Welcome to the first on-line issue of AB INITIO at www.abinitiointernational.com. When AB INITIO first appeared in February 1989, we presented it as an international newsletter for professionals working with infants and families. The Latin title - from the beginning - was chosen not only because of our focus on newborn and infancy research and practice and on the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale, but also because we wanted to emphasize the universal and pan-cultural thrust of the newsletter. The aim of this new on-line AB INITIOinternational is to present the latest ideas on newborn and infant development and to facilitate communication among an even wider range of researchers, educators and clinicians working with infants and families in different countries across the world. This on-line version of the newsletter is designed to revitalize and expand this network by providing a forum for the dissemination and discussion of ideas and research from very different clinical and cultural settings.

Dr. Brazelton's words to describe the aim of AB INITIO in our maiden issue, are as apt today as they were then: "AB INITIO marks a very real milestone in our attempt to keep communication alive between researchers and practitioners all over the world. It is thrilling to me that AB INITIO will bring researchers and clinicians in infancy closer as many of them look at the NBAS as a common meeting ground for their research and practice".

AB INITIOinternational is the newsletter of the Brazelton Institute at Children's Hospital Boston (www.brazelton-institute.com). By providing the newsletter in this on-line format, we, at the Brazelton Institute, hope to be able communicate more easily with all those who are involved with the NBAS. In addition, we hope that the e-mail response format will encourage you to contribute and comment and thus maintain AB INITIO international as a truly international, multicultural and multidisciplinary collaborative endeavor.

In this issue, our feature articles include an interview with Dr. Brazelton, in which he shares with us what he considers to be his greatest contribution to infants and families. Pediatrician, Susan O'Brien, describing her innovative work with the CLNBAS at the Boston Medical Center. There is a section with news about the NBAS, including a report by Lynda Williams, the Executive Director of the Brazelton Foundation and in the URBI ET ORBI section, we present research and news from around the world.

Aoife Nugent interviews Dr. Brazelton on the occasion of his induction into the Library of Congress as a Living Legend and asks him what he considers to be his greatest contribution to children and families. (Photo of Berry and Aoife). In this interview, he discusses his own work, his views about the challenges children and families are facing today, and his thoughts about the NBAS in the 21st century.

Pediatrician Susan O'Brien describes her innovative work with the CLNBAS at the Boston Medical Center, which has been recently awarded "Baby Friendly" status, based on the WHO-UNICEF Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative. She describes how she uses the CLNBAS, the concept of "teachable moments", couplet care, breastfeeding initiatives, infant massage and outreach to fathers, which are integral parts of this comprehensive relationship-based approach to post-partum care.

In our next issue, we will feature

• an interview with Brazelton Institute faculty member, Dr. Constance Keefer, describes her observations of the changes in pediatric practice in China and what we can learn from Chinese primary care practices.

• Drs. Fukada, Akiyama, Ogi and their colleagues in Japan will describe their study on the effects of Kangaroo-Care on the development of low birthweight infants at the University of Nagasaki Hospital.

• Dr. Joanna Hawthorne and Thelma Quince, Centre for Family Research, University of Cambridge, will describe their research on mother's feelings and anxiety levels following their antenatal ultrasound scan during pregnancy.

• Dr. Jude Cassidy and her colleagues at the University of Maryland will discuss their intervention study with irritable babies.

• Karin Stjenquist from the University of Lund will present her 10 year follow-up study of low birthweight Swedish babies.

Finally, we hope you enjoy this first on-line issue of Ab Initio and we would like to hear your comments. We also invite you to submit articles for publication in Ab Initio international. If you want information on the NBAS, see our homepage at www.brazelton-institute.com