Have you pored over the standard childcare books and magazines, searched the Internet, and consulted your pediatrician, but you still don’t understand why your baby has a rash, vomits all the time, or has Technicolor poop? Are you confused by the conflicting media stories about the best way to care for your baby?
Why Baby? answers parents’ most common and urgent questions and explains the science behind why babies do the things they do. Dr. Wendy Hunter draws on her experience with literally thousands of parents and their babies in this unique “why-to” book about babies.
As an emergency department (ED) pediatrician, Dr. Hunter sees the confusion, worry, and even fear, in parents’ eyes when they bring their babies into the ED with strange and frightening “symptoms.” Fortunately, many of these, like sudden rashes, gasping for breath, and even high fevers can be perfectly normal for a baby. But in the fast-paced world of the ED and the clinic, Dr. Hunter, like her fellow pediatricians, seldom has enough time to give parents the kinds of thorough, satisfying explanations of such symptoms they need. Why Baby? provides those explanations, giving parents better understanding and confidence, and helping them better appreciate what truly marvelous creatures their little ones are.
Why Baby? is the pediatrician visit you wish you had.
With their combined expertise in pediatrics and science communication, Dr. Hunter and her father, science writer Dennis Meredith also translate the very latest scientific discoveries about babies into practical advice. Just a few examples:
- My pediatrician says it’s fine if my baby only poops once a week. Why is that normal? We explain how the baby’s digestive tract works and why babies don’t need to poop very often.
- When am I supposed to start my baby on solid foods? I’ve gotten conflicting advice. The book explains how scientific understanding of babies’ developing digestive system evolved and explains why pediatricians’ recommendations have changed.
- I’m confused about all the information about what babies can see. What kind of visual environment do they actually need to develop properly? We tell you what scientists have discovered about babies’ senses and how these insights can help you decorate the baby’s room!
What’s more, Dr. Hunter offers a look at how other parents cope with the same issues by taking you along on her adventures in the pediatric emergency room—telling tales of pediatricians’ sometimes harrowing, sometimes funny, experiences with their tiny patients and their parents.
Why Baby? is the first book in the series that will include books on toddlers, school-age children, and teens. The series will answer in depth the most common questions about children, using the latest research about each age group, as well as cover what pediatricians know from their clinical experience. The series will explain how this knowledge can help us all to understand and enjoy children at different ages, and have a deeper understanding and appreciation of how we have been shaped through our own development.
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