TRANSITIONAL OBJECT - comfort object – security blanket – transitional phenomenon

Abstract

The starting point of the project was to explore the nature of Transitional Object (Comfort Object, Security Blanket), based on D. W. Winnicott´s theory. To explore it from designers point of view I made an online questionnaire to learn about people´s memories of comfort objects, both their own and of children they know. Reading articles and discussions with parents and professionals regarding infant care was also a part of my research. My result is a design proposal of comfort object, designed to obtain the scent of the infant´s primal caretaker. Choice of comfort object is very emotional and maybe not possible to design. My result “Baby Bú” has other useful functions for both the baby and the parent and won´t be useless if it does not become comfort object. It is a baby-carrier, a ring-sling, adjustable in size for both the child and the parents. It is also super-bunny, a soft friend to hug and play with.