The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems

427 Pages·2005·3.29 MB·English

by  Tracy Hogg

THE
BABY WHISPERER
SOLVES ALL YOUR
PROBLEMS
(BY TEACHING YOU HOW TO
ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS)
ALSO BY TRACY HOGG AND MELINDA BLAU
Secrets of the Baby Whisperer: How to Calm, Connect, and
Communicate with Your Baby Secrets of the Baby Whisperer for Toddlers
ATRIA
BOOKS
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
www.SimonandSchuster.com
Copyright © 2005 by Tracy Hogg and Melinda Blau
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions
thereof in any form whatsoever.
For information address Atria Books, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New
York, NY 10020
ISBN: 0-7434-8893-8
ISBN-13: 978-0-7434-8893-8
eISBN-13:978-1-4391-0654-9
First Atria Books hardcover edition January 2005
Designed by Nancy Singer Olaguera 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
ATRIA BOOKS is a trademark of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Manufactured in the United States of America
To Sara and Sophie, my loving daughters (TH), and
To Henry, my sweet grandson (MB), and
All the other babies and toddlers who allow us to love them
and to be less than perfect
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I first want to thank the parents of all “my” babies and toddlers for their
stories, their cooperation, and their continued input on my website.
I’d like to thank especially Melinda Blau, and Henry, not only for turning out
to be an Angel baby but for being our special mascot. Never let it be said that he
was a guinea pig.
Finally, thanks to my family and devoted friends, especially my Nan, whose
love, guidance, and strength continue to amaze me daily.
—Tracy Hogg
Los Angeles, California When I stepped off an airplane to meet Tracy Hogg in
Los Angeles for the first time in the fall of 1999, she drove me to a modest house
in the Valley, where a bedraggled young mother met us at the door and literally
thrust a screaming three-week-old into Tracy’s arms. “My nipples are killing me.
I don’t know what to do,” she said, tears running down her checks. “He wants to
breast-feed every hour or two.” Tracy held the baby close to her cheek, cooing
“shh . . . shh . . . shh” into his ear, and within seconds, he was quiet. She then
turned to the young woman and said, “Okay, here’s what your baby is telling
you.”
I have witnessed dozens of similar scenes over these last five years in which
Tracy sweeps into a household, tunes in to the baby or toddler, and manages to
get right to the heart of the problem. It has been a delight and a constant source
of amazement to watch Tracy’s work, to analyze how to put it on paper, and to
get to know her in the process. Thank you Tracy, for inviting me into your
universe and for allowing me to be your voice. Three books later, we’ve become
friends, and I’ve become a pretty proficient baby whisperer myself—just in time
to try it out on Henry.
This book would not have been possible without the sanity and savvy of
Eileen Cope of Lowenstein Literary Associates, our intrepid agent, who once
again shepherded us from proposal to finished book; and Barbara Lowenstein,
who is always in the wings, guiding, cuing, sometimes pushing us all to do
better.
I am indebted as well to our editor at Atria Books, Tracy Behar, who shared
our vision for this book and made it better, and to Wendy Walker and Brooke
Stetson, who helped keep us on track.
Always last but never least, I appreciate my extended family of relatives and
friends, who are there for me throughout it all. You know who you are.
—Melinda Blau
Northampton, Massachusetts
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION

FROM BABY WHISPERING TO PROBLEM SOLVING
My Most Important Secret ONE

E.A.S.Y. ISN’T NECESSARILY EASY (BUT IT WORKS!)
Getting Your Baby on a Structured Routine TWO

EVEN BABIES HAVE EMOTIONS
Gauging Moods in the First Year THREE

YOUR BABY’S LIQUID DIET
Feeding Issues in the First Six Months FOUR

FOOD IS MORE THAN NOURISHMENT
Solid Foods and Eating Happily Ever After FIVE

TEACHING BABIES HOW TO SLEEP
The First Three Months and the Six Troubleshooting Variables SIX
PICK UP/PUT DOWN
A Sleep Training Tool—Four Months to a Year
SEVEN

“WE’RE STILL NOT GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP”
Sleep Problems after the First Year EIGHT

TAMING TODDLERS
Teaching Children to Be Emotionally F.I.T.
NINE

E. E. A. S. Y. DOES IT
The Case for Early Toilet Training TEN

JUST WHEN YOU THINK YOU’VE GOT IT . . . EVERYTHING CHANGES!
Twelve Essential Questions and Twelve Principles of Problem Solving INDEX