Table Of Content

Baby & Child THE QUESTION ANSWER & BOOK Carol Cooper, MD DK Publishing Inc C ONTENTS LONDON, NEW YORK, MUNICH, MELBOURNE, DELHI INTRODUCTION 6 To Julian, Oliver and Anthony. Without them this book might have been written 1 sooner, but would have been a lot less practical. Revised edition YOUR SENIOR EDITOR Salima Hirani SENIOR ART EDITOR Hannah Moore NEW BABY PROJECT EDITOR Pip Morgan MANAGING EDITOR Anna Davidson GETEQUIPPEDFORYOURBABY10 MANAGING ART EDITOR Glenda Fisher CATEGORY PUBLISHER Corinne Roberts BECOMINGAPARENT13 NORTHAMERICANEDITORS Jennifer Williams, JuliaRoles, HOLDING AND HANDLING 18 Christine Heilman Original edition DRESSINGANDUNDRESSING21 SENIOR EDITOR Dawn Bates DIAPERS24 SENIOR ART EDITOR Karen Ward DTP DESIGNER Rajen Shah KEEPINGYOURBABYCLEAN28 PRODUCTION CONTROLLER Claire Kelly FEEDINGYOURNEWBABY32 SENIOR MANAGING EDITOR Corinne Roberts SENIOR MANAGING ART EDITOR Lynne Brown SLEEPING46 PHOTOGRAPHER Ruth Jenkinson CRYINGANDCOMFORTING50 CONSULTANT EDITOR Jemima Dunne U.S.EDITORS Jill Hamilton, Kathy Fahey WHENYOURBABYISUNWELL54 U.S.CONSULTANT Ann Shaw CNM FNP MSN SPECIALCAREBABIES56 INITIAL DESIGN AND EDIT SP Creative Design HELPFORPARENTS58 First American Edition, 2000 GROWTHANDDEVELOPMENT60 2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1 This edition published in 2004 2 Published in the United States by DK Publishing, Inc. FEEDING 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014 AND NUTRITION Copyright © 2000, 2004 Dorling Kindersley Limited, London Text copyright © 2000, 2004 Carol Cooper FEEDINGAYOUNGBABY66 All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored FEEDINGYOUROLDERBABY74 in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, FEEDINGYOURTODDLER76 without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. FEEDINGPRESCHOOLERS78 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data 3 Cooper, Carol, 1951- The baby and child question and answer book / Carol Cooper. p.cm. Includes index. ENCOURAGING ISBN 0-7566-0495-8 (alk. paper) 1. Infants–Care. 2. Child care. I. Title. SLEEP RJ61.C776 2000 649’.1--dc21 99-059614 SLEEPFORYOUNGBABIES82 Reproduced by Colourscan SLEEPFOROLDERBABIES86 Printed and bound in Singapore by Star Standard Discover more at SLEEPROUTINESFORTODDLERS90 www.dk.com SLEEPFORPRESCHOOLERS93 4 EVERYDAY CARE DRESSINGYOURCHILD98 7 BATHINGANDHYGIENE106 BOWELANDBLADDER112 DISCIPLINE 5 AND BEHAVIOR CRYING BABYBEHAVIOR168 AND COMFORTING TODDLERBEHAVIOR170 PRESCHOOLCHILDBEHAVIOR174 COMFORTINGYOURBABY120 8 COMFORTINGYOUROLDERBABY125 COMFORTINGYOURTODDLER128 FAMILY COMFORTINGYOURCHILD130 LIFE 6 BECOMINGAFAMILY180 GROWTH GOINGBACKTOWORK184 AND DEVELOPMENT FATHERSATHOME188 SIBLINGS190 CHILDDEVELOPMENT134 SEPARATIONANDDIVORCE192 GENDERDIFFERENCES142 SINGLEPARENTS194 LEARNINGTHROUGHPLAY144 DEATHANDBEREAVEMENT196 DEVELOPMENT146 SAFETYINTHEHOME198 OUTINGSWITHCHILDREN205 GOINGONVACATION208 9 CHILD HEALTH KEEPINGYOURCHILDHEALTHY212 WHENYOURCHILDISILL214 CHILDRENWITHSPECIALNEEDS223 COMPLEMENTARYTHERAPIES226 FIRSTAID228 USEFUL ADDRESSES 235 INDEX 236 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 240 I NTRODUCTION Raising a child is one of the most exciting and pleasurable challenges life can bring. However, the reality of family life can at times fall short of our ideal. Parenting has changed in the last 20 years. The pace of life is faster, the number of choices is greater, and at the same time the extended family support group of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins is the exception rather than the rule. Everyone offers “helpful” advice, often conflicting. No wonder new parents feel bewildered. How this book will help I wrote this book to provide detailed information in an easy-to-find format, equipping parents with the knowledge they need to give their children the very best. The practical advice, background explanations, and medical facts are those I give parents in my office, and they are all based on my practice as a family doctor, as well as my own hands-on experience of being a parent (I was a novice, too). The simple question- and-answer style means that you can easily find the solution to your concerns. The many hundreds of questions range from practical issues—“Which is the best type of diaper?” or “When should I start to give my baby solid food?”—to emotive issues such as “Is my child developing normally?” or “How can I make time for myself?” How to use this book This book is divided into nine themed, color-coded chapters: Your New Baby, Feeding and Nutrition, Encouraging Sleep, Everyday Care, Crying and Comforting, Growth and Development, Discipline and Behavior, Family Life, and, finally, Child Health. The first chapter, Your New Baby, covers everything you need to know to care for your newborn baby, from buying necessary baby equipment to feeding and dressing her, up to her first development check. Subsequent chapters are subdivided by age: Young Babies, 6 weeks–6 months; Older Babies, 6 months–1 year; Toddlers, 1–21⁄2 years; Preschool Children, 21⁄2 years onward. Each section features everything relevant to that age group, making essential information really accessible. The Child Health chapter contains up-to-date advice on keeping your child healthy, as well as guidance on what to do and when to call the doctor when your child is sick. And, while I hope you never have to deal with emergencies, there is a first-aid section at the back of the book. 6 Parenting is not always straightforward Throughout the book, there are Parent’s Survival Guides. These are short, self-contained features that deal with particular problem areas, such as broken nights or toddler tantrums—potential flashpoints for many families. I hope the Parent’s Survival Guides will help you defuse difficult situations and encourage you to cope with some of parenting’s greatest challenges. In addition, this book deals with topics that are not always covered in general childcare books, such as fathers who stay at home, single parenting, bereavement, and that all- important juggling act, combining work with child-rearing. The joys and challenges of being a parent This book is not just there to help in a crisis, but to help you fulfill your potential as a parent. Your child may be dependent on you, but she is an individual with her own particular characteristics; your aim as her parent is to help your child make the most of herself. The precious moments that you have with your child won’t come back, so enjoy them for both your sakes. It’s often said that parenting is a job for which there is neither formal training nor any recognized qualifications. Learning is done on the job and there is no pay, other than the reward of a job well done (and that often only comes when your child has grown up). As a parent you do, however, have one vital attribute—your instinct. I wrote this book to give you the confidence to trust your instinct so that you can enjoy helping your child fulfill her potential. Many parents have been kind enough to say how helpful they found the first edition of this book. This new edition has been updated with the medical and other advances that have taken place in the few short years since the book first appeared. I hope it will serve to guide and reassure both existing readers and new generations of parents and carers. Carol Cooper, MD 1 Y O U R N E W B A B Y Having a baby is an extraordinary and joyous life experience. But it’s also a steep learning curve and, if this is your first baby, you will inevitably have questions about her everyday care. In this chapter, there’s a wealth of advice on preparing for your baby’s arrival, as well as caring for her in the first six weeks. Clear step-by-step instructions guide you through feeding (breast and bottle), bathing, diaper changing, and dressing your baby. You’ll find invaluable advice on comforting a crying baby as well as fascinating coverage of your baby’s progress. There’s also a section that focuses on your own needs at this time. YOUR NEW BABY G E B ET QUIPPED FOR YOUR ABY Y B A B W E N R U YO Q WHAT SHOULD I BUY BEFORE MY Q DO I NEEDTO BUY A CRIB FOR MY BABY KS BABY ARRIVES ? TO SLEEP IN ? WEE A You only need the bare minimum of clothes, A New babies can sleep anywhere—even in a H–6 diapers, and equipment. Buy most of the baby drawer removed from a desk or dresser. For the T R clothes after the birth so that you get the right size. first few weeks a bassinet or cradle is adequate, but BI S Even full-term babies vary greatly in weight and eventually you will need a crib. Choose a sturdy E ABI length. However, you will need essential items such crib because she will be spending a lot of time in B N as a bassinet or cradle, a car seat, a baby carriage or it. Most cribs have drop sides; make sure the R BO stroller, and a baby bath (see facing page). mechanism is easy to use. W E N W ? HAT EQUIPMENT DO I NEED Even buying the essentials can be very expensive. You can choose to Other essential items spend a lot of money or spend less You will also need the following items: and get basic versions of what is ■ diapers and diaper-changing equipment (see p. 24) ■ clothes (see p. 12) for your baby to wear, and a needed—but remember that your blanket to wrap her in baby’s safety and comfort come first. ■ baby bathing equipment (see p. 30) The best-looking equipment is not ■ if bottle-feeding: bottles and nipples, sterilizing necessarily the safest, however. equipment, and formula (see p. 42) Some parents are superstitious about ■ washable blanket and three to four crib sheets buying baby things before the birth, ■ a baby monitor that can operate on electricity or but many stores will accept a a battery (often rechargeable). deposit, and will deliver after your baby arrives. Make sure spaces CRIBANDBEDDING between bars meet A crib with an adjustable safety standards mattress height is safer, and BABYCHAIR easier on your back, too. This will support a young baby before she can sit. Always place the chair on the floor, not on a table. Lining should be washable BASSINET This lets your baby sleep wherever you are, but your baby will outgrow it Look for adjustable within a few weeks. mattress heights 10 GET EQUIPPED FOR YOUR BABY Q Q WHAT SORT OF BEDDING AND MATTRESS IS IT NECESSARY FOR METO BUY A WILL MY BABY NEED ? BABY ALARM ? YO U A You need a washable blanket (ideally two), and A It is vital to have a baby monitor if your baby is R N E W at least three to four crib sheets in cotton or sleeping in a different room from you. There B A flannel. Pillows, quilts, and comforters are not are also sleep alarms (apnea alarms) available that B Y advisable for babies under a year old. Avoid alert you if your baby makes no breathing sheepskins, baby nests/sleeping bags, electric movements for 20 seconds. However, these alarms NE W blankets, and hot-water bottles, since these can are not always completely accurate. They can sound B O overheat your baby—as can crib bumpers (which because of a broken contact, and because sometimes RN B your baby could also get caught in). The mattress sleeping babies pause naturally for 20–25 seconds A B can be made of foam, natural or hollow fibers, or when breathing without coming to any harm. IES have a sprung interior. It should fit the crib snugly to Alarms can also fail to sound, so it is better for you BIR T avoid spaces in which a baby could get trapped. The to be vigilant than to rely totally on an alarm, and H –6 cover must be easy to clean;polyester is ideal. you should know how to resuscitate your baby. W E E K S CHANGINGBAG Keep diapers, a fold-up changing mat, cotton balls, barrier cream, wipes, and lotion in a handy bag. BABYBATH A portable baby bath makes giving baths easier. Sturdy plastic Bags with detachable changing mats are CARSEAT very convenient in the SLING early weeks This is essential for car travel. This must always have It is also necessary for your trip a support for the head home from the hospital. of a newborn baby. Baby can be strapped in Choose one in securely which the seat can Bassinet fits face either way onto the frame of the stroller BABYCARRIAGESANDSTROLLERS Baby carriages or strollers that can take a baby lying flat can be used from birth. The choice depends on the climate and your lifestyle. A carriage offers more protection from the elements, is easier to push, but is harder to get into a car. Strollers are easier to get in and out of cars. 11