The debate and furor that has arisen from the first episode of Bringing Up Baby was exactly what the programme producers (Silver River) and the commissioners (channel 4)want. They have both very comprehensively sought advice regarding the parenting methods and all the programmes' content was cleared by a concultant paediatritian. There are many people, both lay and professional that think leaving a baby to cry is not damaging. It's obviously very painful for many people to watch what they consider abuse, but it is clear that this parenting practice goes on in many households in this country in varying forms. The answer is not to censor these programmes, as channel 4 is merely holding a mirror up to society and reflecting what it sees in our normal lives. If your problem is with channel 4, then don't watch the programme. If your problem is with the Truby King method of child rearing, then keep debating. As this is the only way we start to see change.
I found it too distressing to watch the programme just as I can no longer watch programmes on wild animals htat need to kill each other to survive. I think our sensibilities change - not only with age as we come to cherish and value life more - but also as a culture we are learning more about how we function and relate and our capacity for empathy increases.
However, I do believe that Channel 4 is inviting us to witness abusive practice and that this should be exposed. This is not about animal instinct and killing to survive, but about ignorance when the information is at hand. So there are 2 things that need actioning. 1) exposing the abuse which is why we are challenging channel 4 and 2) having the debate.
Well it would appear that Silver River and C4 have sought advice from a consultant paediatrician who is not upto date on the studies that prove damage is caused to an infants developing brain by using child rearing practices such as the Truby King method. There is enough research evidence out there by various specialists to deter 'in the know' parents from resorting to such barbaric methods.
A recent Harvard study shows that children who are left to cry themselves to sleep suffer long-lasting damage to their nervous system. As a result, they are more susceptible to post traumatic stress and anxiety disorders, including panic attacks. Responding to your baby’s cues when he cries does not spoil a child and it does not mean he will never sleep soundly on his own. In fact, a child who is comforted and nurtured will become more independent and healthy sleepers later because they know they have a dependable support system waiting for them when they wake up. Dr. Sears, world-renowned pediatrician, has done many studies on this. I would highly recommend reading about Dr. Sears and Attachment Parenting philosophy. Mothers will find it is much closer to what their natural instincts tell them.
"Parents should recognize that having their babies cry unnecessarily harms the baby permanently. It changes the nervous system so they're sensitive to future trauma." - Dr. Michael Commons, Dept of Psychiatry, Harvard
Even Dr Ferber of the "Cry it Out" method has revised his famous work on sleep training in light of the new evidence.
C4 ought to withdraw this programme with immediate effect citing the medical reasons why, advising viewing parents not to use the Truby King method or similar. Claire Verity and Silver River should publicly apologise to the parents involved - they just may be paying out litigation damages in future should the parents of kids involved suffer negatively in the way specialists describe.
the 70's method of being in a sling sounds ok , the 60's do what you want doesnt sound like its bad the 50's may not be my choice , however do you know many 50 year olds about , who are mental due to it , tis a method used on lots of babys and you lot complain about it being shown on two
if it was a bad method , then c4 could put a warning after teh end of the show , its filmed and done now , it isnt teh babys whole life , and there isnt anything you can do
I went to see a consultant paedetrician when my son was only 3 months old (we had developed thrush, I didnt know this my GP didn't know it, I eventually self-diagnosed by readng the very excellent kellymom.com website which is the most comprehensive bf website I have ever seen) and he just did NOT know anything about bf, to the extent that he looked at my son, he looked into his mouth (only after I said I thought it was thrush), he didn't see any sign of thrush and then came to the conclusion that "it could or could not be thrush" and told me to go home it was nothing.
Thankfully he didn't suggest formula feeding when I said my son had not bf for more than 24 hours. This was a top guy at a top London hospital. I read kellymom.com, did exactly as it suggested, expressed milk and syringe fed my son for a week before he was well enough to suckle again.
In fact the paed. nearly died of shock when I said I was excl. bf 3 month old son. I never realised why he was so shocked until it finally clicked EXCLUSIVELY BF BABIES ARE A RARE SIGHT IN A PAEDIACTIC SURGERY : )
Ok this was one paedetrician, but what I am trying to say is that the LAST person on earth I would go and see re. a bf issue is a paedetrician, whether a male or female one. The most knowledgable people re. one of the most crucial PUBLIC HEALTH issues in this country (breastfeeding) are the wonderful women who volunteer for LLL, NCT, BFN, etc. If you have a bf question, go to them, not a GP or a paedetrician, unless you are very lucky and find a female paed. who has excl, bf her own babies and has personal experience that may be some use to you.
To cut a long story short, I do not think that talking to ONE paedetrician to create a programme on raising babies/children is very useful. It most certainly isn't scientific.
