Natural Baby and Childcare: Practical Medical Advice and Holistic Wisdom for Raising Healthy Children [Paperback]

Lauren Feder (Author)

Book Description

Release date: March 17, 2006

The bible for natural baby and child care.

For parents who live natural, environmentally responsible lives, child rearing can seem impossible. From feeding to healing, clothing to washing, raising children naturally can be a daunting task—unless you know how.
BR>Natural Baby and Childcare helps parents who want to raise a "green" baby. This comprehensive book discusses how to complement conventional medicine with alternative treatments such as homeopathy, essential oils, and herbal medicine; how to bathe your child without using damaging chemicals; and how to feed your baby healthy, organic food. As a physician and a mom, Dr. Lauren Feder skillfully bridges the divide between medicine and motherhood, empowering parents to personalize traditional child-rearing practices to their own child.

Natural Baby and Childcare answers common questions such as:
• Are there any side effects of homeopathic medicine?
• What alternatives are there to wasteful baby products, such as plastic diapers?
• Is breastfeeding good for my baby?
• Can chamomile really cure colic?
• What side effects can vaccinations have?

Dr. Feder encourages parents to examine the conventional products that are offered and be choosy about which to include in their own children's lives. With information for all stages and ages, Natural Baby and Childcare is a comprehensive, intelligent, and reassuring guide to raising healthy and happy children. 50 photos.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Lauren Feder, M.D. is a nationally recognized physician who specializes in holistic health. A spokesperson for La Leche League, and Dolisos, she has appeared on national television and radio programs and written for Homeopathy Today, The Los Angeles Times, Parenthood.com, DiscoveryHealth.com, and others. President of Dr. Feder Natural Products, she lives in the Los Angeles area with her husband and two sons.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Hatherleigh; 1 edition (March 17, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1578262054
• ISBN-13: 978-1578262052
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 1.3 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #38,848 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Clear and relative information June 20, 2006

By M. Erdmann

Format:Paperback

I wanted a book that discussed various childhood illnesses, including syptoms and treatment. It includes that and more. For treatments, Feder covers conventional and homeopathic treatments. I've also been doing research on vaccines through others books and this one complimented that nicely. It touches on the aspects of the disease, vaccine schedule for it, as well as potential side effects from the vaccine. With so many of the vaccines I had no idea what the disease was that was possibly being prevented. Feder also writes about the various points of "attachment parenting" including the family bed and breastfeeding. She does all of this without judgment. I'm glad to have this book in my parenting library.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Glad to be a parent starting out with this book! August 28, 2006

By Finding Health

Format:Paperback

Natural Baby is just the reference book I was looking for. I have a 1.5-year-old son and would have benefited from this reading from when he was first born. Luckily I have another on the way and am much more educated on the subject of babies! My Mom is very much into conventional medicine (just give him Tylenol and he will be fine) which is not where I am at this point in time. So this book and its teachings are just the thing I need for support of a holistic approach to raising my children. Her book is very detailed. It has everything you need to know about vaccinations, childhood ailments, breastfeeding, co-sleeping, homeopathy, and much more. I thought I was up on most natural and non-intrusive ways to raise my children.

Then I found the section on what clothes are made of and what is in the plastic that makes up the toys he plays with as well as the pacifier that goes in his mouth and on and on and on. It is nice to know there is a Doctor out there that is attuned to how the body, mind and spirit all work together. I like the fact she has two children of her own and the remedies in this book have been tried and proven. My son bumped his mouth a few months back and with his new teeth got a fat lip. I used the remedy Arnica Montana that I had on hand (luckily, thanks to this book) and the swelling went down almost immediately.

Thank you Dr. Feder for such a comprehensive book that I will get for people for Christmas presents... The info is much appreciated :)

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally.. A book for 21st Century health care August 8, 2006

By Moms Work Hard

Format:Paperback

Five years ago when I had my son everyone and their sister told me to get "What to Expect" ....and I got it and I read it and I felt less than nothing. Just a big, fat, clunk. nada.

I am much more crunchy than a lot of moms but I'm not that far out there. (No homebirth for me) but gosh, what I would have done for something like this book back then. When my son was having a fever everything in me said, "skip the tylenol" it just felt wrong to me... and in fact in Feder's book (page 362) she describes it best.."The fever and its accompanying symptoms, whle anoying are vital in helping to strengthen the immune system and ward off future infection." I now let my son burn off his fevers and I am willing to push it to 104.....this just felt right in my gut and that's what makes Feder's book so great.. it answers to some of us who have different guts than the ones that ring over the 'what to expect' books...

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Move over, Dr. Spock! July 20, 2006

By J. Mann

Format:Paperback

I only wish I had this book 20 years ago when I was raising my children. This comprehensive baby book offers advice on anything from alternative medicine to vaccines, from healthy nutrition to appropriate toys, and from understanding your toddler to teen and all the stages in between. What makes my copy dog-eared is the A-Z Guide for common medical problems in the back of the book. Makes for a great baby shower gift!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-have book for parents July 21, 2006

By William Morrell

Format:Paperback

The great thing about this book is that it gives you both the "standard medicine" approach to any of your child's problems, and also the "alternative" approach. This means that, unless you have an emergency situation, you have the option of trying the alternative approach first, to see how you like it. Often you can avoid having to give your child antibiotics, or steroids, etc. I think this is what makes this book unique.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive and authoritative January 22, 2007

By A. Gentile

Format:Paperback

As new parents, this book offers unique insight into childrearing issues we are facing. Particularly valuable is the author's fresh rethinking of many aspects of childcare that are usually overlooked or taken for granted in our society, such as vaccination, diapering, diet, the sleep ritual, and the avoidance of toxic materials of which, unbeknownst to many of us, many baby toys and products are made.

As is befitting of a book written by a medical doctor who specializes in alternative medicine, a significant portion is devoted to an A-to-Z discussion of various childhood ailments, with conventional treatment discussed side-by-side with homeopathic options.

In short, this is a book that should hold a special place in the library of every thoughtful new parent.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Book for Homeopathic Medicine (A little weak on other subjects) November 23, 2007

By AKA

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I purchased this book mainly to learn about treating common childhood illnesses using homeopathic medicine. This book does a good and comprehensive job of laying out common childhood illnesses and their conventional treatment vs. their homeopathic treatment. I also liked her general explanation on childhood vaccination although her scientific research worries me a little especially when she lists "autism" as a side effect of the MMR vaccine which hasn't been scientifically proven yet. The other reason I am giving this book only four stars is because the author is a little militant about breastfeeding and co-sleeping. Since I didn't purchase the book for those issues it didn't bother me but (even though I chose to breastfeed my children) I found the tone of the book to be almost accusatory if you choose not to breasfeed or co-sleep with your children.