Heidi Murkoff Quotes

Your Workout and the Baby Race

Crying it out. Also known as Ferberizing (named for Dr. Richard Ferber), the method works like this: At bedtime, while your child is sleepy but still awake, put him in the crib, give a gentle pat, a soft “I love you,” and then leave the room. Cue the crying (you knew it was coming). And here’s where the going gets tough: Let your tot cry for a full five minutes (it’ll seem much longer). Then go back in and repeat the original routine — a quick pat, a gentle “good night,” and go. Repeat this process for as long as your little guy cries, extending the time you leave him alone by about five minutes each time until he falls asleep. Stretch the times your child spends on his own by a few more minutes the second night, and again on the third. You can expect the crying jags to diminish steadily over three nights, and — drumroll, please — virtually disappear somewhere between the fourth and seventh night, replaced perhaps by a bit of fussing or a short burst of tears. The next sound you’re likely to hear? Nothing . . . except maybe a tiny snore.

Always apply repellent after you’ve applied sunscreen, and be prepared to reapply sunscreen more frequently because DEET decreases SPF. Products that combine repellent and sunscreen aren’t recommended.

Researchers have found that a woman’s brain-cell volume actually decreases during pregnancy (which could explain why you won’t remember what you just read about in that last paragraph). And — for reasons unknown — women pregnant with girls are more forgetful, on average, than those carrying boys (who would have guessed?). Fortunately, the pregnancy brain fog (similar to what many women experience premenstrually, only thicker) is only temporary. Your brain will plump back up a few months after delivery.

Getting your little one used to longer daytime naps may increase the chances for a better night’s sleep for you.

Some lactation specialists suggest aiming your nipple toward your baby’s nose and then directing it down to the lower part of your baby’s upper lip to get him or her to open the mouth very wide. This prevents the lower lip from getting tucked in during nursing.

If you can laugh, you’re less likely to cry.

A must-have for any doctor you’re considering for your baby’s care: a residency in pediatrics or family medicine and board certification by either the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) or the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM).

Once the mouth is open wide, move your baby closer. Do not move your breast toward the baby, and don’t push your baby’s head into your breast. And be sure not to stuff your nipple into your baby’s unwilling mouth — let your baby take the initiative. It might take a couple of attempts before your baby opens wide enough to latch on properly.

The Eighth Month Approximately 32 to 35 Weeks

Tampoco tiene ocasión de degustar las primeras dosis de independencia entreteniéndose y sabiendo estar solo (capacidades esenciales para construir su autoestima). Finalmente, tampoco tiene ocasión de aprender otra lección que resultará valiosísima para su desarrollo como ser humano generoso: que las personas, incluso los padres, tienen derechos que hay que respetar. Como los bebés son por naturaleza y por necesidad egocéntricos, este concepto será difícil de asimilar al principio. Pero si ya lo introduce ahora, más adelante no tendrá un hijo que siempre anteponga sus propias necesidades a las de los demás; en otras palabras, un hijo malcriado.