Customer Reviews

The New Basics: A-to-Z Baby & Child Care for the Modern Parent

5 star:		(43)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

Dr. Cohen's common sense approach to child care is a much needed perspective in pediatrics today. Too often doctors prescribe medication/intervention solely for the parents' benefit (so that they can feel a false sense of control). I think the hardest thing for most modern parents to accept is that they cannot "fix" many of their child's problems (colds, potty training, sleep issues, etc.).

It turns out there are many times when raising children that medical/parental intervention is not the best answer, and patience is the only solution. I think it is commendable that an MD is putting forth this perspective.

I also think it may be difficult for some parents to accept his advice, because it challenges some tenets of child care that have been accepted as gospel for many years. However, I have seen Dr. Cohen's observations repeatedly supported by my experience with my own 3 children. If approached with an open mind, this book will save parents quite a bit of frustration, and make for a much less neurotic household.

As someone who used his practice for a short time, I would beg mothers who are interested in successfull breastfeeding to stay away from his advice. It was the (gasp!) lactation consultant I worked with who helped me get my daughter to nurse by explaining how to train her to suck (yes, my baby had a medical conditon which affected her suck). The advice we were given at his office? Supplement with formula. As anyone with half a brain knows, supplementing with formula would have affected my supply. What I really needed was a pump, hands on help from an expert, since no one in my family had ever nursed, and alot of follow up.

I was distressed to read his chapters on breastfeeding. How unhelpful. While it may be natural to breastfeed, we need to learn how to do so. It is not instinctive in any on the women I know.

Dr. Michel Cohen's laid back, "less is more" style has led to at least one case of undiagnosed, stage 4 cancer in a 3-year old patient of his here in New York. For this child's distended belly and painful bowel movements he prescribed prunes and enemas. A second opinion and a simple blood test told the truth. Tragically, this doctor is all flash and no substance, and the same could be said for his book.

There are lots of unusual opinions in this book. Here's a good example: Page 315 says "No matter what you may have heard or read, toilet training is unnecessary." He says it's a normal part of development and "does not require training." Huh? My toddler's going to do it all on his own??? He says to let him run around naked at 18 months, buy a potty chair, and when he has to go he'll "remember this new piece of furniture". (Oh, so that's where the book cover idea came from.)

He thinks dentists and dental care are unnecessary for a baby, advising on p. 320 "don't bother with toothbrushing until 12 to 18 months" while the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry advises parents to brush at the first sign of a tooth - mine get teeth at 4-5 months old.

Under sleep he answers the question "When is my baby going to sleep through the night?" with "Never." That's reassuring.

Colic - Page 73: "As far as I'm concerned, colic does not really exist." (One of mine had colic, and yes, it does exist!) He says they cry because they "never get the opportunity to cry" so they "cry all the time." I'm confused... And how to deal with excessive crying? Let her cry herself to sleep.

Gas doesn't exist either, according to the author "Gas is not a sign of discomfort" "do not give in to the temptation to help Lucy get rid of gas my massaging her belly or pumping her legs or burping her."

As a woman who has breastfed my children, and overcome many obstacles I cannot believe the erroneous information this author writes on the topic. He makes plenty of assumptions based on ignorance. He refers to breastfeeding as "popular" and says that the ideal breastfeeding consultant is "your mother or an older sister" and says of lactation consultants "beyond the expert hand-holding, however, I take a dim view of their professional equipment and theories." (p.48) and the first choice for help is a female family member, but if you don't have one "hire a lactation specialist to come help out at your house, as long as she leaves her equipment at hers." (Whatever that means, my LCs never had any strange equipment!)

He goes on to say that breastfeeding is easy and gives odd advice, for example, if your baby has difficult latching on "let her work harder for her meal." (Oh that oughta work!)

Under the family bed he says that "it's a challenge to create a larger family when your family is in your bed." Lots of co-sleeping families have more than one child! William Sears, the most vocal proponent of the family bed has eight children.

There's an odd disrespectful tone throughout, such as when talking about crooked teeth "If Lucy's fangs initially erupt crookedly don't be concerned."

I'm afraid to read any further. Definitely look for an alternative to this questionable book such as What to Expect, Gentle Baby Care, The Baby Book, the AAP Guide.

Having a medical background, I didn't feel I would need a book telling me how to take care of my new baby. Boy, was I wrong. After the first week of my daughter having difficulty nursing, crying for no apparent reason and doing all the other strange things that new babies do, I was feeling frustrated and overwhelmed by the situation and by the even more strange and conflicting advice I was receiving by well-intentioned family and friends. I decided I needed help. At the nearest book store I was faced with an overwhelming array of baby books. After reading thru many books, I picked up Dr. Cohen's book and knew it was the one. He offered just the type of sensible, relaxed and reassurring advice that I was needing. And it allowed me to know that what I felt in my heart, what I already knew was correct from my medical training...was really OK!

His methods in no way distract from the love your child feels, instead it sets boundaries and instills gentle discipline so that they will be happy and more comfortable in their environment. He disspells many common and extremely distressing wives tales which were at the heart of my own frustrations. I especially appreciated the sections on colic and sleeping. I have seen so many people drive themselves and their babies crazy trying to "work through" the colic by rocking, walking, you name it! When my daughter would fuss for a nap or bedtime, my aunt would immediately pronounce "Poor baby, she's colicky again!!". At which time she would begin the barrage of advice on how I should give her drops, rock her, sing to her and change her diet. Needless to say, all of her four children had the "worst case of colic" and didn't sleep thru the night "till they were nearly teenagers". Following his advice, my daughter was sleeping thru the night (8 hours plus!) by 8 weeks.

My daughter is now a year and a half and has benefited very much from this book. Friends and family all amaze at how well adjusted and calm she is. It is no accident that she is like this! I have bought this book for all my friends who have had babies. I still use it regularly and appreciate it just as much as I did during those first nervewracking months!

...Contrary to negative reviews, this book presents excellent, alternative answers to common baby/toddler questions. The answers are simple, concise and listed in alphabetical order according to topic. Cohen is unapologetically forthright about caring for your child.... encouraging parents to RELAX and enjoy their lives with little ones! As a father of his own three kids, I'm certain his "unconventional" advice is given out of love! If you like the natural, laidback approach... this book will be extremely informative. It's not for the parents that run to the doctor with every runny nose or feed their infant new food in a "color order." Many pediatricians recommend the book, even here in the traditional Midwest... Cohen must have something right, his patients in New York are crazy about him!

I get so sick of all the newfangled advice flying around these days, or books that just touch the surface of an issue but don't offer any practical advice. I love Dr. Cohen's practical advice. This book with it's laid back approach was my lifeline during my nervous brand new mommy period.

Dr. Cohen takes an even-handed, medically-backed, no-nonsense approach to modern baby care. I referred to this book for my first baby and found it to be extremely helpful for my medical, behavioral and basic care questions. Dr. Cohen addresses the unnecessary frills, modern myths and old wives tales that other authors promulgate and feed into. In following his philosophy, I have had a very easy, low anxiety, low cost first year of motherhood. I have sent this book to all the new parents that I know, and I recommend avoiding most of the other, unfortunately popular, books out there that can make new parents neurotic and paranoid about their parenting skills. Stick with the basics and happy parenting!

Most of the time,your kids are just fine. But then once in a while there's a thing that just stumps you. And no one to ask. This is what happened to a friend with a newborn. She was at the doctors for a check up, and had been trying to figure out how to cut her baby's fingernails without chopping the top of the childs tiny little fingers. She was having a really hard time with it. At the doctor's office, she saw Cohen's book. Leafing through it, she came across what to do when you need to cut babies nails...don't! File them instead. She was so happy she came home and told me about her new discovery. This book has a lot of really helpful tips and is easy to read...it doesn't submerge you in details. A great resource for the new parent!

With the impending arrival of our unexpected 3rd child, my wife and I picked up this book at a local store. Dr Cohen's straight forward, no nonsense approach appealed to both of us immediately. With each of our 2 older children we gained numerous baby care books, all of which had nuggets of usefulness, but what we found so appealing with Dr Cohen's book was that he does not infuse emotion, fear, and trepidation in to his writing. With our eldest, now 9, we "suffered" the pains of "colic"; we rocked, we patted, we sang, we walked and we did everything else the other books suggested, but still we lost months of sleep, and the dark rings around our eyes got darker. With our newest offspring, we followed Dr Cohen's advice to "leave Lucy in a dim light and warmth in the bassinet" - we passed on the dim light as she was sleeping in our room. Did she cry? Of course she did, but she also got over it faster than her older siblings and was sleeping through the night within 3 months. She is now 8 months old, sleeps soundly and is the happiest, most well adjusted bundle of "on the go" joy that one could hope for.

This is but one example of the reassurance and confidence gained from Dr Cohen's book. Does this book have all the answers to all new parents' questions? Of course not! Is it the only new baby book to have on the shelf? Certainly not! But it presents effective solutions and information in a clear, cogent, straight forward manner that will be a boon to the mother or father who is dealing with the doubts of what to do in many situations.

This book has been such a comfort to us that we now give it to all of our friends who have had babies.