CALMS A Guide to Soothing Your Baby (Paperback)

~ Carrie Contey PhD; Debby Takikawa DC (Author), Cheri Rae (Editor), Arms; Dorman; Hakek; Takikawa (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

Review

CALMS offers parents a reassuring guide to effectively connect with their babies when they need it most. It starts at the beginning and brings in the important elements of connection. I recommend this Gem! --Wendy Anne McCarty PhD, Author of Being With Babies: What Babies are Teaching Us and Welcoming Consciousness

This book is the first in a series of Parenting Books flowing from the legacy of an important video which captured wide attention, What Babies Want, directed by Debby Takikawa. Innocently small and a cinch to read, this little book is a gem! Wherever you dip into it you get helpful information, a profoundly true point of view about babies, and yes, wise counsel on every page. All of it is tailor-made for new parents. The title CALMS is an acronym standing for an indispensable 5-step process which parents can use to maintain composure during the inevitable stresses and strains encountered in the first weeks of parenting after the birth. The secret method is disclosed in Part One. These steps make good sense and good psychology. The novelty and simplicity of CALMS may startle you. Part Two presents infant development information from the expanded view made possible by prenatal psychology over the last 25 years. This view brings new depth to the challenge of bonding and opens the door wider than ever to unlimited communication between babies and parents. In a series of 13 very brief messages-which are the heart of the book-the authors have packed essential information about the real nature of babies. In Part Three, three couples illustrate how they used the CALMS method to deal with the situations they faced in real life trying to soothe their babies at the outset of breastfeeding, nighttime sleep problems, and their teamwork with each other. Additional tips and resources are given in Part Four including how to cope with feelings of guilt, how to read the baby's body language, a helpful guide to rapid development early in gestation, and a list of reliable internet sites where more information for parents is available. If new parents take this information to heart, their babies will be abundantly blessed --David Chamberlain PhD Author of The Mind of Your Newborn

This book is user-friendly and a little life-saver for Moms and Dads as they embark upon the grand journey of caring for their child. Easy to read - but make no mistake: this booklet is chock-a-block full of the most up-to-date, scientifically sound information and advice, and it will help you inject peace, harmony and pleasure into your relationship with your child. The beautiful and heart-warming family photos sprinkled throughout will keep you connected to our larger human family. --Robin Grille, Author of Parenting for a Peaceful World

Product Description

Honest, short, sweet and scientific, CALMS A Guide to Soothing Your Baby offers parents and professionals a new view of babies and a tool kit for creating family harmony and parent-child connection. Written with compassion and insight into the world of new babies and new parents, this book provides the practical tools parents need to help their babies settle when they are upset and to create deep healthy bonds with their children right from the start. The title CALMS is an acronym standing for an indispensable 5-step process which parents can use to maintain composure during the inevitable stresses and strains encountered in the first weeks of parenting after the birth. The secret method is disclosed in Part One. These steps make good sense and good psychology. The novelty and simplicity of CALMS may startle you. Part two of the book provides an overview of the latest research coming out of the field of prenatal and perinatal psychology and offers new insight into early infant development. Three real life examples of how families are using this method are presented in part three. Finally, part four is an addendum chock full of early parenting resources. This book is the "must have reference" for any new parent, parent-to-be or person working with families during the early years of life. It is the perfect gift for your new client welcome bag, and doulas, midwives, nurses and hospitals are already ordering by the hundreds! This essential guide is a great choice for parenting classes and it makes the perfect shower gift. "I received CALMS just after the birth of my fourth baby and the information has proved invaluable to our whole family. We find ourselves applying the techniques not just for our infant, but for our nine, seven and four year-olds as well. It turns out that what babies want is what we all want; compassion, understanding and patience. Every family new or not should have CALMS readily available." Bernadette, mother of four

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Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Hana Peace Works; 1st edition (May 12, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0976873524
• ISBN-13: 978-0976873525
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.9 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #269,126 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BEST GIFT for new parents or parents-to-be, July 13, 2007

By	Cheri Masek "Birth and Postpartum Doula" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As I birth and postpartum doula I am always looking for new resources for my clients. After reading this brief but incredibly informative little book - it will become my #1 pick. In such a short amount of pages, this book packs in information compiled from the latest research in psychology and communication with babies, but in a easy to read and understandable language. Parents who may already be overwhelmed can rest assured that the methods are broken down into siimple steps for understanding and bonding with their babies. These skills can easily spill over into adulthood and dealing with relationships in general. This could easily have a huge impact on the future of our children everywhere. I will be gifting this little gem to my clients and spreading the word.
Thank you Carrie and Debby!!
Cheri Masek, CD (DONA)
Vice-President, Board of Directors DASC (Doula Association of Southern California)

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A life saver for any parent striving to connect to their baby, August 8, 2007

By	B. Noll "homeschool designs" (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book has been a life saver to me and has offered me a simple method and a simple guide for reaching out to and connecting with my baby. The method too can be applied to older kids as well in a way that makes one feel simultaneously grounded and elated at maintaining calm in a stressful situation.

This book will surely be a gift for every baby shower I attend from now on.

5.0 out of 5 stars Transformative!, July 5, 2009

By	Peacemaker "world peace starts @ home" - See all my reviews

I read this book immediately before adopting my first child, a one-year- old baby. It transformed my thinking and planning for how I would receive my little one from day one. This is a terrific, quick-read, return-to-again-and-again-type book. Now we have added two older children into our family, and I still practice the techniques described. It's the kind of book that you can leave by the toilet and read a quick chapter when you only have a minute to yourself.There is great wisdom in this book.