The First Relationship Series

In some cultures, and at different points in history, infants have been viewed as lacking awareness or understanding of the world around them. Because they cannot use words, their thoughts, feelings, and experiences have sometimes been underestimated or overlooked. Yet decades of developmental research tell us a very different story.

One of the most common experiences in early parenthood is trying to understand what a baby needs before they can speak. For many new parents, this can feel uncertain at first. Every cry, movement, or change in expression can seem like something to decode. For parents welcoming another child, there can be a different realization: even when you have done this before, each baby communicates in their own unique way.

Early relationships are not just important; they are biologically and psychologically formative. From the very beginning of life, a baby’s brain develops through experience, but these experiences do more than shape neural connections, they also shape how a child comes to understand themselves, others, and the world. One of the most important ways this happens is through the development of internal working models. The concept of internal working models was introduced by John

This article is the first in The First Relationships Series , exploring Infant Mental Health and the early relationships that shape lifelong wellbeing. When we hear the term mental health , we often associate it with teenagers or adults. Yet the foundations of mental health are formed much earlier; in a baby’s earliest relationships. In recent years, growing research in neuroscience, psychology, and child development has highlighted the importance of Infant Mental Health