Baby 411: Clear Answers and Smart Advice for Your Baby’s First Year by Ari Brown
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a great book for me as a new father. I love the way the book is being organized as Q/A pairs where most of the time the authors answer the questions clearly and with REFERENCES! This is really important as there are many controversial and contrasting views about these common baby issues, e.g. how we should perform sleep training. I really enjoy the authors enumerating possible references where I can refer to if I feel I want to know about this topic or where this idea comes from.
Besides, this book really touches a lot about the first year! Almost every aspect I could ever think of has been discussed in this book.
Notes as follows:
Chapter 1: Birth Day
• Primitive Reflexes (P11)
1. Rooting: turning the head when the cheek is rubbed
2. Sucking
3. Palmar Grasp: closing fingers on object placed on the palm
4. Moro: body startles when head is dropped back
Chapter 2: You & Your Baby’s Doc
• Q: What do I do if my baby gets sick in the evening or on the weekend? (P64)
1. Some offices offer limited evening and weekend hours. Find out the specifics for your doctor’s office.
2. If the office is closed, the next option is a minor care center or an emergency department of your local hospital. Ask your office for their recommendation.
3. Always call your doctor first before you go running anywhere. What may seem like an emergency to you may not be.
Chapter 3: Parenthood
• Research shows that quality time is more important than the sheer number of hours you spend with your child. Kids do best when their moms focus their attention, engage, and respond to them. (P68, Huston Paper)
• A recent study showed that children who were in daycare/center care from birth to at least one year of age had fewer allergies at age two than their “sterile” stay-at-home peers. It’s called the “Hygiene Hypothesis”. (P73)
Chapter 4: Hygiene
• Treating diaper rash (P83)
1. Use petroleum jelly (Vaseline) or zinc oxide at every diaper change. Avoid powders.
2. Let your baby “air dry”.
3. For more severe rashes, try Dr. Smith’s Diaper Ointment, Triple Paste, or Boudreaux’s Butt Paste.
4. Use pure lanolin.
5. If the rash looks like yeast, try an over-the-counter anti-fungal.
• Q: How often should I bathe my baby?(P85)
As often as you wish – every day if you like or as infrequently as two to three times per week.
• Hint: A good rule for baby products – if it smells good or has a color, don’t use it on your baby. (P85)
• Eczema: Advice on dealing with dry skin (P87)
1. Baths.
2. Moisture constantly.
3. Use “clear” detergents.
4. Observe whether eczema shows up when you start adding new foods.
5. Don’t be afraid to get a referral to a dermatologist.
• Q: When can my baby start using sunblock? (P87-88)
1. Sunblock can be applied to newborns.
2. Stay out of the sun (especially during peak hours from 10 to 4).
3. Use PABA-free sunblock.
• Topic on teething (P92-94)
Chapter 5: Nutrition & Growth
• Q: How much weight can I expect my baby to gain in his first year? (P96)
1. Double birth weight by 4 to 5 mos.
2. Triple birth weight by one year.
3. Quadruple birth weight by age 2.
4. After age 2, gain about four pounds a year until puberty.
• Q: How tall will my baby grow in his first year? (P96)
Rule of thumb is 10-4-3-3-2 inches per year.
• Q: Can you predict how tall my baby will be? (P97)
The first fairly accurate height predictor is the measurement taken at age two years. Kids have established their growth curves by then. A good rule of thumb is that kids are half of their adult height at 24 to 30 months old.
• Flat heads and tummy time (P98-100)
1. Do tummy time exercises as often as you do diaper changes.
2. For babies under two months of age, aim for one to two minutes about eight times daily.
3. What else can you do to prevent a flat head?
i. Alternate diaper changing direction
ii. Turn your baby’s head from left to right on his back when he is sleeping
iii. Play “airplane” with your baby and let him lift his head to look at you
• Infant Calorie and Nutrition Needs (P100-103)
• Q: Does my baby need an iron supplement? (P107)
1. Breastfed babies need an additional source of iron at four months to prevent anemia.
i. They can start eating iron-rich solid foods like pureed meats and fortified cereals daily.
ii. They can take a daily vitamin supplement such as Poly-Vi-Sol with Iron until they begin eating iron-rich solid food.
2. Do not give iron supplement with a dairy product as calcium and iron will compete for absorption.
• Fluoride intake (P109-110)
1. ADA advice: drink tap water on a daily basis after six months of life
2. Find out how much fluoride is in your water
• Avoiding obesity (P111, IMPORTANT!)
1. Keep your child physically active.
2. Make restaurant food a treat.
3. Offer appropriate serving sizes.
4. Banish “Clean Plate Club”.
5. Make juice a low-priority item.
6. Keep the four C’s out of your pantry: cola, chips, cookies and candy.
7. Be a good role model.
8. No TV while food is being served.
• Calcium, Fiber, Zinc, And Iron (P115-116)
1. Babies from birth to 12 months get enough calcium from breast milk or formula.
2. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium better.
3. Fiber has potential benefits including reducing heart disease. Source of fiber in many fruits is the skin.
4. Zinc is necessary for immune function cell growth and repair. Babies need an additional source of zinc from 6 months.
5. Vitamin C helps absorb iron.
Chapter 6: Liquids
• Foremilk and hindmilk (P125)
1. Foremilk contains slightly less fat. Babies who “snack” end up getting mostly foremilk, leading to more frequent feedings.
2. Hindmilk is slightly higher in fat than foremilk. Babies who drain a whole breast in a feeding tend to be more satisfied, for good reason.
• Remember the COMPRESSION trick. (P128)
• Paced bottlefeeding (P134)
1. Hold the baby in an upright position.
2. Hold the bottle in a horizontal position.
• Top 8 breastfeeding problems and solutions (P136)
• Four-months old babies who were born full-term, don’t have GERD, and are gaining weight appropriately should be able to sleep at least SIX hours without needing to eat; five-month: 9 hours; six-month: 12 hours. (P139)
• Even if your baby is sleeping longer, you may have to get up and pump. (P139)
1. Aim for at least six to eight stimulations a day.
2. Take no longer than one six hour break of no stimulation.
• Freezing/warming destroys certain properties in your milk like some vitamins and antibodies. (P140)
• Thawed (defrosted) milk is good for one hour at room temperature. (P149)
• Optimal time frame for using breast milk (P149)
• Breastfeeding diet recommendations (P151, IMPORTANT!)
1. Avoid diets that promise rapid weight loss.
2. Eat a wide variety of foods.
3. At least three servings of milk products daily.
4. Specifically eat Vitamin A rich foods.
5. Drink water when thirsty.
6. Caffeine-containing products are suggested in moderation (300mg or less per day).
7. Avoid eating shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish because of the high levels of methyl mercury.
8. Eat 12oz or less of shellfish, canned fish, small ocean fish or farm raised fish.
• AAP currently recommends that nursing moms take 200-300 mg a day of DHA supplements. (P154)
• Always inform your doctor that you are breastfeeding. That way, a medication choice for you can be made safely. (P154)
Chapter 7: Solids
• Five simple rules (P178)
1. Let your baby try any food (except for raw, uncooked honey).
2. Offer one new single ingredient food every few days (to identify a food allergy or intolerance).
3. Use your seasonings and spices to flavor food.
4. Prioritize iron-containing foods.
5. Eating is a developmental milestone.
• AAP Nutrition Committee recommends iron-fortified infant cereals and pureed meats as good first foods. (P181)
• Baby Food By Stage (P182, IMPORTANT!)
• The AAP recommends no more than three new foods per week. (P184)
• Q: Are there any other foods my baby shouldn’t eat? (P191)
1. Honey: Wait on honey until your child is one year old.
2. Choking Hazards: Wait on these foods until your child is really good at chewing (two to three years).
3. Artificial sweeteners: No reason to offer these products to babies.
Chapter 8: The Other End
• Relieving Constipation (P200)
1. Rectal thermometer trick.
2. Prune juice cocktail.
3. Karo cocktail.
4. Wash it out. (Drink a little water)
5. Glycerine bullet.
• Q: How much fiber does my child need to eat? (P201, IMPORTANT, List of foods high in fiber in P202)
The equation is Age in Years + 5 = 5 Total daily fiber requirement (in grams). Adults need 25 to 30 grams of fiber per day no matter how old you are.
• The spit up is usually at an all-time high around four months of age. Many babies graduate from spitting up by six months. (P205)
• PPIs are not effective in reducing GERD symptoms in infants. Placebo-controlled trials in older children are lacking. Although PPIs seem to be well tolerated during short-term use, evidence supporting the safety of PPIs is lacking. (Pediatrics, May 2011, Volume 127 / Issue 5)
Chapter 9: Sleeping Like A Baby
• Newborns spend 50-80% of their sleep in REM sleep while adults spend only 25% of their sleep in REM. The result: babies are very active when they are asleep. Your baby will be noisy and moving around, but he is not awake. (P220)
• If your full term, healthy baby is still not sleeping six hours straight by six months of age, you need help. (P222)
• All babies lose their hair around four months, and then grow new hair in. (P230)
• You can put your baby down for naps and bedtime before she shows you that she is tired. The key word in that previous sentence is BEFORE. Once you see those sleepy signs, she is actually overtired. (P233)
• Top 10 Commandments for establishing a sleep routine (2 to 4 month olds, P234-235)
1. Teach your baby to fall asleep on his own.
2. Be consistent. Kids do best with routines.
3. Your child should always sleep in the same place for naps and nighttime.
4. Nap time and bedtime should be approximately the same time every day.
5. Always follow your sleep ritual.
6. Start your sleep ritual before your child is tired.
7. Early to bed, late to rise.
8. Get rid of the pacifier by four to six months of age.
9. Babies need refresher courses on sleep etiquette after travel, illness or teething.
10. Don’t treat your four month old like a newborn.
• For a full-term, healthy thriving baby (who doesn’t have acid reflux), here are some helpful feeding parameters: (P237)
1. Four month olds: Can sleep SIX hours without needing to eat.
2. Five month olds: Can sleep NINE hours without needing to eat.
3. Six month olds: Can sleep TWELVE hours without needing to eat.
• The Top Ten Mistakes Parents Make with Infant Sleep Routines (P239)
1. Sneaking baby into bed.
2. Falling asleep while eating.
3. Falling asleep with a pacifier.
4. The Trained Night Feeder.
5. Inconsistent schedules.
6. Missed naps.
7. Late to bed equals early to rise.
8. Interventions at partial wakenings.
9. Bringing baby into bed when you don’t want him there.
10. Not letting your baby learn how to self-soothe.
• A baby’s bedtime usually falls between 7pm and 8:30pm. Just because your baby or toddler is bouncing around the living room doesn’t mean he isn’t tired. Don’t fall for this trick! Wired = tired. (P242)
• Infant sleep theory comparison (P242-248, IMPORTANT, Interesting reading)
1. Ferber: Progressive waiting
2. Weissbluth: Rapid Extinction
3. Mindell:
4. Sears: Attachment Parenting
5. Pantley
6. Ezzo / Buckham
• Anti-CIO discussion: The studies that critics refer to were NOT done on the impact of sleep training techniques. (Rao, Stifter, P250)
• Q: My baby has acid reflux (GERD). Will this make any difference in his ability to sleep through the night? (P254)
Babies with reflux take longer to sleep through the night for a few reasons.
1. Their heartburn symptoms are worse at night when they are lying down.
2. Crying can make the acid reflux worse.
Get the green light from your doc or gastroenterologist, and then proceed with your sleep plan.
Chapter 10: Development
• What does development mean? (P256-257)
1. Gross Motor Development: Using large muscle groups to function
i. Three-month-olds have achieved head control.
ii. Six-month-olds have shoulder and trunk support.
iii. Nine-month-olds have knee control and can stand up holding on, and walk with support.
iv. 12-month-olds have control of their feet and toes, standing alone and taking steps.
2. Fine Motor Development.
3. Oral Motor Development.
4. Language Development. (Receptive and Expressive language skills)
5. Social-Emotional Development.
6. Cognitive (Intellectual Development).
• The Denver Developmental Checklist is considered the gold standard to assess milestones. (P258-259, IMPORTANT, downloaded and printed)
• The Baby 411 All-In-One Development Checklist (P258-262, IMPORTANT, should review and revisit)
• Development Stimulations (P273-282, VERY IMPORTANT, should read multiple times)
1. 0-2 months
i. Start a reading ritual. (IMPORTANT)
ii. Infants respond best to rhymes and good illustrations.
iii. Doctors start testing for lazy eye muscles from six to nine months of age. (P275)
2. 2-4 months
i. Good head control by three months of age.
ii. May or may not roll over.
iii. By four months old, he should bear weight on his legs if you stand him up.
iv. Vision improves to 20/40 by four months of age.
v. Give your baby more tummy time.
vi. Keep that reading ritual going!
vii. Three-month-old babies’ brains lit up when they heard phrases they had heard before! (Dehaene-Lambertz)
3. 4-6 months
i. Sitting up is a six-month milestone.
ii. Avoid baby walkers.
iii. Use board books and those designed for tub time.
iv. Get a cheap plastic mirror for hours of fun.
4. 6-9 months
i. Some babies skip crawling.
ii. Stranger anxiety issue starts
iii. You need to set limits on your baby’s behaviors.
iv. Vision is 20/20 by 6 months.
v. BE A GOOD ROLE MODEL!
5. 9-12 months
i. Girls are talkers, boys are walkers.
ii. Books, books, and more books!
iii. Oppenheim Toy Portfolio for toy reviews.
iv. We encourage your baby to travel the house in bare foot since most babies use their toes to grasp the floor. (P282)
v. Take a CPR course. Have Poison Control’s phone number by your kitchen phone. (P283)
• Q: When can my baby start watching TV? (P283-284)
1. AAP discourages passive media programs viewed on all screens for kids under two.
2. Once children turns two, AAP recommends limiting total recreational screen time to two hours a day.
i. Watching a show on a screen is a low energy activity.
ii. It’s only educational when you can understand it.
iii. Screen time displaces other activities.
iv. Screen time interferes with talk time.
v. Many programs are inappropriate for children.
• Top 14 Safety Tips (P287, IMPORTANT!)
1. Safety gates
2. Electrical outlet covers
3. Electrical cords need to be moved behind furniture.
4. Toxic cleaning products in lower cabinets need to be moved.
5. Cabinet locks on cabinets
6. Coffee tables and fireplace hearths with corners need safety bumpers.
7. Anchor bookshelves to the wall.
8. Get toilet lid locks.
9. Set your hot water heater to 120 degrees or less.
10. Get cord shorteners.
11. Remove any toys hanging over the crib.
12. Keep medicine out of reach.
13. If you drop something, pick it up.
14. If you are a gun owner, lock them up.
• Age appropriate toys: Which Toy for Which Child (CPSC, http://www.cpsc.gov/PageFiles/122511/…, P288)
Chapter 11: Discipline & Temperament
• The way you respond to your child has a TREMENDOUS impact on your child’s personality. (P292)
• Start to discipline your baby by nine months. Your job is to give your child a super-ego. (P300)
• If you give in to a situation when your child has a tantrum, you have just taught him that a tantrum is an effective way to get what he wants. Be strong! (P302)
• 11 Tips for Developing a Discipline Style (P303, IMPORTANT, think about it when Joshua gets older!)
1. Avoid as many conflicts as possible.
2. Anticipate conflicts.
3. Anticipate attention-seeking behavior.
4. Pick your battles.
5. Act immediately.
6. Make your comments short and sweet.
7. Focus on the behavior, not the child.
8. Remind your child you love him.
9. Use age-appropriate and temperament-appropriate discipline techniques.
10. Don’t yell.
11. Catch your child “being good”.
Chapter 12: Vaccinations
• In short, follow the doctor’s advice on this topic.
Chapter 13: Common Infections
• It’s difficult to keep notes for this chapter. It should be studied in a case-by-case and “as needed” basis.
Chapter 14: Common Diseases
• Eyes
1. Strabismus: cross-eye
2. Amblyopia: lazy-eye
3. Cool new trend: high-tech vision screening devices. These gadgets can detect vision problems – even in squirming toddlers. (P381-382)
• Iron deficiency anemia: two possible parent mistakes (P388)
1. Exclusive breastfeeding without introducing cereal after six months of age.
2. Replacing breast milk or iron-containing formula with regular cow’s milk before the first birthday.
• Eczema (P390-391)
The key to managing eczema is to keep the skin moist.
Tips and tricks:
1. Moisturizing soap.
2. Avoid perfumes and dyes.
3. Moisturizing cream.
4. Apply 1% hydrocortisone cream to really red areas.
5. Give a sedating antihistamine.
6. No bubble bath.
• Torticollis (P392-393)
1. Place your baby to sleep on alternating ends of the crib.
2. Place your baby’s head on alternate ends of the changing table.
3. Put toys on the side of the stroller/swing/crib where your baby’s neck rotation is most limited.
4. When carrying your baby, alternate which hip or arm used.
5. Try to interact with your baby on the side where his neck movement is limited.
6. Tummy time. Tummy time. And more tummy time.
7. Exercises for torticollis (P393-394, IMPORTANT)
Chapter 15: The Environment and Your Baby
• EWG (Environmental Working Group) has compiled the dirty dozen list of produce that contains the highest pesticide load. Here is the list, in order of the most to least contaminated: #1 Peach; #2 Apple; #3 Sweet bell pepper; #4 Celery; #5 Nectarine; #6 Strawberries; #7 Cherries; #8 Kale; #9 Lettuce; #10 Imported grapes; #11 Carrot; #12 Pear (P404)
• Check www.ewg.org for more information.
Chapter 16: First Aid
• Same as Chapter 13. This chapter should be used as reference only.
Appendix A: Medications
• This chapter provides a detailed list of most common diseases and the prescribed medications.
