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Topic Archive: pediatrician

July 8, 2010

Robert W. Sears, MD

Pediatrician and Vaccine Specialist

Robert W. Sears, MD, is a father of three, board-certified in Pediatrics, and a co-author in the Sears Parenting Library. “Dr. Bob”, as he likes to be called by his little patients, earned his medical degree at Georgetown University School of Medicine in 1995. He did his pediatric internship and residency at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, finishing in 1998. Dr. Bob is the proud father of three active boys, Andrew, age 15, Alex, age 12, and Joshua age 6. He and his wife, Cheryl, reside in Dana Point, CA. In his spare time Dr. Bob enjoys surfing the California waves, mountain biking, playing bass guitar with his teenage son guitarist, and trying to keep up with his three children.

Robert W. Sears, MD  = Episode #76 – Dr. Sears and Vaccines

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April 20, 2009

And the claws come out…

It’s amazing to me how, whenever a new study or story about parenting methods come out, claws inevitably come out. It doesn’t matter if the topic is breastfeeding, pacifiers, TV, stay-at-home vs. working moms, co-sleeping, or cry it out.

Case in point: a new study apparently showing an increase in sleep related accidental suffocation in infants. OMG co-sleeping with your baby will kill your baby! And of course the claws come out on both sides, with accusations flying, and name-calling from both sides.

Um, no. Not necessarily, not if you do it right.

There are risks to co-sleeping, to be sure, but those risks can be minimized, and really, there are always risks in life. Babies die in cribs too, or have people forgotten?

I thought, before I got pregnant with Kyle, that being a mother was a special club. Once I got pregnant, and started reading up on things, I began to realize that mothers are quicker than anybody else to tear another mother down. Yes, I sleep with my kid in my bed. I have since he was four days old, and he’s still alive, and kicking (a lot), and he is perfectly fine. I plan on co-sleeping with this second one too, though there will have to be adjustments, such as getting rid of my heavy blanket, and excess pillows, and putting the bed up against the wall, hopefully. To me, the benefits of co-sleeping outweigh the risks. If that’s different for another mom, that’s fine, whatever floats her boat.

But, really, I guess it is a wonder to me how mothers, who are theoretically supposed to be so supportive to one another, can be so mean sometimes.

Science changes, opinions change, parenting advice from “officials” change. Some of what Kyle’s pediatrician tells me 100% contradicts what my mother has told me to do. So, I go with my gut. I mean, I’m alive, so my mother must’ve done something right when I was a kid. But at the same time, it’s my turn now, and I can only do what I feel is right, and not what other people think I SHOULD do.

New moms have enough on their plate already. I hope that every new mom, beginning from the time of their pregnancy, can find a supportive group of people in which they feel comfortable with, both in sharing ideas, and in giving and receiving advice.

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February 4, 2009

Dr. Harvey Karp’s Happiest Baby on the Block

happiest-baby_dr_karpDr. Harvey Karp is a nationally renowned pediatrician and child development specialist. He is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the UCLA School of Medicine. Over the past 30 years, he has taught thousands of parents 4 ancient principles, The Missing “4th Trimester”, The “Calming” Reflex, The 5 “S’s” (Swaddling, Side/stomach position, Shushing Sounds, Swinging, Sucking), and The Cuddle Cure, that are crucially important for anyone who wants to understand babies and be skillful at comforting them and improving their sleep.

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Episode 123 | January 13, 2009

Dr. Harvey Karp: Making it Through the 4th Trimester

What is the 4th Trimester? What are the 5 S’s to keep your newborn happy? Why is your newborn fussing and what can you do to make him/her happy? Plus, replicating the womb, how to properly swaddle, importance of white noise, thumb sucking vs. pacifier and tips to create a healthy environment for your newborn. Also, how do you help well-meaning family members understand you’re not “spoiling” your baby? PregTASTIC hosts world-renowned pediatrician Dr. Harvey Karp.

 
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Episode 108 | September 1, 2008

“First Series” show 3 of 3: First Weeks After Birth

What warrants your worry and what doesn’t during those first weeks with your newborn? Caring for the umbilical cord stump, whites of the eyes and jaundice and a tip for diaper duty. How often should your baby dirty his/her diaper? What can you do to lessen the chance of SIDS? What is colic, and the rule of twos? What should factor in when choosing a formula? Is organic really better? Pediatrician, Dr. William Hitchcock is this week’s guest. Plus, your chance to win another BabyHawk baby carrier.

 
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Episode 76 | December 5, 2007

Dr. Sears and Vaccines

To fully vaccinate, selectively vaccinate or none at all? What is vaccine overload? Should you opt for the flu shot while pregnant? How to find a vaccine compatible pediatrician. PregTASTIC talks vaccines with Dr. Robert Sears, author of The Vaccine Book.

 
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Episode 24 | November 6, 2006

Questions To Ask A Pediatrician

What are the “must ask” questions when interviewing pediatricians? When will your baby meet her/his doctor? Dr. Mike Patrick from pediascribe.com joins us to discuss pediatrician concerns, background checks, immunizations, circumcision and more. Plus a special announcement about a new podcast that will focus on breastfeeding and babies.

 
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