“The happiest Baby on the Block” is the national Best seller book
authored by Dr. Harvey Karp, M.D. Dr. Karp is an assistant professor of pediatrics
at UCLA School of Medicine. With his rich experience of over 30 years, he has
taught thousands of parents his secrets for making children happy.
Published by Bantam in June 2002, it was copy righted in 2002 by “The Happiest Baby, Inc.” The international standard book number of “The happiest Baby on the Block” is ISBN
978-0-553-38146-7 and is priced at $15. The book is aimed at the new ways to
calm crying of the newborn and help it sleep longer.
This book has been
written in a conversational style. Dr. Karp with his expertise in child
development, child’s health and environment and knowledge on breast feeding,
has tried to incorporate these information to the new parents, working moms and
the like so that they need not have to be frustrated when their new born acts
cranky and also enjoy the presence of the angel- the greatest gift. It has been
found helpful by many a pediatricians across America and new parents. It has
lots of cartoon like drawings and parent’s testimonials. The whole book has
been talking about 4 basic principles – The Missing
4th Trimester, The Calming Reflex, The 5 S’s and The Cuddle Cure which
soothes the baby and puts it to longer hours of sleep.
The Missing
4th Trimester: The new born having been in the womb
for 3 trimesters, quite safe and secure, faces a lot of difficulty in adjusting
to the new world and here Dr. Karp teaches the parent how to recreate the
womb like atmosphere even outside the womb for 3 months, which he calls as the 4th
trimester. After which it establishes relations by its heavenly smiles and
glows of its eyes. Starts cooing for its needs.
The Calming
Reflex: The
babies are born with an “off switch” of calming so that it works like an
automatic reset switch to stop crying in the first few months of life.
The 5 S’s:
Dr.
Karp has extensively discussed about the following 5 S’s and also detailed as
to How and Why and supplemented with drawings.
1. Swaddling: The calming effect starts by
stopping the Moro reflex like hand jerking, flailing etc. It makes the baby
feel the warmth of the mother’s womb and feels secured.
2. Side/Stomach Position: Laying the baby on their side or placing them
in arms on their stomach while making them to sleep, prevents them from feeling
that they are falling.
3. Shushing:
Sssssshing stimulates the sound of the womb which the baby is very familiar and
the baby psychologically relaxes and it has to be done as loud as the baby
cries so that the baby calms down and relaxes easily.
4. Swinging: Supporting the baby’s head and neck and
wiggling its head with fast, tiny movements, relaxes the baby. Once it is relaxed, can be switched to slower
swinging motions.
5. Sucking: The pacifier works
amazing and soothes the baby. It can be weaned after 3 months.
The Cuddle
Cure: Here
he has explained about how to combine the 5 S’s to calm even a colicky baby.
The effect of massage therapy, the touch effect, the environment while
massaging has been very clearly explained. In fact he has nicely managed to
integrate the ancient knowledge with the modern outlook.
While Appendix – A details
about when to call the Doctor? Appendix – B details about Top 10 survival tips
to parents.
Even though the book is
having very practical, proven guidance to the parents, there are lot of
repetitions, fillers, parent’s testimonials, avoidable drawings which arrests
the reader’s interest and makes them either skim through or do not read at all
situation. This may end up with losing essential information. There could have
been a more matured presentation, keeping in mind the brevity and the capsuled
way of presentation needed for the present day fast world where every one finds
shortage of time. But for this, the book is a must read for new parents with
the kind of nuclear families we are witnessing wherein there is no ancient
knowledge transfer.
*****
