This is a real long shot but here goes!
My mother, who is 80, has been talking about a book which she read many years ago, and which made a big impression on her. Unfortunately she can't remember the title or the author.
It was the story of a baby born prematurely and being unwanted by the mother so it was tossed into a bucket and then rescued by the midwife who brought it up.
The baby was called Robert and the story revolves around his later search for his birth mother.
I don't suppose this rings a bell with anyone on Answer Bank?
have you tried abebooks? they have a booksleuth forum for asking questions about what a book is called. i have used this many times when i worked in a library, 'it's about an owl who can't fly', that kind of thing! i'll try it for you.
wheaten