Alpha nursing has been developed by Norwegian psychotherapist Mona Lisa Boyesen based on her observations and clinical experience. It is a view of the developmental needs of the child from birth to the age of about 1 year, but also more in terms of psychological development and prevention of psychological disturbances. Boyesen published her findings for the first time in 1981 in the Journal of Biodynamic Psychology in The Infant & the Alpha. However, the development here is not how fast the baby starts to walk or talk or be able to perform other performances that parents sometimes like to show off. By development here we mean that the basis of our adult personality and our patterns of behavior and experience are created in our childhood and so I am very determined by how our childhood went. And then we determine the lives of our children. Current knowledge of developmental psychology says so clearly – the basic formative period is from conception to about 6-7 years, the closer to the time of delivery, the deeper the foundations of our personality. Also, the earlier something did not go optimally in development, the more difficult it is to be influenced later in adulthood (eg by psychotherapy). Therefore, even a period of up to 1 year is so crucial. The first year of life is the basis of further physical, emotional and psychosexual development. Although the organism is fully equipped for bodily life at the time of birth, the infant remains in a very sensitive state, which is a direct continuation of life before birth. The transformation at birth is not yet complete. The child then needs at least once such a long time, about nine months to one year, before the substantial psychological and neurophysiological processes of rebuilding are completed.
It is therefore essential that the mother / father / caregiver gradually get used to the child and learn to recognize what needs the child has and how it would like to be met. A healthy child would like sensitive care, a gentle touch, a sense of security, peace of mind, fulfilling breastfeeding experiences, delicious sucking and an appropriate relationship with parents. But many infants are exposed too soon to external impulses that overload them and hinder them in the natural process of growth. When infants are disturbed in fulfilling their instinctive wishes, certain stress symptoms (such as colic, insomnia, apathy, hyperactivity, increased susceptibility, over-crying infant syndrome, etc.) develop and gradually lose their self-regulation ability. Permanent stress in their organism continues to increase and cannot be relieved. The consequence is disturbed personality patterns manifesting until adulthood.
Alpha nursing therefore provides detailed information, instructions and tips on how to care for your baby, as well as all developmental stages, emergencies and instinctive, primary needs of the newborn to prevent early violations of personality patterns. It also offers a diagnosis of the manifestations of disorders in the child or the mother, and explains the symptoms suggesting the healing of the child.