Luiza DeSouza - Eat, Play, Sleep: The Essential Guide to Your Babys First Three Months

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This book is dedicated to Dani Michelle Jaffe, a beautiful little girl with stars in her eyes and magic in her heart. Dani is one of my beloved children.

All she has asked in return is that someone consistently and sincerely love and accept her for the unique and wonderful person that she is, and for the magnificent woman she became.

May Dani, and all of the other children in the world, enjoy the love, care, and respect that they deserve.

I could not be more honored to write this Foreword for my friend Luiza DeSouzas book. Her expertise with newborns helped us enjoy every minute of early parenthood.

As a first-time mother, I didnt want anyone to interfere with my relationship with my new baby. Luizas presence had the exact opposite effect. She helped us to bond with our son and showed us how to develop his eye contact and to encourage attachment. Also, her experience with the basics, such as bathing, swaddling, tending to the umbilical cord, and so many other little tasks of baby care, helped to create a sense of serenity around our home that most certainly rubbed off on our son. We were able to avoid that nervous new parents stereotype and enjoy our changed roles.

We were thrilled that Luiza was able to be with us for our second child as well. Once again, her reassuring presence enabled the three of us to smoothly transition to a family of four. Our daughter still sings her favorite Luiza lullaby, Cai Cai Balloon!

I am so glad that Luiza has taken the time to write down what she knows. She has created a book that can help parents everywhere have more confidence in caring for their babies. Eat, Play, Sleep will answer most, if not all, of your questions, alleviate your fears, and eliminate your doubts about caring for your newborn.

Well done, Luiza!

Cindy Crawford

Model, film and television actress, and mother of two

Malibu, California

For thirty years Ive been holding mothers hands. Ive helped women like you give their newborns the best possible start. No matter how excited you are about starting a family, no matter how prepared you think you are, its a new role that requires a lot of education, practice, and support. Ive never met a new mom who doesnt need at least a little boost of encouragement. As a professional who takes care of babies, I can show you the ropes, which will help make your life a lot happier and more peaceful. As I tell my clients, Im here for your baby, and Im here for you.

Its hard for most first-time mothers to know what to do. Theyre caught between their own self-doubts and the conflicting opinions of others. One of my clients told me, I dont think I have postpartum depression, Luiza. I have postpartum confusion ! She knew how to be a wife and a daughter but had no idea how to be a mother.

Books can help, but if youre new to the role, you still have to figure out what ideas and techniques are right for you. The way I see it, my job is to help you sift through all the parenting advice thats thrown at you by your mother, your sister, your friends, and all those experts who tell you what you must do. Im an expert, too, but my approach is to advise you to take your time, trust your own instincts, and choose a course that fits your needs and your babys personality.

Let me take your hand. Let me be your backup. Let me show you what to look for and what to expect. Let me help you build confidence in your choices. Its not easy to be a mother. Theres no magic. Its day-by-day hard work, but I can help.

Even if this is your second baby, hes probably nothing like your first. (My apologies if youre the mother of a girl. From this point on, youll see that I try to alternate he and she.) My advantage is that I come with three decades worth of babies in my head and in my heart. My goal here is to peek over your shoulder and whisper encouragement into your ear. I can do for you what Ive done for the mothers Ive worked with over the years: help ease you into what is the most important role youll ever play.

Being a mother is also one of the most challenging roles youll ever play. Its more difficult for some than for others, because of who they are, because of what kind of baby they have, and because of their life circumstances. I hope youre reading this while youre pregnant, but even if you have been home from the hospital for a week or two, you might already feel unsure of yourself. Can I really do this? Maybe you saw a program on TV, read a book, or took notes when your pediatrician made suggestions, and now youre afraid you cant do what they advise. Or perhaps you dont agree with them, because their advice doesnt suit your style. But instead of rejecting the ideas and moving on, you wonder, Should I be doing something different, something more, for my baby?

Mothering is not about programs or learning a technique. There is no right and wrong. Rather, mothering is about connection and relationship and getting to know who your child is. And for that reason, I believe that attitude is actually more important than approach.

When I take care of babies, I dont have a formula in my head. How could I? No two mothers are alike, and no two babies are the same. I never know what Im going to have to deal with. Take Roberta, for example. She had a very hard time. For the first few days, Ryan had trouble latching on. Robertas nipples were sore and cracked. Every feeding was very painful. Ive seen other women give up on breast-feeding for less reason. I showed Roberta how to use breast milk on her nipples to help heal them. I told her to soak in the tub. Two years later, the two of us reminisced about my stay with her family. Its not what you said that calmed me down, Luiza, or even what you did, she said. It was your energy.

At first, I didnt know what she meant. I was just being me, offering her the benefit of my experience, and reassuring her that we would get through this. After all, Id calmed many new mothers before, helped many babies who had trouble latching on. Thinking about it later, though, I understood that she was talking about my attitude.

In this book, Im not going to teach you an approach or a structured program. Instead, I will teach you how to think like me. The babies I care for thrive because I bring three important qualities into my work that influence everything I do and say: patience, openness, and attentiveness.