A study was made of how Australian mothers feel about having their children in day care, with particular emphasis on mothers' feelings about separation from their children. A total of 10 mothers and 1 father participated in the pilot study. All but 1 parent had a child in day care at least 3 days per week. The children, who were between 4 and 22 months of age, began attending day care prior to their eighth month. Data were gathered using a structured interview consisting of 23 questions and 2 questionnaires: the Maternal Separation Anxiety Scale and the Revised Infant Temperament Questionnaire. Interviews were conducted in the family home by an interviewer who was unnaware of the expected outcomes of the study. Pilot results suggest that Australian women experience day care for their infants as a loss, and hence show a grief reaction which needs to be expressed so that it can move toward resolution. The conflict about infant day care may be most acute for Australian mothers who do not have a financial motivation to return to work, or at least do not perceive economic factors as primary reasons for their return to work. It is concluded that these findings have policy implications for maternity leave, work-place day care services, and day care practice in general. (RH)