Secrets of the Baby Whisperer

Hogg, Tracy

ISBN 10: 1565114582 ISBN 13: 9781565114586

Publisher: HighBridge Audio, 2000

Synopsis

There is nothing so joyous as the birth of the child-and, all too often, nothing so confusing, intimidating, and downright terrifying for the new parents. "Why won't she stop crying? How can I get him to go to sleep? If breastfeeding is nature's way, why isn't it easier?"In this groundbreaking book, Tracy Hogg does for parents and infants what Deborah Tannen has done for couples: teaches them to communicate. In her career as a registered nurse, midwife, and nanny, Tracy has cared for thousands of babies, and in Secrets of the Baby Whisperer she uses her vast experience to demystify infancy. Working with award-winning journalist Melinda Blau, Tracy blends her clinical expertise with the latest scientific findings in infant research, showing parents how to identify their own parenting style as well as their infant's unique temperament. The text is filled with heartwarming field notes and realistic strategies, such as Tracy's EASY program, which gives babies the feeling of security they need and lets parents finds all-important time for themselves.For anyone who's ever been frustrated by a baby's cry, Secrets of the Baby Whisperer will be an invaluable source of support, advice, and wisdom.

About this title

Review

The last thing new parents can find time for is quiet reading, so many helpful books on infant care rely on bullet points and a "let's get to the point" writing style. Tracy Hogg, a neonatal nurse, teacher, and mother of two, uses these techniques to good effect in Secrets of the Baby Whisperer. Focusing on newborns and their parents, her simple programs are a blend of intelligent intuition and methods based on years of experience. The first half of the book is devoted to E.A.S.Y--her name for creating a structured daily routine for you and your baby that makes the most of your baby's awake times and also leaves time just for you. These concepts aren't designed to force your bundle of joy into not following her body's needs, but rather to create a feasible middle ground between total rigidity and on-demand food and sleep (and no time for mom to shower). If it still strikes you as too regimented, keep reading. The author makes room for differences in personal style and includes short quizzes to determine whether you're a "planner" or a "winger", and what level of daily structure you are likely to find helpful. In the same chapter, she identifies five general temperaments of infants, how to get an accurate feel for yours, and what methods of care are likely to be the most effective for his temperament. Her statement that babies prefer routine is backed up by research from the University of Denver. While most of the book relies on anecdotes to get the points across, Hogg does find room to back up some of her statements with quotes from various researchers and institutions. Included at the end of the book are assurances that E.A.S.Y. can be followed even with a colicky baby or one who's been ruling the roost for the first few months. Frustrated parents might like to read the last page first: "all the baby-whispering advice in the world is useless unless you're having a good time being a parent" is an excellent reminder to enjoy this time with all of its ups and downs. --Jill Lightner

From the Inside Flap

"TRACY HOGG HAS GIVEN PARENTS A GREAT GIFT-the ability to develop early insight into their child's temperament."
"-Los Angeles Family
When Tracy Hogg's "Secrets of the Baby Whisperer was first published, it soared onto bestseller lists across the country. Parents everywhere became "whisperers" to their newborns, amazed that they could actually communicate with their baby within weeks of their child's birth. Tracy gave parents what for some amounted to a miracle: the ability to understand their baby's every coo and cry so that they could tell immediately if the baby was hungry, tired, in real distress, or just in need of a little TLC. Tracy also dispelled the insidious myth that parents must go sleepless for the first year of a baby's life-because a happy baby sleeps through the night. Now you too can benefit from Tracy's more than twenty years' experience. In this groundbreaking book, she shares simple, accessible programs in which you will learn:
- E.A.S.Y.-how to get baby to eat, play, and sleep on a schedule that will make every member of the household's life easier and happier.
- S.L.O.W.-how to interpret what your baby is trying to tell you (so you don't try to feed him when he really wants a nap).
- How to identify which type of baby yours is-Angel, Textbook, Touchy, Spirited, or Grumpy-and then learn the best way to interact with that type.
- Tracy's Three Day Magic-how to change any and all bad habits (yours and the baby's) in just three days.
At the heart of Tracy's simple but profound message: treat the baby as you would like to be treated yourself. Reassuring, down-to-earth, and often flying in the face of conventional wisdom, "Secrets of the BabyWhisperer promises parents not only a healthier, happier baby but a more relaxed and happy household as well.

About this edition

• Publisher: HighBridge Audio
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 1565114582
• ISBN 13: 9781565114586
• Binding: Audio CD