Exciting Work — BabyShrink’s Updates

Whew, I’ve been busy! Make sure to check me out all month on ParentsConnect.com, the Nick Jr parenting blog. You know, “We’re not perfect, we’re parents.” We had an awesome connection over my “Good Enough” parenting posts, and it’s exciting to interact with so many of their families. It was all made possible by the more »

Cool New Gigs

Is it possible that BabyShrink is approaching it’s THIRD birthday? This site was launched with much anxiety on my part — and also, great hopes and dreams. Sort of like having a REAL baby. Come to think of it, there are lots of similarities between writing a parenting column and having a baby — the more »

Dr. Heather in Parents Magazine, August Issue

Thanks to Parents Magazine and Sharlene Johnson for giving me the opportunity to be the “Q and A” expert on a topic we’re all familiar with…The Dawdling Toddler. Pick up a copy anywhere magazines are sold, and let us know YOUR suggestions for getting your toddler out the door in the morning. Aloha, Dr. Heather more »

Pregnant with Baby #4 (and I Just Turned 41)

Dear Readers, This post isn’t an emailed question from one of you. It’s from me, your BabyShrink. I can finally come out with the news I’ve wanted to tell you for 18 weeks now: I’m pregnant! This has come as somewhat of a surprise to us, although a very welcome one. Many of you recall more »

Baby’s Sudden Fear of the Bath — Another Hot Topic

One of the FAQs here at BabyShrink is about your toddler’s sudden, inexplicable fear of the bath. Readers Noelle and Dana recently joined in the chorus of parents who are mystified about the radical change in their baby’s bath-time routine. I’ve had plenty of first-hand experience with baby’s bath fears, and I know it can more »

My Most Popular Post

There’s no way I could do a one-year retrospective without starting with DadGoneMad’s Danny Evans. Danny and his Hot Wife have been there for me from the beginning stages of BabyShrink, and have been endlessly supportive, inspirational and encouraging. When I was freaking out about my lack of technical abilities, Danny calmed me down. “You’re more »

A New Post for a New Year

Those of you who follow me here at BabyShrink haven’t had much to follow lately. The economic crisis has hit my “day job” pretty hard, so like the rest of you, our family is struggling to come to terms with some tough new realities. The end result is — fewer posts. But that doesn’t mean more »

MORE on Poop-Smearing: A Complicated Case

“What,” you may ask, “is the most popular ‘lurkers’ topic at BabyShrink?” Is there a common theme that brings the most readers to this site? Yes, there is. Every day, I check my WordPress “Stats” to see what parents have been reading on BabyShrink. I think it’s hilarious that each and every day I get more »

Is “Attachment Parenting” Bad for the Child?

Dear Dr. Heather, Does breastfeeding past 2 years of age encourage dependency? I know a child who is still breastfeeding and has become very whiny and attached to her mother. The mother is making no effort to wean the child. Is this type of emotional attachment healthy for the child? She still wakes up to more »

How To Handle Masturbation in Young Children

Dear BabyShrink, Lately I have been getting very concerned by my 3-year-old daughter’s annoying habit. She lays on the sofa and puts her hands between her legs and does this kind of “bop pushing action”. She sometimes uses objects like her blanky or teddy bear to help her bop between her legs. It doesn’t seem more »

The “Good-Enough Mother”: Are Breasts Required?

Dear BabyShrink, I fully intended on breastfeeding my first baby. But after trying hard for six weeks, we had to give up. We had 3 lactation specialists, moms, friends, and my doctor helping. But my baby was not gaining weight and crying all the time. I just never made more than a half-ounce of milk more »

The “Birth Plan”: What NOT to Expect

There is a strain of pregnancy propaganda out there that sets new moms up for failure. It says that unless you “achieve” some particular kind of delivery perfection, well, then…you haven’t quite made the cut, as a Mom. And that makes me angry. It’s in all the standard pregnancy books. Something along the lines of, more »

Babies and Sleep: Keeping Us Guessing

Dear BabyShrink, My 8-month-old Lehua is going through a real burst right now, and among other things has just figured out how to get herself up to a sitting position. This is great, but it’s really messing with her naps. Previously, she would fuss for 5 or 10 minutes, and then fall asleep. But now, more »

The Big Kid Bed? NOT!!!

Dear Dr. Heather, When should we switch B to a regular kid bed? She’s 2 1/2 and still in her crib, but hasn’t shown ANY sign of not liking it, or trying to get out. It’s a hassle to lift her in and out, but at least she’s not up and about at all hours more »

…And Potty Training?…AS IF!!!

Dear BabyShrink, What is your take on potty training? Just GO FOR IT, or let the child initiate it all? I have heard (or read) everything from “start at 3 months old,”; to “you can do it in ONE (or three) day(s),”; to “they’ll get it when they are developmentally ready.” We are in the more »

Shhh…I Let My Kids Watch TV!

Hi Dr. Heather! I got your link from Dad Gone Mad, and love your site! I think it’s wonderful to have someone sort of “official”; to converse with, as opposed to other moms who are, like me, just guessing at solutions! My husband and I have a 2 1/2 year old girl, who is basically more »

Baby Binky Battles

Dear BabyShrink, My two-year-old will not cope without his pacifier. He keeps it in his mouth at all times. I am afraid it is delaying his speech as he has quite a few words, but most of the time tries to talk with the button in his face. I have always hated it when I more »

Stefanie Wilder-Taylor: The BabyShrink Interview

At BabyShrink, we are inclined to believe Stefanie Wilder-Taylor is the long, lost lovechild of Erma Bombeck and Carol Burnett. How else to explain Stefanie’s sharp wit, stunning honesty and widespread public appeal? She is the author of two hilarious books: Sippy Cups are Not for Chardonnay: And Other Things I Had to Learn as more »

The BabyShrink Interview: Danny Evans

I’m thrilled to bring you my interview with Danny Evans (better known to the world by his super-hot blog, Dad Gone Mad), my good friend of 15 years. Since 2003, Dad Gone Mad has offered a colorful glimpse into bona fide, in-the-trenches fatherhood. With sharp wit and a healthy sense of self-deprecation, Danny plods through more »

Welcome to BabyShrink

I’m Dr. Heather. I’m a mom and a psychologist. I specialize in the development of babies, toddlers, and parents. I am a “BabyShrink”. I created this site to give parents a place where they can better understand the minds of their babies and toddlers. See, babies do weird things. Toddlers do, too. And sometimes that more »

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