Our three year old is rough with our new baby. How can we stop him and protect her?

We need some ideas for handling our almost three year old Nicky and our new baby. He seems delighted with her, but he's so enthusiastic

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The Breath of Life

From the time we become parents, we do our best to protect our children . . .

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Hank Streitfeld, M.D., someone to remember

Sometimes we remember people because their names make a big public splash.  Others are remembered as much for their good work as by their names.  The work, like the ripples of a pebble, continues, even if the moment of first impact isn't registered.

Hank Streitfeld, M.D., died on April 26, 2011.  He was a beloved Berkeley Obstetrician/Gynecologist who pioneered ideas that many parents in the Bay Area and across the country now take for granted.  It’s hard to imagine that there was a time when prenatal education, nutritional counseling, and preparation for breastfeeding were not part of standard medical care for pregnant women.  Hank’s practice was one of the first to include classes for parents and extended visits with nurse practitioners as routine. When midwives were considered outside the norm of medical practice, Hank collaborated with them and provided back up. Since not every parent-to-be was in his practice, he shared his wisdom by writing a monthly column in Parents’ Press for many years--long before well written information about pregnancy was available to everyone online. Yes, there was a time before Berkeley Parents' Network didn't offer advice and recommendations.

I knew Hank Streitfeld as a colleague, a friend, and as the man who handed me my first born son after a very long labor.  Hank was sweet, funny, smart, a great doctor and a mensch. He will be missed.

Special Time: the best advice you'll ever get

If I had a magic wand for parents, it would be this: daily special time.

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Holiday greed--it’s just too much!

I used to enjoy getting ready for the holidays, but as our family has grown I feel as though the emphasis on gift giving is overwhelming me. We have three children . . .

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How can we make blood tests easier for our child?

Our three year old has a medical condition that will require him to have a number of visits to his doctor’s office and the hospital outpatient clinics. He has had, and will have, lots of procedures and exams and we are dreading it…

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How can we explain death to our child?

In the past year several people close to us have died. We have a three-year-old son who has started to ask us if we are going to die and whether he is going to die. We have tried to avoid burdening him with the problems of adult life…

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How can I help my child with her fear of going to the doctor?

We love our pediatrician, and we used to look forward to check-ups. That was until our last visit, which was a nightmare. We had had to make a sick visit a month earlier because Angela had a fever and we wanted to make sure…

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