A New Baby in the Home

Library Notes
Lynn Denison

A new baby in the home!  What joy and happiness occur over the miracle of a new birth.  Proud parents and   family members all gather around to celebrate.  Showers are held and good wishes are given.  Everyone wants to love and cuddle the new bundle of joy. 

There are so many questions that expectant parents and new parents would like answered.  Of course, opinions on each subject abound.  One of the most important of these topics has to do with your new baby and sleeping.  Before we became a mobile society we parented in communities.  Parents had the wisdom of generations of family members to go to for advice.  Parents are now more isolated but still need help and support.  For many, parenting books have helped fill the gap.

Lack of sleep is one thing that most parents can look forward to as they start on this new and wonderful adventure in their lives.  One of the avenues that new parents may want to explore is the information given by experts in this area.

Of course, Rowan Public Library is the place to start to find out what these experts have to say.  We have a wealth of information in books that you may want to peruse as time permits.  One of the newest books we have on our shelves is The Happiest Baby Guide to Great Sleep: Simple Solutions for Kids from Birth to 5 Years, by Dr. Harvey Karp.

Dr. Karp’s focus is on the needs of young children and how to keep them happy.  He is a nationally renowned pediatrician, child development specialist and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the USC School of Medicine.  After being in practice for almost thirty years his latest book is filled with new ideas to prevent or cure most sleep problems in children under five years old.  These methods have been endorsed by thousands of satisfied parents.  His other books also include best sellers The Happiest Baby on the Block and The Happiest Toddler on the Block.

Then there are the classics by compassionate authors such as Jennifer Waldburger and Jill Spirack, co-authors of The Sleep Easy Solution:  The Exhausted Parent’s Guide to Getting Your Child to Sleep. Dr.  Waldburger and Dr. Spirack are psychotherapists and confounders of Sleepy Planet, a sleep-consulting company.   Their book is filled with advice on such topics as teaching your child to sleep through the night and take regular naps, saying good-bye to early morning waking, and ending bedtime battles.  These three situations cover about every parent’s dream, right?

Another tried and true book is The 90-Minute Baby Sleep Program:  Follow Your Child’s Natural Sleep Rhythms for Better Nights and Naps by Polly Moore, Ph.D.  We also have other books:  Solve Your Child’s Sleep Problems by Richard Ferber, M.D. and the Baby Sleep Book: The Complete Guide to a Good Night’s Rest for the Whole Family by William Sears, M.D. to name just a few.  Of course, not all authors agree on what is best for your baby.  Only you can decide that, but hopefully some of the many books we have on the subject here at the library can help you during this often frustrating part of bringing up baby.

Please come visit us soon and let us help you find books on baby’s sleep and as well as on all aspects of parenting.