Lord of the (Teething) Rings - Part I
Sep. 8th, 2004 06:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
library_mamaAnd now, by popular request, some parenting titles. If I were really, really coordinated, I would have gotten three books representing different takes on the same topic. In fact, I kinda tried, but it’s a little hard working with library books, as other people besides me want to read them. Anyway, here we have book by a Classic Expert, one very popular book, and one geared towards fathers.
The Happiest Baby on the Block by Dr. Harvey Karp This book seems to have achieved a loyal following in the past couple of years, and I seem to be one of the last people on my board to read it. Karp claims to have discovered the cure for colic, which any parent can use by carefully following his instructions. The Cuddle Cure involves following the 5 S’s: Swaddle, Side or Stomach, Shhh, Swing and Suck. You would need to read a little more to make it work, of course. I can’t really tell how well it would work, not having a screaming baby on hand to test it with, though the testimonials throughout the book are encouraging. With a chapter devoted to the thesis, one for each S, and another of synthesis, I found the book a little on the repetitive side – maybe designed for sleep-deprived parents? In any case, the ideas seem good, and the bigger your arsenal of baby-calming techniques, the happier you and baby are likely to be.
Dr. Spock’s the First Two Years by Dr. Benjamin Spock Dr. Spock is the granddaddy of child rearing advice doctors, as you all should know already. I thought I’d read some of his advice to get a traditional/conservative view on the whole thing. This book is a collection of magazine columns from the late 80s and 90s answering common questions, not really a month-by-month or stage-by-stage guide. But, I was surprised and fascinated – surprised, because Dr. Spock is not as conservative as I would have guessed him to be. He’s strongly in favor of breastfeeding (on demand through the first several months), opposed to circumcision, and, most radical, advocates for a vegan diet. (He also talks about the benefits of bedsharing, though it’s clearly not something he’d be comfortable doing himself.) On the Cry It Out vs. Attachment Parenting debate, for those who are curious, he says that before about 6 months (I think) a baby is too young to be manipulative, and therefore should be picked up when crying. Past that, leaving the baby alone may be helpful in some cases. Throughout, his mantra is “Trust yourself – you know more than you think you do.” What made his book especially fascinating is his historical perspective – he started practicing in 1944. Most parenting books will tell you, for example, that you don’t need to try to put your baby on a feeding schedule – so rigid, so unhelpful for both you and baby. Dr. Spock explains both why schedules were considered so important, and what caused the shifts in opinion over the years. This is a slim little book; most of the actual advice you could probably find in other places. But the advice is sound, and the perspective just cool.
The New Father: A Dad’s Guide to the First Year by Armin Brott The discerning reader will note that this is the follow-up book to The Expectant Father, which I reviewed a while back. My husband and I both enjoyed these books for their solid advice coming from the father’s perspective. This book is split up with one chapter per month. It outlines what milestones are reached in each month (divided up into different areas past the first couple, where development is nearly all physical.) It talks about emotional and social issues that may come up for the dad. And, it has really good advice on what to do with the baby, from the very beginning where being involved means not giving up the baby as soon as she starts crying, to good games for each age child. I was especially excited that he talked about reading to the baby in every chapter. I’ve recently run into one father-to-be who didn’t like having his emotions addressed, as it felt to him like he was being told what to feel, so I guess nothing works for everyone. But amnachaidh liked having his point of view addressed. Most parenting books that I’ve read take it for granted that the mother is the one reading the book, and make only the occasional side comment for fathers. From that point of view, having a book like this can make it easier for the father to read, since he doesn’t feel left out, and it can be helpful for the mother to know what her partner might be going through. The dad perspective aside, it’s a good general reference book.
This is just a start – if you have parenting favorites you’d like me to read, or if you’d like me to preview something for you, I’m taking suggestions for the next round now!
The Happiest Baby on the Block by Dr. Harvey Karp This book seems to have achieved a loyal following in the past couple of years, and I seem to be one of the last people on my board to read it. Karp claims to have discovered the cure for colic, which any parent can use by carefully following his instructions. The Cuddle Cure involves following the 5 S’s: Swaddle, Side or Stomach, Shhh, Swing and Suck. You would need to read a little more to make it work, of course. I can’t really tell how well it would work, not having a screaming baby on hand to test it with, though the testimonials throughout the book are encouraging. With a chapter devoted to the thesis, one for each S, and another of synthesis, I found the book a little on the repetitive side – maybe designed for sleep-deprived parents? In any case, the ideas seem good, and the bigger your arsenal of baby-calming techniques, the happier you and baby are likely to be.
Dr. Spock’s the First Two Years by Dr. Benjamin Spock Dr. Spock is the granddaddy of child rearing advice doctors, as you all should know already. I thought I’d read some of his advice to get a traditional/conservative view on the whole thing. This book is a collection of magazine columns from the late 80s and 90s answering common questions, not really a month-by-month or stage-by-stage guide. But, I was surprised and fascinated – surprised, because Dr. Spock is not as conservative as I would have guessed him to be. He’s strongly in favor of breastfeeding (on demand through the first several months), opposed to circumcision, and, most radical, advocates for a vegan diet. (He also talks about the benefits of bedsharing, though it’s clearly not something he’d be comfortable doing himself.) On the Cry It Out vs. Attachment Parenting debate, for those who are curious, he says that before about 6 months (I think) a baby is too young to be manipulative, and therefore should be picked up when crying. Past that, leaving the baby alone may be helpful in some cases. Throughout, his mantra is “Trust yourself – you know more than you think you do.” What made his book especially fascinating is his historical perspective – he started practicing in 1944. Most parenting books will tell you, for example, that you don’t need to try to put your baby on a feeding schedule – so rigid, so unhelpful for both you and baby. Dr. Spock explains both why schedules were considered so important, and what caused the shifts in opinion over the years. This is a slim little book; most of the actual advice you could probably find in other places. But the advice is sound, and the perspective just cool.
The New Father: A Dad’s Guide to the First Year by Armin Brott The discerning reader will note that this is the follow-up book to The Expectant Father, which I reviewed a while back. My husband and I both enjoyed these books for their solid advice coming from the father’s perspective. This book is split up with one chapter per month. It outlines what milestones are reached in each month (divided up into different areas past the first couple, where development is nearly all physical.) It talks about emotional and social issues that may come up for the dad. And, it has really good advice on what to do with the baby, from the very beginning where being involved means not giving up the baby as soon as she starts crying, to good games for each age child. I was especially excited that he talked about reading to the baby in every chapter. I’ve recently run into one father-to-be who didn’t like having his emotions addressed, as it felt to him like he was being told what to feel, so I guess nothing works for everyone. But amnachaidh liked having his point of view addressed. Most parenting books that I’ve read take it for granted that the mother is the one reading the book, and make only the occasional side comment for fathers. From that point of view, having a book like this can make it easier for the father to read, since he doesn’t feel left out, and it can be helpful for the mother to know what her partner might be going through. The dad perspective aside, it’s a good general reference book.
This is just a start – if you have parenting favorites you’d like me to read, or if you’d like me to preview something for you, I’m taking suggestions for the next round now!
