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Dr Spock’s observations about how women in developing
societies manage to be more successful in breastfeeding as
opposed to women in developed societies make for particularly
interesting reading: "Why is it that throughout most of the
world a mother’s milk takes care of the baby for many months
and that it’s only in bottle feeding countries that the mother’s
milk seems to fail so early in a majority of cases? I don’t
believe that American mothers are that nervous. They are
certainly as healthy as any`85 The trouble is that the bottle is
always available."
For the
anxiety-ridden, first-time parent who may be afraid of hurting
the baby if they don’t hold the baby correctly, here’s what
the authors have to say: "Babies are not frail. You don’t
have to worry." To substantiate this point, Dr Spock cites
a baby’s resistance to cold and flu, saying even if everyone
in the family is down with it, the baby is likely to be the last
to catch it. He also encourages taking the baby outdoors, so
that it can soak in the sunshine and get fresh air. One reason
for doing this is that changes in body temperature are
beneficial in toning up the body’s ability to adapt to cold
and heat. Babies love seeing leaves and shadows and a walk in
the park can stimulate them and boost their appetites.
In addition to
this, the book is full of advice on a range of issues from
mixing formulas, treating childhood illnesses to dealing with
children’s problems all the way till adolescence. The sheer
range of issues discussed makes the book an invaluable addition
to any parent’s library. It is particularly useful when
dealing with children’s problems during the first few months.
The revised
edition also deals with the more sensitive issues the day, like
homosexuality and how parents can handle their children’s
questions when they are in their teenage years. Given the amount
of information in this book, it is definitely my first choice
for obtaining information on baby and childcare. Many other
books that I have referred to end up providing too much or too
little of what is needed.
Is this a book
sans any flaws? I’d be lying if I said it is. Given the fact
that it covers just about everything under the sun when it comes
to kids it does run the risk of making generalisations at times.
Some solutions offered by the authors are certainly not for me.
On the issue of dealing with chronic resistance to sleep, Dr
Spock’s suggestion to let the child cry till he or she falls
finally falls asleep sounds unacceptable to me. Despite being
told I might end up with a baby who wants to be carried all the
time, I end up holding my little one very often. Well, as they
say all babies are different and so are the parenting methods.
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THE
way one reacts to this book that is widely considered a classic on
childcare, depend entirely on one’s perspective on life. For
instance, while in some cultures, letting a child sleep in the same
room as his or her parents is frowned upon, in other cultures this
practice is considered normal and acceptable. Dr Spock advocates,
among a host of other things, nursing schedules based on a child’s
demands as opposed to a regimen that goes strictly by the clock. He
also stresses the need for enormous amounts of patience when it
comes to meeting the needs of a child. His call to parents to adopt
the role of a benefactor rather than that of a disciplinarian has
many critics up in arms, many of whom point out that over-indulging
a child could manifest itself in behavioural problems later in life.
