y la recuperación a la sexta hora (p <0,0000). La máxima respuesta se observaba al comienzo y luego disminuía (p <0,0088). Con las pruebas T se compararon las medias entre el basal previo y el período de estimulación. Pudo observarse que una gota era suficiente para generar una respuesta, aun a la sexta hora de vida (p = 0,045). Aparentemente, durante las primeras horas los bebés pueden detectar mínimas cantidades de líquido amniótico y habitúan su respuesta con la exposición repetida.