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June 1, 2007
An alphabet of infant care
New book for parents covers everything they may need to know.
KELLEY KORBIN
Hold that three a.m. call to an experienced friend or, worse yet,
a visit to the emergency room with a sniffling baby: with a quick
scan of the relevant section in a new comprehensive baby book, even
first-time parents will probably be reassured that it's just one
of the eight to 10 bouts of the common cold that infants experience
in their first year.
Canada's Baby Care Book: A Complete Guide from Birth to 12 Months
Old is a hefty tome replete with realistic color photos and
reference material on virtually every aspect of care for babies.
Written with exhausted, bleary-eyed new parents in mind, the book
is easy-to-read and informative.
Co-author Jeremy Friedman told the Independent that he and
Norman Saunders (z'l) specifically felt there was a need for a current
and objective baby book that wouldn't put a lot of judgment or guilt
on new parents who are trying to make their way through one of the
most challenging tasks of their lives.
"A lot of baby books are written by people who have a strong
point of view," said Friedman, who is the chief of pediatric
medicine at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children and an associate
professor of pediatrics at the University of Toronto. "We've
tried to be a lot less dictatorial and point out the pros and cons
and say to people, 'Do it this way or do it that way and don't feel
guilty about
it.' " He added that, "I think what's changed in this
generation of parents is that people really, really want a lot of
information."
So Friedman, Saunders and a team of other pediatricians and specialists
from Sick Kids, including a lactation consultant and a sleep specialist
(every one of whom is, by the way, a parent themselves) have provided
a book full of information and guidance, a veritable encyclopedia
of baby care. They non-judgmentally cover almost every topic in
the baby world, even most of the controversial ones, including the
decision to breast or formula feed, the question of circumcision
and the debate of whether to use the "graduated-extension"
method, also known as "Ferberizing," to attempt the gargantuan
task of encouraging a baby to sleep through the night by letting
them cry for increasing periods.
On the topic of colic, the authors explain that, "if you are
wondering whether your baby has colic, he probably doesn't,"
but for those parents who know their child is colicky, they
admit that there's really nothing you can do to get your baby to
stop crying and just reiterate that it's the parent who needs support
in this incredibly challenging situation.
However, there are some current topics that just aren't broached
or are only lightly touched upon in the book, like the question
of whether to try naturopathic treatments on children or the debate
of whether or not to vaccinate babies. Friedman explained, "In
general, we recommend vaccinations. You only have to see a couple
of kids die from meningitis or whooping cough to persuade you to
vaccinate kids. But that said, I think if parents have made educated
decisions, they should do what they think is right."
This answer is typical of Friedman's philosophy on child-rearing,
which is to first and foremost trust a parent's instinct. He said
one of the first things he teaches his medical students is to "listen
to what the mother says."
The book is also peppered with photographs, many of which might
be considered overly graphic but which will be welcome to new parents
who have never before experienced a sticky, black meconium pooh
or don't know what a normal diaper rash looks like.
It also helps parents wade through the choices of which formula
to buy or what baby gear they need. On the latter, it recommends
safe and functional equipment but warns parents not to get induced
into spending too much money on designer brands.
Overall, the book is thorough and incredibly comprehensive. I would
wholeheartedly recommend it for every new or expectant parent or
grandparent. Not only will it soothe the nerves of anxious moms
and dads but it will also help babies avoid unnecessary trips to
the doctor or hospital which, let's face it, may end up keeping
babies healthier. For, as Friedman said, "Doctor's offices
are not terribly safe places because you expose [babies] to a whole
lot of germs and often end up with tests you don't need. So if you
don't need to be there, both from an economic point of view and
for your child's safety, it's better."
Kelley Korbin is a freelance writer living in West Vancouver.
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