The holidays may cover a minuscule amount of calendar real estate, but children spend the entire year looking forward to them. What with fun-filled family traditions, time away from school and a chance to indulge in a cornucopia of seasonal delights, who can blame them?

And don’t forget the presents.

As if a parent could.

Advertisements for the latest toy, doll, game, gadget or must-have gizmo start invading our domiciles while we’re still polishing off the Halloween candy. Before you know it, long lists addressed to the North Pole are being drafted in everything from red crayon to Times New Roman.

The reality, of course, can’t possibly match the expectations. And what parent doesn’t dread the horror of witnessing their child react badly to an undesirable gift?

The key for parents, say experts, is to start tempering the gift mania now. You may not be able to manage store inventories, parking lot capacities or a toy company’s determination to convince your child that the road to happiness is paved with its product, but there are tools in your arsenal to help bring out the best in your children as the holidays close in.

Here are some tips from Cindy Post Senning, a director of The Emily Post Institute (emilypost.com) and author of “Emily Post’s Table Manners for Kids” (Collins, $15.99), and Harvey Karp, creator of “The Happiest Toddler on the Block” DVD ($25.95) and book (Bantam, $14.95). (It wouldn’t hurt grown-ups to heed some of this advice too.)

First things first: The holidays are taxing for everybody. Take the initiative on reducing your child’s stress level. “Ensuring kids are getting plenty of fresh air and exercise as well as restricting their treats can help,” Karp advises.

Set expectations: Long before they receive any presents, remind your children of the time and effort that goes into selecting the gifts they will receive. For young children, Karp suggests “using everything from stories at bedtime to re-enactments with dolls or bunny rabbits for several days before the holidays.” This perspective will better equip them to react gracefully when they open a gift.

Practice if you must: Helping your child become adept at finding something good in all that they receive, Post Senning says, “empowers them to behave with respect.” Parade a variety of objects past them, perhaps starting with those clip-on earrings you received when you were 14 (the year you really wanted a cool, new bubble watch) and move on to their favorite toy.

Put on a happy face: Teach children to focus on the current gift giver and offer them a smile, instead of trying to sneak a peek at a previously received present, Post Senning says.

Don’t forget thank you: While this is the most obvious tip of all, it is often overlooked. Post Senning recommends getting little ones to practice saying “thank you” even when they receive gifts that are not to their liking. If the gift clearly doesn’t measure up, she suggests that parents “give children the language they need to be respectful. For instance, ‘Oh, look at that cute sweater! Let’s say thank you!’”

Turn the tables: What better way to help a child understand the finer points of proper gift etiquette than to transform them into master gift-givers? Help them shop for gifts and provide the opportunity for them to experience the joy of giving.

Covering these concepts to ensure a happy holiday season will add up to hours of time well-spent with your child. And therein lies the true gift of the season.

Related posts:

1. Meet 2009’s Champion for Children, Dr. Harvey Karp

I love toddlers! Just for the record, when I say toddlers, I don’t just mean 2-year-olds. This wacky, willful time starts at eight months — when infants are almost ready to “toddle” — and stretches all the way to 5 years. But — and I’m sure I don’t have to tell you this — at times they can really push our buttons!

The key to toddler success is realizing that our pint-sized partners are really sweet, adorable little primitives!

I hope you don’t think I’m being disrespectful, but let’s face it: they walk like cavemen, talk like cavemen, drink from the doggie bowl, and pee anywhere they want. And, when upset, they go “ape!” (No wonder the littlest Flintstone was named “Bamm-Bamm!”) In fact, a big part of a parent’s job is to civilize our lovable little Neanderthals: to teach them to control impulses, say “please” and “thank you,” to share toys, and take turns.

Unfortunately, many parents talk to their toddlers with a vocabulary and tone of voice that may be fitting for a business associate, but is way too mature for a tantrum-throwing toddler. Try to see the world through your child’s eyes. Once you “get” why toddlers feel like cavemen, it starts to make sense why they feel like losers so much of the time.

Losers? Let me explain…

It’s Tough for Toddlers

We all know how tough it is to raise a toddler, but did you ever stop to think how tough it is to be a toddler? Toddlers lose all day long. They’re weaker, slower, can’t speak as well, can’t reach as high, and have less influence than everyone else. No wonder they grin ear to ear when they stamp in puddles, show off their biceps, or scare you with a loud “Boo!”

Smart parents take time every day to make their kids feel like winners by doing things like giving choices, soliciting help with chores, and letting them win at pillow fights.

Another reason kids 8 months old to 5 years old struggle is because they are experiencing an explosive rush of brain development. Toddlers literally have twice as many nerve-to-nerve hook-ups zipping around inside their brains than older children. This thick jungle of connections creates chaos, like everyone calling you on the phone at the same time! No wonder they “blow a fuse” when they’re tired, hungry, frustrated, or angry.

Besides feeling like caveman, constant losers, and as if they’re on neuro-overload, there are two more huge struggles challenging our toddlers every day:

1. Our world feels totally weird to them.
2. Their brains are immature.

Toddlers experience our houses as a weird mix of boredom and over-stimulation. On the one hand, the air is breezeless, our walls and floors monotonously flat, and there are few nooks and crannies to explore. (Think Tarzan living in a studio apartment!) Yet, our homes also hype up our little kids with ‘in your face’ videos, TV, and games.

Too many toddlers today suffer from NDD (Nature Deficit Syndrome). They desperately miss the sensations of nature (cool shadows, fresh breezes, grass under their toes, birds chirping, and rolling down hills). Even hyperactive 1 year olds turn into little angels when they’re allowed to run around outside with other kids for 8 hours a day.

What’s Going On in Toddlers’ Brains?

On top of all this, perhaps the biggest challenge for toddlers is brain immaturity. Our poor little kids are trying to play poker without a full deck.

We all have two halves of the brain, right and left. The left handles logic, patience, and verbal language (the words we say). The right is in charge of emotionality, place/face memory, and non-verbal language (tone of voice, face/body gesture). Adults spend lots of time in the left half, but any guess which is strongest in toddlers?

Now, toddlers aren’t great with talking and patience, but their brain’s right half is super-well developed. That’s why your 9-month old can read your face and voice and figure out if you’re scared or sad. And, of course her emotional outburst center works just dandy.

Interestingly our brains change when we get upset. The more we feel sad, frustrated, or afraid, we dial down our amazing left brains and we get less and less logical, eloquent, and patient. In fact, we have a term for this primitive response to high emotion: we call it “going ape!” Now, even on a good day, our toddlers have uncivilized left brains — and act kind of “ape.” But, when upset, their left-brains shut off so much they can go Jurassic on us!

The Fast Food Rule and Toddler-ese

I hope these ideas open your mind to a couple of new — and much more effective — right-brain ways to communicate with your uncivilized little friend. These core Happiest Toddler concepts are: the Fast Food Rule and Toddler-ese. The Fast Food Rule states that when two people are talking, whoever is most upset gets to speak first and her feelings must be acknowledged before the second person gets to “vent.” That’s why trying to “explain” to someone whose left brain is shut off why they shouldn’t feel the way they do almost always ends up with both people getting more upset! And, the more upset we get the more our ability to be sympathetic and reasonable falls apart. No wonder, anger often leads us into spirals of yelling and feeling uncared for and misunderstood.

Fortunately, however, even upset people still pay attention to our non-verbal, right brain language. That is why you can help your toddler calm faster by using the right-brain type language I call toddler-ese.

Toddler-ese is a variation of normal speech designed to work perfectly with a toddler’s left-right brain imbalance. It uses three simple steps:

1. Short phrases
2. Lots of repetition
3. Increased nonverbal cues (body gestures, facial expression, and tone of voice that reflect about 1/3 of your child’s emotional energy)

I hope that this new way of thinking helps you see the world from your toddler’s special point of view and understand his unique struggles.

Related posts:

1. Communicating with your little Bam Bam
2. Me Mommy, You Toddler
3. Cure tantrums like cavemen

Infant crying is a fact of life. It’s the only way our newborns can communicate their needs to us. Fortunately, most of the time even a baby’s most passionate shrieks just mean he’s hungry, wet, soiled, or lonely, and he will melt into blissful quiet once you give him what he needs.

In fact, we call babies “infants” exactly because they can’t tell us what’s on their little minds; the word infant comes from ancient Latin and means “without a voice.” Most babies’ bouts of the fussies only last for a few minutes, totaling less than an hour a day. However, as many parents can attest, some babies have huge voices and the energy to cry loudly for a long time!

What if your cute little guy keeps blasting even though he’s been fed, has a dry diaper, and is being cuddled in your arms? What happens if you try everything and he still doesn’t stop screaming? That’s when parents start to wonder if this is more than just fussiness—if it may in fact be the mysterious condition called colic, or persistent crying.

How do You Know if Your Baby has Colic?

Infants with colic flail and kick and let out frantic screams. Once they get started, they can yell, on and off, for hours, often mysteriously starting at just about the same time every day—creating a family’s very own “witching hour.”

It is estimated that 10-15% of all babies suffer from colicky crying. Doctors define colic by the “rule of threes,” which states that a baby has colic if he cries at least: 3 hours a day, 3 days a week, for 3 weeks in a row. That’s a lot of crying—and that doesn’t include your shrieks!

What Causes Colic in Babies?

For centuries, doctors and grandmothers alike have argued about the cause of this marathon crying. Some swear it’s caused by gas, overfeeding, acid reflux, or anxiety. Some even think it’s from an “evil eye.” Recently, there’s been discussion that some babies cry because they need to eat more “good bacteria” or so-called probiotics, like those found in yogurt.

But none of these can really be the cause of infant crying. How can I be so sure? Because of several well-known facts:

* X-rays of fussy babies show they have almost no gas trapped in their stomachs when they’re crying. In fact, since they swallow air while crying, babies’ tummies are usually filled with much more air an hour after their crying fit is over even though they are, by that time, totally calm and comfortable.
* In some African cultures, colic is extremely rare (even though those babies are nursed 50-100 times a day!)
* Most fussy babies calm down when we turn on a vacuum cleaner or go for a car ride. Yet no one has ever figured out how a car ride would help bad stomach pain (adults certainly don’t hop in the car every time we have a stomachache).

I believe the real reason some babies cry so much is because they miss the womb. I know that sounds odd, but in a certain sense our babies are born three months before they are really ready for the world.

Human babies are much more immature than other mammals, like horses or cows, at birth. Even though women have to give birth after nine months of pregnancy, our babies really need an extra three months – a fourth trimester – of holding and rocking.

What we didn’t know before is that the world inside the womb is very active. Fetuses experience a symphony of sensations 24/7-jiggly rocking, constant holding, and loud shushing. Rather than needing total silence and being kept in a flat, still bed, babies need rhythmic, hypnotizing stimulation that imitates their life in the womb.

These sensations don’t just make babies feel happy, they turn on an extraordinary thing called the calming reflex.

How to Calm Your Crying Baby

Almost like an off switch for crying and an on switch for sleep, the calming reflex is turned on by doing five specific things to imitate the uterus. I call these the 5 S’s: swaddling, the side/stomach position, shushing, swinging, and sucking.

Swaddling: Snug wrapping is the cornerstone of calming, the essential first step in pacifying fussy babies. Swaddling duplicates the soft caresses babies feel during pregnancy. Your baby may initially struggle against the wrapping, but once he calms, it will keep him from flailing and accidentally upsetting himself. (Avoid loose blankets around the face, and overheating. They have been associated with SIDS.)

Side/stomach position: The back is the only safe sleeping position. But it’s the worst position for soothing crying, because it can trigger a feeling of falling. The side or stomach position cancels that feeling, and switches on the calming.

Shushing: strong shushing is “music to your baby’s ears.” Shush as loudly as he’s crying, then, as he settles, gradually decrease your volume and intensity. (A CD of womb sounds or a white noise machine is worth its weight in gold.)

Swinging: All infants love movement, but crying babies need fast, ultra-small jiggly motion (1-2″ back and forth… like a shiver). Swings, slings and rocking chairs can be a big help, too. But never jiggle your baby when you’re angry.

Sucking: This wonderful “S” lulls babies into profound tranquility. You should breastfeed if you can – even formula manufacturers say “breast is best” – and avoid pacifiers until the nursing is really well established.

Soothing your infant is like “dancing” together… but let him lead! The vigor of your S’s should mirror the vigor of his fussies. After your baby’s crying abates, gradually lessen the vigor, and gently guide your swaddled little child to a “soft landing.”

Sounds easy, right? And it is. However, like any reflex, the trick to turning on the calming reflex with the 5 S’s is to make sure you do them exactly right. And like any new skill, it’ll take some practice. Think about it, it’s easy for your doctor to get a knee reflex when examining you, but only if he hits your knee in exactly the right place. If he is off by an inch, it will look like he is doing it right, but nothing will happen. So, double check that you are doing each step correctly and go for it.

This approach is especially fun because dads are often the best baby calmers in the family. We may not be so good at breastfeeding, but we’re great at snug swaddling, strong shushing, and perfect jiggly swinging!

If it seems that nothing, including the 5 S’s, is calming your baby, give your doctor a call to make sure your little one isn’t crying from a real pain, like an ear or urinary tract infection.

For best sleep, I recommend using a large, thin swaddling blanket and a CD of your baby’s favorite soothing white noise-womb sounds. CDs are my favorite form of white noise because they give you total control. You get to choose which sound works best to calm crying and which one your baby loves to boost sleep. A CD is easy to use when traveling, in order to stop car-seat meltdowns and to improve baby’s sleep when you’re spending the night at Grandma’s.

So, try not to worry too much about whether or not you’ll be able to calm your baby during the ‘fussies.’ Hold him, feed him, and change his diaper—and if all else fails, just try turning on his calming reflex with the 5 S’s.

Related posts:

1. The Dreaded Colic – A “CRYsis” for the whole family
2. ’5 S’s System’ May Help Colic Symptoms
3. Can the “Cuddle Cure” Quell Colic?

And, like any true champion during off-season, she’s also living in the lap of luxury.  She spends the majority of her time sleeping and dreaming, lulled into a deep calm by the constant, soothing, entrancing symphony of sensations provided by your womb.  New parents are often surprised to learn that the strong “whooshing” sound babies hear in the womb is actually louder than a vacuum, and as comforting as the rhythmic sound of ocean waves. 

The interior design is pretty wonderful, too. He’s packaged as perfectly as a precious little pearl: The constant warmth, satin walls, comforting jiggling, and silky, yet strong membrane that enfolds him. 
(And as a bonus, that tender, hardworking champion is receiving an endless massage from the muscular walls of your uterus with every step you take.  Not too shabby!)

On top of all this great protection that nature has designed for your little one, you’re probably going above and beyond to protect her as well:  Eating healthy food, avoiding the toxins that can hurt a baby’s body and brain, like drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes.  (By the way, if you still smoke, now is the perfect time to quit…for you, and for your baby, whose tender lungs and blood make her susceptible to infections, asthma, and even cancer and crib death when exposed to cigarettes).  And, of course, make sure and keep away from dangerous chemicals like pesticides and paint fumes.

Luckily, you still have a few years to go before you’ll actually be packing a yummy lunch to nourish your little one at school…but in a way, you’re already practicing this in the last months of pregnancy through your miraculous placenta.  Besides delivering to your baby every tiny little molecule that is building his flesh, bones, and brain, it is  also packing him a terrific “lunch” he’ll need later on, by loading his body with the extra calories, antibodies, and other valuable morsels of nutrition that will help him grow. 
Think of your placenta as gas pump, filling him up with vital antibodies like a gas tank!   And not just any gas, but like super premium!  It will help him “travel” further and healthier in life. (almost the whole first year of life).  Those antibodies aren’t a complete wall of protection against everything, but they do arm him against a slew of illnesses, from measles to hepatitis. 

No related posts.

No related posts.

By Angela Haupt
Posted: August 26, 2010

Perhaps no flu season in recent memory has been as hyped and harrowing as last year’s, when swine flu infected millions and vaccine shortages led to long lines and frustration. As a new flu season dawns, and students head back to school, the latest vaccine—which protects against three strains of flu expected to circulate in months ahead, including the H1N1 virus (aka swine flu)— is already arriving at doctors’ offices and other clinics. U.S. News answers pressing questions about the upcoming flu season, the new vaccine, and how to stay healthy.

[H1N1 Not a Threat, But Vaccine Still Warranted]

When does the flu season start and end?

Cases have already been reported by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That means flu is striking early this year—the season doesn’t officially start until October. Flu activity usually peaks in January, February, and March, and winds down in May, says Henry Bernstein, a professor of pediatrics at Dartmouth Medical School and a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ infectious diseases committee.

What kind of flu season will it be?

Flu is unpredictable, and it’s impossible to say with any certainty what kind of season we’re in for. “It’s an imperfect art,” says Harvey Karp, a child development specialist at the University of Southern California School of Medicine.” But we went through a pretty robust H1N1 season last year, so a lot of people have immunity to that virus. That should be a good thing this year.” Too much stress, however, can lower immunity and increase susceptibility to flu—and continuing economic troubles have us pretty stressed out, he adds.

When does the vaccine become available?

It’s available now—companies began distributing this year’s batch in August. It may arrive later in some towns than others, however.

Who should get the flu shot?

For the first time, the CDC is recommending vaccination for everyone 6 months and older—not just the medically vulnerable. Vaccination is particularly important for high-risk groups, including children, those 65 and over, pregnant women, and anyone with an underlying condition that weakens the immune system, such as HIV, asthma, diabetes, or cancer. Since infants 6 months and under can’t be vaccinated, their entire family—and their caregivers—should get the shot, Bernstein says.

How many shots does this year’s vaccine require?

Most people only need one. Children ages 6 months to 9 years, however, need two doses if they’ve never been vaccinated against flu, or if they only received one dose of the H1N1 vaccine last year. Those doses are given four weeks apart. The first dose primes the immune system, while the second provides immune protection, says Deborah Wexler, a family physician who founded the Immunization Action Coalition, an advocacy group that works to increase immunization rates. If a child needs two doses but only receives one, he or she will have little or no flu protection.

Is there a best time to get the flu shot?

There’s no advantage to waiting, Bernstein says. The sooner you get it, the sooner you’re protected.

How long does it take to kick in?

About two weeks. “That’s why it’s never too late to get vaccinated,” Bernstein says. “Some people think that if they didn’t get it by November or December, it’s too late. That’s not true.” It’s worth getting the shot even toward the end of flu season, because protection develops quickly.

Can the vaccine wear off, especially if you get it early?

No. If you get vaccinated now, you’ll still be protected when flu season wraps up next year, Bernstein says.

[PTA Pushes Flu Shots for Kids]

Should anyone avoid the vaccine?

If you’re allergic to chicken eggs, which are used to produce the vaccine, or if you’ve had a reaction to a past flu vaccine, talk with your doctor first. Signs of a serious reaction include breathing problems, hives, weakness, a fast heartbeat, and dizziness, according to the CDC. If you’re sick with a fever, wait to get vaccinated until your symptoms have subsided—that way, you won’t confuse symptoms of a reaction with your original sickness, says Carolyn Bridges, associate director for science in the influenza division of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.

Why does this year’s vaccine protect against swine flu? I thought the threat was over.

Although H1N1 is no longer considered a pandemic, the virus is still expected to circulate. Flu vaccines are developed with the World Health Organization, which predicts the virus strains that will spread each season. Two other strains, H3N1 and influenza B—are also included in this year’s vaccine.

Does being vaccinated mean you won’t get the flu or does it just reduce the odds?

The vaccine reduces the likelihood by 70 to 90 percent, according to the CDC. If the flu strains circulating in your community are identical to one of the strains in the vaccine, there will be a very high level of protection. Sometimes, however, the circulating strain and the strain in the vaccine are not a perfect match, meaning protection is not guaranteed, Bernstein says. The vaccine’s effectiveness also depends on your age and overall health; those with a weakened immune system, for instance, will still be more susceptible.

Last year we experienced vaccine shortages. Is that likely to happen again this season?

No. About 160 to 165 million doses of the vaccine are expected compared to 114 million doses last year, according to the CDC. “There will be more than enough to go around,” Bernstein says.

Is the vaccine ever modified in mid-season to account for new flu strains that arise?

No. The entire production process—predicting which viruses will circulate, producing the vaccine, seeking FDA approval, and packaging and shipping—takes about six months. Once it’s been produced, there’s no turning back.

How serious a health concern is flu?

Between 5 and 20 percent of people are infected each year, reports the CDC, causing anywhere from 3,300 to 49,000 deaths annually and 200,000 hospitalizations. The flu can also lead to ear infections, sinus infections, and pneumonia. “We should be very worried about it,” Bernstein says, “which is why vaccination is so strongly recommended.”

How does flu spread?

Mostly through direct contact with droplets in the air like those produced by coughing or sneezing. It circulates easily through airplanes. And touching is another primary culprit, such as when an infected child plays with a toy and then hands it to a friend. “When you rub your eyes or nose and then open a door, you just deposited some virus on the doorknob,” Karp says. “Someone coming along 10 minutes later will grab that door, and the virus has spread. Flu is like sticky rice: If you have rice on your hands, I have it on mine, too.”

What are the symptoms?

The telltale signs include fever, chills, stomach ache, sore throat, stuffy nose, headache, muscle aches, and fatigue. Even if you don’t yet know you’re infected, you can transmit flu. “You’re contagious for 24 hours before you develop any symptoms,” Wexler says.

In addition to the vaccine, what steps can you take to help prevent flu?

Wash your hands frequently, keep your hands off your face, and cover your cough—ideally with a tissue or by coughing into the crook of your arm, rather than your hands, Karp says. In other words, use common sense. Enough sleep is also important, to keep your immune system strong and reduce your chances of catching a bug.

Related posts:

1. Cracking The Autism Riddle: Common Sense About Vaccines And Autism
2. Deadly Whooping Cough, Once Wiped Out, Is Back
3. Cracking the Autism Riddle: “Vaccine Theory” Fades as a New Idea Emerges

Colic can take an enormous toll on parents, transforming what should be the happiest time in our lives into one of abject misery. As Lee described it, “I was a wreck. You were the same way when you were a baby, my mom told me. You turned out just fine. Just fine? I physically beat myself up because I couldn’t get my son to stop crying.”

Colic usually occurs between a newborn’s second week and up through the third or fourth month, and is usually defined as a baby who cries and fusses for more than 3 hours a day, 3 days a week for 3 weeks (the so-called rule of 3s). Think about that for a minute! Consider how you would cope with a child who screamed and screamed for hours on end, without the ability to express what was wrong. No wonder it can push an already overwhelmed new mom or dad over the edge into bickering, exhaustion…even depression and aggression.

During almost 30 years as a pediatrician, I’ve worked with countless parents like Lee. They’re at their wit’s end, and feel so helpless and inept. They express a lot of guilt and shame, as if not being able to tame colic makes them a failure as a parent. But when you’re new to the game, and just so darn worn out, it’s very easy to give in to these doubts and bad feelings. As Lee says in her post, “The only thing that changed was my increasing anxiety that my son would not turn out “just fine.” That I was failing on some fundamental level as a mother. That I was in the process of breaking my baby, a little more every night.”

I have my own theory on colic , detailed in The Happiest Baby on the Block DVD , that has helped millions of parents around the world calm their baby’s crying. I believe that in a “weird” sort of a way, our babies are born 3-months too soon (not that I’ve ever talked a mom into trying this!). Baby horses are ready to run from the very first day, but our babies are super-immature for at least the first 3-6 months. Rather than being plunked down on a flat crib in a stone-silent room they need us to imitate the five soothing, hypnotic rhythms they experienced in the womb (the “5 S’s”) to help them stay calm and relaxed.

The Department of Health of Boulder, Colorado tried this approach out with 42 at risk families (teen moms, premature babies, drug users, etc) who all had very fussy babies. They did a study showing that 41 out of 42 very fussy babies immediately improved with the “5 S’s” and three special tools : a Happiest Baby DVD to reinforce the teaching, a large, thin swaddling blanket, and a Happiest Baby CD of womb sounds to play for naps and all night long. After that, the families found they could dramatically reduce their babies’ crying, and often add at least an hour to their nighttime sleep.

Equally important to relieving your baby’s discomfort from colic is relieving YOUR discomfort. Learning to handle the stress that comes with colic is one of your most important goals on this journey. Keep the focus not on the actual discomfort and crying, but on what you can and will do to relieve that crying. This helps you avoid negative thoughts and go into “solution” mode.

Remember to keep taking breathers as needed. Carrying a crying baby around for an entire day is too overwhelming for most parents, whether new or seasoned. Ask your partner to help, or a trusted family member, friend, or neighbor. Taking time to relax and rejuvenate will allow you to come back from your break with more energy and patience (which, we all know, are big requirements for parents, especially those dealing with a screaming baby). Use that time to do whatever helps you press the “reset” button, whether it’s walking around the block in the fresh air, getting a massage, or simply grabbing a quick shower or a nap. Your baby needs you to be the best parent you can be, but to do so you must make time to take care of yourself.

Most often, when the “5 S’s don’t work, it means they are not being done correctly. So, if the “5 S’s” aren’t helping please review the Happiest baby DVD to make sure you are doing each step exactly right. And, if you are doing them correctly and the baby is still very fussy, please contact your doctor to check to make sure the baby is not ill or in pain.

However, never shake your baby! Remember, babies are delicate and can be injured by rough handling. So, if you are getting frustrated or angry because of your baby’s crying, please put your baby down for a little bit and take a break. And, make sure to tell everyone who is helping with the baby how dangerous it is to shake and to take a break if they are getting frustrated or upset.

One of the biggest concerns doctors have about babies with colic is that this type of persistent crying – and the exhaustion it causes – can trigger very serious health issues, including postpartum depression. The slip into depression can happen so easily for some women (though there’s evidence that fathers often suffer from postpartum depression, too) and an infant with colic could definitely push a new mom down that path. Some moms describe that they feel constantly anxious or strangely alienated from their baby, or want to get in the car and just flee! Just recently, celebrity mother Gwyneth Paltrow discussed openly her own battle with postpartum depression , and encouraged mothers to seek help if necessary. Make no mistake about it: colic can wreak havoc on the life of a new family.

The best news about dealing with colic? In most cases, the “5 S’s” can dramatically help! I know it feels like it will never end, but it will. And infants who experience colic do not experience any negative effects in the long run. Take care of yourself during this trying time. Get rest, take walks outside, eat well, take turns with your partner, don’t worry about housework and chores, and remember that you’re doing the very best that you can do. In the meantime, check out my website for more information on colic, and share it with friends or fellow parents who might be trying to tame the colic beast.

Related posts:

1. 2007 Boulder County Case Study – Teaching Parents to Calm Fussy Infants
2. New Study Finds Fathers Equally at Risk for Postpartum Depression
3. Unlocking The Colic Mystery

A crawling baby learns about her world with every step, building her muscles as she discovers the difference between smooth bathroom tiles and squishy living room rugs. To her burgeoning taste buds, both taste great.

But research shows that babies pick up more than new skills as they explore their environments.

Infants may take in two to five times as much household dust as adults, even though they weigh only one-eighth as much, says Alan Greene, a pediatrician at Stanford University’s Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. Because of that dust, babies are more likely to be exposed to pesticides and other potentially harmful chemicals inside the home than outside, he says.

Children younger than 2 are also more vulnerable to toxins than adults because they’re still developing, Greene says. On average, children that age who are exposed to a carcinogen are 10 times more likely than an adult to develop cancer, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

“It’s a sound assumption that we should be 10 times more careful with children,” Greene says.

Pediatrician Harvey Karp, author of The Happiest Baby on the Block, suggests parents open their windows to ventilate the air once a day, if weather permits. He notes that indoor air is often more polluted than outdoor air, partly because of solvents and other chemicals found in paint, flooring, rugs, furniture and dry cleaning.

Yet toxic exposures often start long before babies can crawl. Babies today are typically born “pre-polluted,” exposed to potential carcinogens even before birth, a report by the President’s Cancer Panel said in May.

CANCER PANEL: Toxins cause ‘grievous harm’
CARCINOGENS: Found in child bath products
GREEN CLEANING: Readers test methods

In a study of umbilical cord blood by the Environmental Working Group, researchers found 180 carcinogens in babies and 217 chemicals that were toxic to the brain or nervous system.

The American Cancer Society estimates that about 6% of cancer deaths — nearly 34,000 a year — are caused by environmental pollutants.

Because so little research has been done on cancer and the environment, it’s possible the true number of pollution-related cancer deaths is actually much higher, the President’s Cancer Panel says.

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California is in the midst of its worst outbreak of whooping cough in a half-century. More than 2,700 cases have been reported so far this year — eight times last year’s number at this point. Seven of the victims, all infants, have died.

And here’s what really worries pediatricians like USC’s Harvey Karp: Doctors thought they wiped out whooping cough when they developed vaccines decades ago.

The disease hits young children hardest, especially ones who are not vaccinated or who have not yet built up full immunity. The prescribed vaccination regimen begins with a shot at two months and continues until children are 5 years old. For many children, it can take that long for complete immunity to develop — and until then, they’re vulnerable.

The California epidemic has raised plenty of questions about the role of vaccination and the increasing numbers of parents who decide not to vaccinate their children. California’s Department of Public Health cites three schools in the state where 80 percent of parents have signed a “personal belief exemption” to keep their children from being vaccinated.

That’s part of what’s behind this epidemic, Dr. Karp tells NPR’s Guy Raz. “And it’s in part because the immunity of people who were immunized earlier has waned,” he adds.

In fact, Karp estimates that 75 percent to 90 percent of whooping cough cases occur in teenagers and adults, for whom it is not deadly. Most adults may experience only a lingering cough. The danger occurs when adults and teenagers — whose immunity wanes around 12 years old — contract whooping cough and unwittingly give it to infants.

There is a booster shot for adults, but it only became available in 2005. Many adults are not even aware that they should get one every 10 years.

“Doctors — especially pediatricians — aren’t doing a good enough job,” Karp says. “When you go into the doctor’s office for your child’s care, your pediatrician should be telling you that you should be getting immunized as well.”

Karp acknowledges that vaccination is a difficult issue for parents.

“They’re very busy, working hard, working double jobs — it’s really a burden to have to be a parent and then also have to be a biochemist, to read the literature and decide what vaccines are good and what vaccines aren’t good,” he says.

In the background, he says, parents see a frightening increase of autism, coupled with reports of a potential link to vaccinations.

“All of that has stopped parents in their tracks from wanting to take any chance that they were going to expose their child to something that might be dangerous,” Karp says. “I totally understand that. The good news is — we have a large body of information now to show zero association between vaccines and autism.”

“But,” he adds, “we do need to try to help parents figure all of this information out so that they can make the best decision for their kids.”

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As a recent study concluded, the same goes for a more unlikely shared parenting experience – postpartum depression. The idea that only women suffer from postpartum depression – a very difficult, sometimes debilitating, type of anxiety and worry experienced by 10 -15% of all new mothers after childbirth – is equally out of date. In fact, this disorder seems to affect men in a similar way.

The study, a careful review of 43 previous studies published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, validates what dads have been feeling (whether openly or not) for years: depression in the early stages of parenthood is not just for women. As many as 10% of new dads experience it, especially when babies are between the age of 3-to-6-months. The shocking new responsibility of parenthood accompanied by the all-too-common sleep deprivation are major contributors to this disorder. The black hole of postpartum depression – the anxiety, pain, fear, apathy, exhaustion, and hopelessness – especially when your baby has persistent crying (colic) – can give way to feelings of shame, isolation, hopelessness and extreme guilt. This condition is not to be taken lightly — it’s widely accepted that postpartum depression can wreak havoc on a new family’s dynamic, not to mention the stability of marriage.

Common stresses like fatigue and colic are powerful triggers of postpartum depression in both men and women. One proven strategy for battling sleep deprivation – for infants, moms, and dads – and building parent confidence despite their baby’s colic is the “5 S’s.” These highly successful techniques activate the “calming reflex” – a virtual “off-switch” for crying and “on switch” for sleep that all babies are born with. This method (demonstrated step-by-step in The Happiest Baby on the Block DVD and book) can make easy babies even easier and quickly stop most cases of colic and boost a baby’s sleep by 1-3 hours per night.

The best news of all is that after learning these simple steps, men often become the best baby calmers in the family! So they gain confidence in their new role as caretaker while getting more sleep. And, as any mom or dad suffering from postpartum depression will tell you, a good night’s rest goes a long way. It’s the first step to recovery. So we encourage dads everywhere to empower themselves by learning the 5 S’s, consider it your best weapon in the battle against postpartum depression, so that men and women alike are equally well-equipped and confident every time they hear the words, “Your turn, honey.”

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