Elaborating on two main styles of multiple caretaking, this paper discusses those aspects of the mother-nanny relationship which influence the optimal care of the child. A caretaking style based in denial involves obliterating, denying, and distracting the child from his painful emotional experiences, fostering "the stiff upper lip," and the "I can manage by myself" attitude. In contrast, a style based in containment involves remaining deeply in touch with the child's emotional distress; discovering what it is about; letting the child's distress enter oneself; thinking about the child's feelings; giving the child the experience of having feelings accepted, tolerated, and supplied with meaning. In this discussion, four case study profiles illuminate the two styles. Generally, the discussion advances the following ideas: (1) caregivers must be in touch with their own feelings, not denying them, in order to be in touch with the infant's feelings; (2) time is required to learn from the experience of being with a particular baby and to understand that baby's unique emotional responses and needs; and (3) a good nanny aligns herself with the infant's parents, fostering the child's relationships with the parents and acknowledging that she cannot replace them. (RH)