Interview with French NBAS trainer, Dr. Marie Fabre-Grenet, conducted by Amy Alberts at the 2002 International NBAS Trainers Conference at Children's Hospital, Boston.

When did you first learn about the NBAS?
During the early 1980's, I was working in medicine with a focus on the mother-infant relationship after separation at birth, which I termed "early mother-infant divorce". It was around this time that I first heard about the NBAS through books and television. During October of 1988, I decided to spend two months at the Brazelton Institute training on the NBAS.

How have you since incorporated it into your discipline?
The scale has dramatically changed the way I look at babies. I have integrated the scale into every aspect of my work. For example, working in the Maternity Ward of a Neonatology Unit, I employed the NBAS as a follow-up instrument. Beyond using the NBAS in my own practice, I taught the scale to other clinicians working with infants and their caregivers.

Would you please share a vignette or meaningful moment you had while working with the NBAS?
I recall working with a baby girl, who had epilepsy and hemimegalencephaliae. The baby's parents were initially quite pessimistic about their daughter's prognosis. The baby appeared as though she was unable to focus her eyes, which was understandably quite difficult for the parents who felt they could not connect with their daughter through eye contact. While performing the NBAS, I found that the baby's blank stare centered and focused during the orientation items. This was a very powerful and important moment for the parents, as it was the first time they were able to look into their daughter's eyes. It was at this moment that the parents felt as though they could invest in their baby.

How do you conceive the role of the instrument in the future?
I believe that the philosophy behind the NBAS should be integrated throughout the core training in medical school. The NBAS has the capacity to change the world by changing how parents perceive their babies. Combining the NBAS as a part of the core curriculum in medical school might facilitate this process.