by Emily Oster
parental work, 148–58
bottom line summary, 158
budgeting issues, 155–57
impacts of parental employment on child outcomes, 151–53
making a choice, 157–58
structuring the decision, 149–51
parenthood, 271–72
expansions, 282–88
marital-happiness problems, 273–81
parenting decisions, xxiii–xxiv, 4, 61–62
economic approach to decision-making, xvii–xx
use of data, xx–xxiv
parenting decision tree, 160, 160–61
Parton, Dolly, 260
peanut allergies, 188–91, 190, 199
peanut timing, 188–91, 199–200
Pediatrics, 18
peeing, after childbirth, 45–46, 48
penile cancer, 11
penis sensitivity, and circumcision, 10
pertussis, 145–46
pertussis vaccine, 137, 145–46
phenylalanine, 12
phenylketonuria (PKU), 12
phimosis, 11
phonics, 264
phototherapy, 23–24, 25
physical milestones, 209–16
bottom line summary, 216
developmental milestones, 212, 212–14, 213
distributions, 210–11
early intervention, 209–10
illness, 214–16
motor delays, 210–12, 216
physical recovery from childbirth, 41–51
bottom line summary, 42
in the delivery room, 42–43
exercise and sex, 48–51
in the recovery room and beyond, 44–48
picky/fussy eaters, 197–98, 202
pooping, after childbirth, 45–46
Portable Pediatrician for Parents, The (Nathanson), 215
“positive parenting,” 261
postpartum anxiety, 52, 56
postpartum depression, 52–57, 58
breastfeeding and, 84–85, 105–6
diagnosis, 53, 54, 55
exercise for, 49
risk factors, 53
treatment, 55–56
postpartum psychosis, 52, 56
postpartum shortness of breath, 48
potty training, 208, 238–49
appropriate age to start, 238–43, 240, 242, 249
bottom line summary, 249
completion of, 242, 242, 249
duration of, 242, 242–43
“Elimination Communication” potty training, 244, 248–49
methods, 243–46, 258
problems and extensions, 246–48
premature birth
breastfeeding and, 93–94
delayed cord cutting, 26, 27
maternity leave and, 154
SIDS and, 78, 113, 117, 126
preschool, 259–60
types of, 264–68
preterm birth, 287, 288
“prior beliefs,” 141, 225
probiotics, 34, 39
PROBIT (Promotion of Breastfeeding Intervention Trial), 74–76, 79–80, 82–83
prodigious early reading, 263
prone sleeping position, 302–3n
pumping, 89, 106–9
pumping bras, 108
pumping wipes, 108
punishment. See toddler discipline
“quantity-quality” trade-off, 283
randomized controlled trials, 70–73, 189
breastfeeding, 35, 63, 74–76, 79–80
delayed cord cutting, 26
“rooming in,” 15–16
rashes, 75
reading, 259–60
bottom line summary, 268
learning to read, 263–64
in preschool, 267–68
to your child, 261–62
Reggio Emilia-inspired schools, 266
religious male circumcision, 6–7, 12
Rescorla, Leslie, 235–36
research methods, 70–73
Rhode Island
parental leave, 154
reading program, 260
rice cereal, 191, 192, 196, 203
rickets, 201–2
Rock ’n Play Sleeper, xiii, xx
rolling ability, 210, 212–13
Romanian orphanages, 174–75, 179
“rooming in,” 13–17, 27
benefits, 14–15
risks, 15, 16
room sharing, 112, 121–23, 126–27
same-sex couples, 277
schedules. See also sleep schedules
data collection, 35–37, 40
vaccinations, 146–47
school readiness, and Head Start, 167, 265, 268
screen time. See TV time
Sears, William, 173–74
Sesame Street, 217–18, 220–21, 226
sex
after childbirth, 50–51, 58
chore allocation and, 276, 277–78
sex stereotypes, 149, 153
sexually transmitted infections (STIs), 11, 25, 26
Shapiro, Finn, xiv–xv, 289
breastfeeding, 66, 79–80, 83, 107
discipline issues, 251
first few days, 8–9, 14, 21–22, 25, 43, 47, 50
language development, 229, 230–31
potty training, 245
preschool, 259–60
sleep considerations, 111, 112, 126–27, 128–29, 133, 173, 184–86
solid food introduction, 192, 193, 198, 201
TV viewing, 220, 221
Shapiro, Jesse, xiv, xviii, 159, 289
childbirth classes, 41
data collection, 36
first days of Finn’s life, 14
first days of Penelope’s life, 3, 6
internal politics, 273, 274, 279–80
potty training, 238
sleep considerations, 112, 128–29
TV access and test scores, 223–24
vaccinations, 143
Shapiro, Penelope, xvi, xviii, xix–xx, 274, 289
breastfeeding, 65–66, 88, 107
discipline, 250–51
first few days, xii, 3–4, 14, 17–18, 20, 23
first weeks at home, 28, 32–33, 35–36, 52
France vacation, 290–91
language development, 229
physical milestones, 209–10
sleep considerations, 111, 112, 126–27, 128–29, 133, 184–86
solid food introduction, 190, 191, 195, 201
vaccinations and crankiness, 143
shortness of breath, after childbirth, 48
sibling expansions. See expansions
sibling studies, 71–72, 73–74, 80, 82, 144
side sleeping, 116–17
SIDS. See sudden infant death syndrome
simethicone, 34
Singh, Prerna, 136–37
skin-to-skin contact, 8, 90–91
sleep, 111–34, 171–87
AAP guidelines, 111–12, 123, 124, 131
books about, 129–30, 172–73
bottom line summaries, 127, 134, 187
duration, 129–33, 131, 171–72
location. See sleep location
marital satisfaction and, 279
position. See sleep position
risks, 113–14
risks and making choices, 125–27
schedule. See sleep schedules
swaddled babies and, 30–31
training. See sleep training
sleep location. See also cribs
co-sleeping, 112, 114, 117–21
room sharing, 112
, 121–23
sharing sofa with adult, 123, 125
Sleep Medicine Reviews, 179
sleep patterns, 131–32
sleep position, 112
on the back, 112, 114–17
rolling over, 116–17
SIDS and, 112, 113–25
on stomach, 112, 114–16
sleep schedules, 128–34
age range, 130, 134
amount of sleep, 129–33, 131, 171–72
bottom line summary, 134
duration of sleep, 129–33, 131
wake-up times, 120, 133
sleep training, 171–87
appropriate age to start, 182–83
benefits, 177
bottom line summary, 187
consistency, 182, 184, 187
“crying it out,” 173–76, 177–81
efficacy, 175–76
philosophies, 172–75
which method and when, 175–76, 182–83
smartphone parenting, 131–32
smoking
breastfeeding and, 80, 100
SIDS and, 78, 119, 119, 125, 126
soda, 200
sofa sleeping deaths, 123, 125
solid food introduction, 188–203
AAP guidelines, 191–92
baby-led weaning, 193–94
bottom line summary, 203
flavor exposure, 195–96
“forbidden foods” list, 200–201
peanut timing, 188–91
picky/fussy eaters, 197–98, 202
timing, 191–94
waiting between foods, 192
what to eat, 194–98
“solve the tree,” 160–61
Solve Your Child’s Sleep Problems (Ferber), 129–30, 172, 173, 182
Somali immigrant community, measles outbreak, 136, 138
sore nipples, 89, 95–96, 102, 109
spanking, 256–57, 258
spina bifida, 212
spinal tap, 38, 40
Spock’s Baby and Child Care, 86–87, 98, 115
sponge baths, 8, 27
SpongeBob SquarePants, 225–26
Square One Television, 217
SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), 106
standing, 214
”stay-at-home dads,” 149
stomach sleep position, 112, 114–16
stool softeners, 45
stool toileting refusal, 241, 246–47, 249
“stress resistance,” and breastfeeding, 83–84
sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), 119–25
breastfeeding and, 77–79
causes of, 113
co-sleeping and, 112, 114, 117–21
cribs and, 117–18
death rates by behavior, 118–20, 119, 122, 126
risks and making choices, 125–27
room sharing and, 112, 121–23
sleep position and, 112, 113–25
swaddling and, 31
“surprise” births, 284, 285
swaddle blankets, 30
swaddling, 29–32, 39
benefits, 30–31
breaking the habit, xii–xv
cautions, 31–32
Sweden, 159–60, 276, 286
take-out, xviii, xix
tantrums, 250–51, 253
taste, 195–97
Teach Your Baby to Read, 263
Tennessee, reading program, 260
test scores
birth spacing and, 287
early motor delays and, 211
early reading and, 235, 237
parental education and, 235
parental work and, 152–53
reading to child and, 261
TV viewing and, 218, 222–24, 226
toddler discipline, 250–58
bottom line summary, 258
consistency in, 253–54
parenting approaches to, 252–56
rewards and punishments, 252–54
spanking, 256–57
toddlers, 207–68
education, 259–68
language development, 228–37
physical milestones, 209–16
potty training, 238–49
TV time, 217–27
tongue ties, 94–95
Triple P-Positive Parenting Program, 252
TV time, 217–27
AAP guidelines, 218
“Bayesian statistics,” 225–26
bottom line summary, 227
harm question, 221–24
learning from, 219–21
type 1 diabetes, 80, 300n
umbilical cord, delayed cord clamping, 25–26
undersupply, 89, 99–101, 100, 107
how to increase, 101–2
unplanned births, 284, 285
urinary tract infections (UTIs), 10, 38, 80
uterine (“fundal”) massage, 43
vaccinations, 135–47
background, 136–39
bottom line summary, 147
delayed schedules, 146–47
efficacy, 145–46
rates, 135, 136, 145–46
safety, 139–44
scientific consensus on, 136
vaginal birth, 5
average weight, 19, 19–20
peeing, 45–46
physical recovery from, 42–43, 45–46, 48, 49, 58
vaginal discharge, after childbirth, 48
vaginal dryness, 51
vaginal tearing, 42–43, 49, 50, 58
vegetables, 191, 195–97
vernix, 7
vitamin C deficiency, 202
vitamin D supplements, 201–3
vitamin K shots, 26
vitamin supplementation, 201–3
vocabulary development, 219–20
vocabulary size, 231–34, 232, 233, 234, 237
Wakefield, Andrew, 137–38, 144, 304n
wake-up times, 120, 133, 134
Waldorf schools, 266
walking, xvi, 209–10, 214
“wearable blankets,” 124, 127
weight loss
infant, 17–21
of mother, and breastfeeding, 84
weight monitoring, 17, 18, 20, 21
Weissbluth, Marc, Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, 129–30, 172–73, 182–83, 184, 185
wetting alarm potty training, 245, 248
work decision, 148–58
bottom line summary, 158
budgeting issues, 155–57
impacts of parental employment on child outcomes, 151–53
making a choice, 157–58
structuring the decision, 149–51
World Health Organization (WHO), 213
Wynken, Blynken, and Nod (Field), 111
Zimmerman, Frederick, 222–23
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Emily Oster is a professor of economics at Brown University and the author of Expecting Better: Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom is Wrong--and What You Really Need to Know. She was a speaker at the 2007 TED conference and her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and Esquire. Oster is married to economist Jesse Shapiro and is also the daughter of two economists. She has two children.
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