Lauren Feder - Natural Baby and Childcare: Practical Medical Advice and Holistic Wisdom for Raising Healthy Children from Birth to Adolescence

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This book does not give legal or medical advice. Always consult your doctor, lawyer, and other professionals. Names of medications and products are typically followed by TM or symbols, but these symbols are not stated in this book.

The ideas and suggestions contained in this book are not intended as a substitute for consulting with a physician. All matters regarding your health require medical supervision.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Feder, Lauren.

Natural baby and childcare / Lauren Feder.

p. cm.

ISBN-13: 978-1-57826-205-2

ISBN-10: 1-57826-205-4

eBook ISBN: 978-1-57826-536-7

1. InfantsHealth and Hygiene. 2. ChildrenHealth and hygiene. 3. InfantsMedical careAlternative treatment. 4. ChildrenMedical careAlternative treatment. 5. Holistic medicine. 6. Child care. I. Title.

RJ61.F365 2006

649.122-dc22

2005028094

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Interior design by Eugenie S. Delaney and Deborah Miller

Cover design by Phil Mondestin and Deborah Miller

v3.1

Writing a book is like giving birth to a child; it is a labor intensive experience whose success is made possible by the expertise, support, and patience of others. Many thanks to my agent, Jessica Faust, who was instrumental in the conception of the book; my editor, Andrea Au; the production team, including Deborah Miller, Alyssa Smith, Eugenie Delaney, Jacinta Monniere, and Ann Marie Kalajian; and the publicity/marketing team, including Kevin Moran and Erin Byram, for their dedication to the project. In addition, my gratitude extends to Jennifer Jahner, Wiep de Vries, R.N., and the Wellness Nurses of the Los Angeles Alliance for Childhood, and homeopaths Mary Grace, DHM, RsHom (NA), CCH and Julie Mann, RsHom (NA), CCH.

To my family and friends, especially my mother, Ellie Davis, a wonderful role model who has always taken pride and pleasure in being a mother. To my father, Dr. Robert J. Feder, whose footsteps I follow, albeit along my own path. I now know what he meant when he wrote to me the day I became a doctor, To the beginning of a fabulous and rewarding career which I hope will bring as much enjoyment, enrichment, and fulfillment as I have experienced. This is all made possible thanks to my patients, young and old, who share a common belief in homeopathy, holistic medicine, and natural parenting for a healthier generation.

And my love and appreciation for my sons, tienne and Quentin, and my husband and partner, Dr. Ren Haarpaintner, who walks this path beside me. He has been a pillar of strength who keeps our house a home.

To the philosopher Mervyn Brady and the students of the Academy of European Arts and Culture, whose light and energy fill my soul. My cup runneth over.

Lauren Feder, M.D.

Los Angeles

To my inspirations,

tienne

and

Quentin

who guided me through every chapter of this book

and beyond

Man is at his highest when nature is his teacher.

Mervyn Brady

Of all natures gifts to the human race, what is sweeter to a man than his children?

Cicero

A S A DOCTOR SPECIALIZING IN NATURAL MEDICINE , I see hundreds of patients every year, all with different ideas and expectations of what natural medicine has to offer. Some see me because they have tried conventional medicine without success and need a new treatment philosophy; others have used natural treatments successfully for years and find little reason to visit a standard physician. Still others are curious, interested in natural health but unsure how to incorporate it into their lives. Whatever the individual paths to my office, nearly all my patients come seeking a form of healthcare that honors both the body and the spirit, and that goes beyond treating surface-level symptoms to address wellbeing and health on more fundamental levels.

I have had tremendous success with natural medicine, both in my practice and at home with my children, and in this book will share the proven remedies and parenting techniques I have used and prescribed for years. Whether you are new to natural health or very much experienced in it, this book is a comprehensive, user-friendly guide to incorporating holistic wisdom and natural medicine into your family life. It focuses on all stages of infant and childhood development, and suggests ways that natural parenting and healthcare techniques can work alongside the routines you have already established with your children. If you are a new parent wondering about issues like breastfeeding or vaccination, or are raising older children and looking for more effective and natural ways to treat their cuts, scrapes, colds, and earaches, this book can be a valuable resource in finding out how to make natural methodologies a part of your family. It is based on insights Ive gleaned both as a physician and a parent, and reflects the many years I have spent researching, teaching, and working in the area of natural health and parenting.

For me, health has always been the most personal of subjects. It is central to how we feel, how we live, and how we relate to the world around us. What I strive for with my children and patients is optimal healthhealth that encompasses our physical and emotional selves, and provides us the energy to live vitally and courageously. Holistic forms of healthcare share this commitment to optimal health. They tend to the body, but also offer a more natural way of living in relationship with our environment. For children, this means remedies that are nontoxic and that work without side effects, and parenting options that allow for greater bonding and stronger development. Natural healthcare does not require that you give up your conventional doctor, or put away the decongestants and antihistamines forever. Rather, this book is meant to offer you a wide array of natural choices that you can use in conjunction with standard practices, or on their own as your primary routine. The choice is yours.