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This Paper deals with a subject that I have found to be most conspicuous by its absence, both in my analytic training and in the literature in general. For if the father does have an important rǒle to play in the early months of an infant's life, then my theme merits more than the present cursory acknowledgement and dismissal. Furthermore, in our day-to-day work as analysts, it is vital that we possess a good understanding of this subject, because some of our patients may very much need us to have such skills. I am hopeful that my paper will have a twofold effect; namely, to stimulate and to further interest in infant/father psychology and psychopathology, and also to offer some thoughts and ideas on the subject of male bisexuality.
The normal maturational processes which occur during infancy are, to a large extent, dependent upon the provision of a facilitating environment. It may well be that the relationship which the parents have with each other is enhanced by a sharing of the ‘mothering’ function. However, if pain, depression, or some other factor prevented a mother from carrying out her vital task, most fathers would feel a need and willingness to step in and take over. The extent to which they succeed would, of course, vary from one individual to another. Not every father, who, for various reasons, provides the initial ‘mothering’ can automatically be assumed to be, in Winnicott's terminology, a ‘good enough’ mother. Fathers can have problems of their own as well as mothers.
In certain circumstances it may well be the very nature of his psychopathology that is intimately related to why he, rather than mother, provides the initial mothering experience.
Clinical material will be provided from such a case, and an attempt made to understand some possible effects upon the infant resulting from exposure to such an environment.
Winnicott seems to go as far as acknowledging father's importance as a supportive and an occasional replacement figure, but the quality of that