Ever heard of Dr. Harvey Karp?

[amyjeans]

http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc...eadlines-local

he wrote "The Happiest Toddler on the Block" and "The Happiest Baby on the Block"


what is his story? any thoughts?

thanks!

[dido1]

I read both of his books. They didn't make me run screaming in the opposite direction :-) I didn't find The Happiest Toddler on the Block that helpful, but do incorporate some of his ideas, ie. verbalizing my toddler's feelings for him as a way of stopping tantrum before they get to far.

[faithnj]

The Happiest Baby on the Block DVD is the reason I've been sleeping through the night since my DD was six months old. I loved it, and it's helped me keep her and many a baby happier in infancy. In fact, if anyone is having a baby shower, that's the first gift I purchase for them. (The book is okay, but the DVD is way more useful.)

As for the Happiest Toddler on The Block-- I scanned the book and that was a bit odd to me. Perhaps if I saw the DVD, I'd be more into it.

Faith

[lara1828]

I read both books and have incorporated some of his methods, at least in spirit.

Dr. Karp has some, um, unusual theories about children, but his advice is actually quite practical and IMO respectful and gentle toward the child.

The books are easy reads, take them out of the library.

Lara

ETA: I just wanted to clarify that by "usual", I mean not mainstream, or at least not expressed in mainstream terms. I actually think that he makes a lot of sense, but you're not going to read about thre fourth trimester or toddlersas cavemen in (m)any other books.

[Viola]

I saw him speak at the LLLI conference in San Francisco. I was pregnant at the time and bought his Happiest Baby on the Block book. The taped footage was really convincing, and I used some of the tactics in his book to my advantage with my second baby.

[Llyra]

I read both books, and while I found his little theories to be kinda odd, like the one about toddlers being cavemen, I think a lot of his practical advice is very good. His baby-calming techniques worked great for DD. Plus, he's pretty pro-cosleeping, pro-breastfeeding, and even gives babywearing a mention. His advice was gentle, humane, and respectful of babies and children. I give him a big .

[morning glory]

Dr. Karp has some, um, unusual theories about children

Okay...so now I'm dying to know...what are they?

[Storm Bride]

I don't know anything about him, but from reading the article linked in the OP, I don't know if I'd give him a try or not. I have enough people in my life trying to sell me on swaddling. DS1 would put up with, if he had one arm free, but it never seemed to actually make him feel better. And, dd hated swaddling with a passion. One of the nurses at the hospital kept wrapping her up, and she'd go absolutely insane...screaming, crying, and struggling like mad to get free. DH had an argument with the nurse every time they took her, because she always came back swaddled. I don't think the nurse believed us. (Hey - we were only with her 24 hours/day - what do we know?)

It never came up with ds2. I don't think we ever even tried swaddling. He was sooooo content right from the moment we first saw him.

[Venice Mamacita]

He's one of the doctors in our ped group, and the ped of very close friends with 4 children. He's a lovely man and very good with children, really nurturing and respectful. He's definitely pro-baby wearing, pro-nursing, pro-family bed . . . basically, pro-whatever works for your family.

We found his "Happiest Baby" book & video (especially the video) soooo incredibly helpful when DS was born (he had colic for the first 9 weeks). "Happiest Toddler" wasn't quite as helpful -- DS finds most of Dr. Karp's interventions annoying more than anything else. Is there a DVD of this one? I'd like to check it out . . . .

Ultimately, I think the books are full of very useful child development info in very plain, easy to understand language. It astounds me how little CD info many parents have, so I'm glad his stuff is out there. They're fairly quick reads as well, which we especially appreciate.

Hope this helps!

[bjorker]

We also used some of the Happiest Baby techniques with dd, and it was very helpful at times. My one reservation is that parents might be a little gung-ho to use "the 5 S's" before making sure their baby's needs are fully met. As a first time mom, it took me awhile to realise that yes, dd was really already hungry *again*. I could see how people could easily chalk the crying up to colic and employ the Happiest Baby techniques. That kinda tricks the child into sleep, when s/he really needed something else.

That said, if you're aware of these things, I think that it does really work with a lot of babies. The jiggling thing was especially beneficial for us. Even at almost 15 mos, a little jiggle helps calm dd when she's especially wound up before bed/nap.

[Think of Winter]

We read both books. One warning, they are a bit patronizing and repetitive, but both have good ideas. We used Happiest baby a lot when ds was 0-4 mo and colicy, and I think his techniques helped a lot. But I could have done without the 200 pp of explanations in what could have been a 50 pp book (just tell me how to do it!) But I couldn't even get through the Happiest Toddler. His writing style just annoyed me! But good ideas in there, too, like affirming your dc's feelings when they're really upset since that's all they can hear at the time.

[Think of Winter]

Originally Posted by morning glory

Okay...so now I'm dying to know...what are they?

In Happiest Toddler, he playfully interprets the theory in developmental biology that ontogeny follows phylogeny. In other words, organisms progress as they grow and develop from characteristics similiar to the simplest life forms to the more complex. Kinda like how a fetus looks like a bit like a blob, then a fish, then maybe a pig, then a monkey in those early ultrasounds. He compares stages of development in toddlers to specific animals. I read the book quickly, so I can't give you a lot of specific examples, but the caveman thing stands out. He's talking about a toddler using very simple and non-verbal forms of communication.

[VelmaLou]

How exactly does one get a 6 mo to sleep through the night, according to him? I'm curious. My baby's not colicky, but she loves to bf at night!

[kalisis]

He is repetitive - he says the same thing about 100 times in each of his books.

But, I did read the books and have used bits and pieces in my repetoire.

I think that's about all you can expect really - bits and pieces. Like LLL says, it's like the supermarket - take what works for your family and leave the rest.

[VelmaLou]

don't mind my above question. There really isn't anything I want to do about my nurser.

[Joannarachel]

I saw the movie for Babies, and it was incredibly helpful for us in learning how to soothe DS as a high-need newborn.

Eden is a very content, very happy child, so we haven't had to use those techniques with her.

I have been trying his recommendation of echoing back the toddlers feelings enthusiastically to ward off tantrums, and it seems to help somewhat w/ my son

[flyingspaghettimama]

I loved (and needed) Happiest Baby with my very colicky son. I like the DVD, like the book, they were super helpful and great. I like how he encourages responsiveness to your child's needs and explains the family bed, etc. The Five S's saved my Sanity (the sixth S?)

The Toddler one though, I really don't care for. It seems to encourage some behaviors I'd rather not (i.e. growling and acting caveman-ish to mama to express yourself is not behavior I'd welcome; I'd rather talking or hand signs, or heck, even crying). Karp also explains in detail the various CIO methods without talking about how harmful they are to the bond...it's not like CIO is going to help with cutting down on tantrums and attachment avoidant behaviors, lol. The sleep section is what turned me off completely from the Toddler book. It's hard to have the happiest toddler on the block if you're locking them in their room to cry themselves to sleep "for their own good."

There's such a disconnect between the two books, it's unfortunate. I think he's onto something regarding evolutionary theory and the fourth trimester; but in the second he overreaches.

I prefered the Sears books for toddlerhood. They talk about naming feelings too; but also being aware of triggers that stage the scene for a tantrum (food, sleep, nursing, etc); soothing tantrums rather than getting into power struggles (which I can see the Karp book leading towards at some points); and a more overall gentle approach.

[Fuamami]

Originally Posted by flyingspaghettimama

It's hard to have the happiest toddler on the block if you're locking them in their room to cry themselves to sleep "for their own good."

Well, I guess it depends on your neighborhood

Actually I want to say that I think is this one of the most damaging things you can do to your child. My inlaws spank, they're harsh, they punish their children for crying, but of all those things I think that they have caused their son some serious psychological damage by locking in his room and ignoring him. So I just don't know if I can support this Karp fellow at all.

[Venice Mamacita]

Originally Posted by flyingspaghettimama

I loved (and needed) Happiest Baby with my very colicky son. I like the DVD, like the book, they were super helpful and great. I like how he encourages responsiveness to your child's needs and explains the family bed, etc. The Five S's saved my Sanity (the sixth S?)

There's such a disconnect between the two books, it's unfortunate. I think he's onto something regarding evolutionary theory and the fourth trimester; but in the second he overreaches.

I prefered the Sears books for toddlerhood. They talk about naming feelings too; but also being aware of triggers that stage the scene for a tantrum (food, sleep, nursing, etc); soothing tantrums rather than getting into power struggles (which I can see the Karp book leading towards at some points); and a more overall gentle approach.

: And like a PP said, take what works and leave the rest! I never read enough of Dr. Karp's toddler book to get to the sleeping section . . . or perhaps I did read it and just ignored it. We still co-sleep withour almost 3-year-old.

[CathToria]

I've heard good things about his baby book