ABSTRACT
This chapter applies psychoanalytic perspectives to understanding the dynamics of feeding difficulties in childhood. Concentrating primarily on the early feeding relationship in infancy, we will explore the role of psychoanalytic thinking and practice in understanding and providing ways of intervening. In a field in which there has been rapid change and innovation, psychoanalytic thinking and practice now forms a key aspect of an integrated approach to understanding infant development and problems. There has emerged a primary focus on the infant-parent relationship, a new emphasis that has changed the ways in which infant development is considered and also how professional interventions are delivered. In particular, there have been significant developments in infant-parent psychotherapy and an emphasis on observationally led methods.
