Doctor Howie On Raising Children
A Parent User-Friendly Guide - First Five Years
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Sleeping
There's lots of it. For the first month most babies will sleep for 3/4 of the first 24 hrs. (See Appendix). Two things tend to occur more than occasionally in infants during the first 3 to 4 months: colic and fussy periods. The latter often occur during the same period each day and apparently seem have no relationship to anything. They often disappear quickly and spontaneously. However, researchers in this field have attributed some of these fussy periods to stages of rapid growth in the infant and child. Colic is another story.
Colic
1. What is it?
2. What causes it?
3. What's the cure?
4. When does it stop?
To which I offer the only scientific answers pediatricians have:
1. Don't know.
2. Who knows?
3. Time?
4. Three to four months.
I don't mean to be facetious, but what I say is true. Many explanations for colic have been given. Many theoretical causes over the years have been offered, and many more cures have been attempted.
At present, we think of colic as being related to some intestinal dysfunction which causes the child discomfort, manifested by uncontrollable crying. This has been most often (though not always) related to feedings. It has been discussed often as an allergic reaction. True, some crying and discomfort comes after feedings, but also at unrelated times.
Often pediatricians will change the feeding habits of the baby. If the child is on formula, we'll start by changing the formula. If the child is breast-feeding, we may have the mother exclude certain foods from her diet. If these things don't work, we may resort to medications that slow the bowel activity and sedate the infant. The question of using drugs to alleviate this problem has some critics among pediatricians. Those among us, who have had children with colic or seen the torment colic can bring to the infant and parents, tend to favor appropriate usage of medication.
A recent report suggested that a bottle containing a 20% or more solution of table sugar relieves colic.
Motion seems to help alleviate the problem in some colicky infants. Carry the child, or take the child for a drive in a car, may give it some relief.
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About the Book
THIS IS A BOOK WHOSE TIME HAS COME: EASY, READABLE and THOROUGH. Unlike the textbook style, reference type parenting books on the market today, Doctor Howie On Raising Children is intended to be read from cover to cover, allowing readers to feel confident by the end of the book that they are capable of taking on the responsibility of raising a new baby. This is especially important for the new mother and mother-to-be, who at first may be completely overwhelmed by the mere thought of the new role she has undertaken.
This book is a concise 'how to' manual which comfortably guides parents through the first five years of their child's life. It covers the vast majority of common inquiries and problems that concern most parents, yet is written in an easily readable and amusingly anecdotal fashion.
This book is not a replacement for the presently available reference-textbook type books, but is a common sense adjunct to complement those books. Dr.Howie is the PRIMER that must be read before all the others.