ABSTRACT
The majority of babies experience minor illnesses and procedures in the first year. Most babies who have heel pricks and injections in their first year tolerate this well, and some use these experiences of invasive procedures to make a developmental move forward. Nothing prepares a parent to have a baby who is born ill or physically or intellectually disabled. To balance what has been said, some babies whose mothers suffer from depressed feelings may also be more alert, sensitive, creative, and attuned to other people's emotional states. Babies may have difficulties in their relationships with their parents for a number of reasons. While many adoptions offer the best outcome for a baby, an adopted baby may have a particular vulnerability. Some babies find a short separation traumatic if they are left with a stranger while their parents are away, whereas other babies can take it more in their stride.
