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DIAPER FREE!
The Gentle Wisdom of Natural Infant Hygiene,
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INTRODUCTION
Sharing a gift of gentle wisdom
Amazing yet ordinary
A growing interest
A reference in three parts
A bias for gentleness
What you bring to this book
PART I: PRINCIPLES AND FOUNDATION
CHAPTER
1: A PERSONAL JOURNEY OF REDISCOVERY
First baby: Born at home, breastfed, carried in-arms, cloth-diapered
Another baby, another perspective
Questioning the need for diapers
Trusting my instincts and deciding to try
Living diaper-free
Keeping the family bed dry
Papa loves it too!
Moving
forward diaper-free
CHAPTER
2: NATURE'S DESIGN FOR INFANT-CARE
Parenting in confusing times
The changing face of parenting history
Abandoning age-old practices
Looking to other cultures
Nature's perfect design
The link between nourishment and elimination
A revolutionary concept with ancient roots
Responding to baby's signals and cries
When babies' cries and signals are not answered
The
focus on things and "doing"
The
ideal time is now
All you need is love
The joy of meeting your baby's needs
CHAPTER 3: WHY PARENTS CHOOSE NATURAL INFANT HYGIENE
Not the only way
Reasons and benefits:
- "It's Natural"
- Responding to baby's needs, in the moment
- Increases communication and strengthens bond
- Baby's physical comfort
- Unimpeded skin-to-skin contact
- Healthy skin with no diaper rash
- Regular and comfortable digestion
- Healthy body awareness
- Hygiene
and cleanliness
- Saves money
- Heath and safety concerns
- The ultimate environmental solution
- Spontaneity and Flexibility for Families
- Enhances co-operation and prevents diapering conflicts
- Facilitates Later Toilet Independence
- The ultimate environmental alternative
- It's pleasurable and fun
No information, no choice
CHAPTER 4: CHALLENGING CONTEMPORARY TOILET TRAINING MYTHS
A look at recent Western practices
Early starting ages
Coercive "early" methods
The origins of contemporary toilet training and "readiness signs"
Brazelton and "readiness signs"
A theory based on assumptions
Contemporary methods
The perceived link between "early" and coercive
The latest news--the same old story
Babies are ready from birth!
The fragile toilet training child
A strong ethnocentric focus
A vested interest in pampering baby's bottom?
CHAPTER 5: REDEFINING "READINESS"
Lessons from around the world
Courageous mother finds her own way in 1947
"Self-initiated
Toileting in infants"
Cultural
relativity of toilet training readiness
Doctors speak out
Response to the deVries study
Professor of Family Medicine learns from mother-in-law
Physician, mother, and Natural Infant Hygiene advocate
Mothers as experts
Bringing her ancestors' knowledge to the west
Silent
wisdom
A new resurgence
CHAPTER 6: THE PHYSIOLOGY OF ELIMINATION
The urge to urinate
Natural Infant Hygiene: Recognising, relaxing and releasing
Conventional training: Relearning, contracting and retaining
Natural hormone for nighttime dryness
The physiology of defecation
The pelvic floor and benefits of the squatting position
The gastrocolic reflex
Use it or lose it
PART
II: THE PRACTICE
CHAPTER 7: MAKING A CONSCIOUS DECISION
It
begins with a shift in perception
A different kind of work
A gradual and gentle process
Seeing things in perspective
CHAPTER
8: GETTING STARTED
When
to start
-Beginning at birth
-The first weeks
-Two to four months
-A fresh morning start
-Starting gradually
-Daytime and nighttime differences
-Coinciding with development
-Starting later
-How to start
Beginning with a one year old
CHAPTER
9: FOUR TOOLS FOR DIAPER FREED
Communicating
about elimination
Four practical inter-connected tools
1. Timing
-Rhythms and patterns
-How often do they go?
-Timing and sleep
-Timing and nursing
-Food, weather, and stress
2. Baby's signals and body language
-Sharing a special language
-A multitude of signals
-Common signals
3. Intuition
-An intimate connection
-"Knowing without knowing why"
-How do you know?
4. Cueing the baby
-The parent's tool for communicating
-Cueing sounds and body signals
-The importance of body contact
-Consistent signals
When baby signals "No"
La Leche League mom combines the four tools with signing
CHAPTER
10: POSITIONS FOR HOLDING THE BABY
1. The "basic" position, standing
2. The "basic" position, kneeling, sitting, or squatting
3. Bending forward
4. The semi-squat
5. Under one arm
6. Seated, with cradled baby
7. Reclining baby
8. Seated forward bend
9. Sitting on toilet with baby
10. The upright or squatting baby
11. Sitting on the potty
12. Using your legs as a seat
Gender and safety tips
CHAPTER
11: LIVING WITH YOUR DIAPER-FREE BABY
The
perfect toilet place
-The great outdoors
-The great indoors
-In-arms or sitting?
-Transitioning to potty or toilet
-Is consistency important?
Wiping and cleaning
Sleeping and nighttime
-Tuning in at night
-Diaper-less on an absorbent pad
-Using diapers at night
-Diapering with modifications
-Using a combination
-Bed protection for nighttime
Partners, family, and other caregivers
-The father's or partner's role
-Other caregivers and working
-It takes a village
Dressing for success
-Easy access is the key
-Cold weather wear
Outings and travel
-Travelling by car
-Regular "pitstops"
- Outdoor adventures
-Longer trips
-Carrying it with you
-A relaxed and positive attitude
A time for diapers
A father's view of Natural Infant Hygiene
CHAPTER
12: SPECIAL SITUATIONS
Large families and closely-spaced children
When your baby is ill
Single parents
Adopted babies
Children with special needs
Parents with physical challenges
Nocturnal Enuresis (bedwetting)
Constipation
Practising Natural Infant Hygiene part-time
"No problem that can't be overcome"
CHAPTER
13: OVERCOMING OBSTACLES
Fear
of misses and lapses
-A shift in attitude is the key
-A few words about pee and poop
-Responding to misses and messes
-No go! Regression, misses, and "pee strikes"
-"Regressing" because of stress, illness, and change
-When parents are too attached
-Out-of-arms and into the world
-Interrupting your baby's work
-Try something different
Perservering through breaks in confidence
CHAPTER
14: CARING FOR YOURSELF
When
you're overwhelmed
-Natural Infant Hygiene is not the problem
-When tiredness becomes exhaustion
-Taking care of the source
-Websites related to Natural Infant Hygiene
Creating support
-Believing in yourself
-Finding community
CHAPTER
15: CULTIVATING A GENTLE APPROACH
Knowing
your priorities
Connecting through touch
-An essential act
-A multitude of benefits
-Touch supports Natural Infant Hygiene
A time of sweet seclusion
Developing intuition and a loving presence
-Intuition grows with use
-True intuition flows from compassion
Letting go on control
-Choosing how we react
-"You are all doing great!"
CHAPTER
16: BEYOND DIAPER FREE
Toilet
independence
Expanding beyond Natural Infant Hygiene
Spreading the word
PART III: QUICK REFERENCE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Is
this for me?
Starting out
Timing and signals
Out and about
Practical matters
Concerns about misses and messes
RESOURCES
Books
Related to Natural Infant Hygiene
Supplies
Cross-cultural child-rearing
Childbirth
Baby carrying
Breastfeeding
Co-sleeping
Signing
Preterm babies
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Copyright © 2000 by Ingrid Bauer.