ABSTRACT
Nandor Fodor produced a list of symbols related to birth that frequently occurred in patients' dreams: eggs, seeds, germs, fruit, things that grow or move underground, were symbols for the fetus. Loving feelings, said Thomas Verny, were capable of acting as a shield against a stressful environment. David Kay referred to the research of Gerhard Rottman at the University of Salzburg, who found that the fetus could discriminate between various forms of stress. William Emerson's approach is based on one basic premise: the infant's world is simply a continuation of life in the womb. For the infant there are two major psycho-historical inputs: intrauterine events and birth experiences. This is clear from bodily action and reaction, breathing patterns, and basic emotional responses. Fairy stories are about small creatures, miraculous events, countries off the map, about sleep and being awakened by love: and much of the symbolism seems to relate to our prenatal life.
