Acknowledging the central importance of attachment for mothers and fathers and their newborns, this session will explore a relational nursing approach in the neonatal period that operationalizes the principles of mother-child attachment theory. This approach keeps newborns physically close to their mothers, helps mothers understand and be more responsive to their babies' cues, and encourages nurses to create a mutual relationship with mothers that is essential for making these interventions work. This session will compare the traditonal nursing role to this innovative 'attacher' role.