Product Description

Throughout most of human existence, parents have cared for their babies hygienically without relying on diapers. In many cultures around the world, mothers still know how to understand and respond to their infant's elimination needs to keep them clean and content.

Bauer has written a unique parenting guide that shows contemporary mothers and fathers how to practically incorporate this knowledge into their daily nurturing, with or without diapers. This warm comprehensive book with over 45 photos clearly outlines the benefits, the practice, and solutions to potential challenges. The author interweaves personal experience with medical research, cross-cultural examples, extensive pratical how-to support, and parents' stories. Her empathic writing style brims with encouragement and insightful parenting support.

Practicing Natural Infant Hygiene fosters a close bond and communication, prevents conventional toilet training and diapering struggles, supports a healthy body image and early toilet mastery, saves money and the environment and offers another opportunity to respond fully to your baby's needs.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #613395 in Books
• Published on: 2001-04-01
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Review
"...bolstered by Bauer's exhaustive research... Success stories and detailed practical advice make it seem possible. An interesting read." -- Susan Spicer, Today's Parent, Pregnancy and Birth Special Edition, Fall 2001

"I highly recommend this warm enjoyable book, packed with information, examples and support to any pregnant woman or new mother" -- Teresa Pitman, co-author of "Pregancy and Birth: The Best Evidence"

From the Back Cover
"The true solution to the diaper dilemma. . . . Packed with information, examples, and support. A valuable addition to the library of any pregnant or new mother."
—Teresa Pitman, La Leche League International

About the Author
Ingrid Bauer writes and speaks regularly about parenting, health and natural living. Her work has appeared in magazines, newspapers, and other publications in the US, Canada, Australia and Europe.

Customer Reviews

Beautiful, intuitive, lovely book!
I can't recommend this book highly enough... any loving parent wanting to increase the communication between themselves and their child should buy this book. But be warned, you'll end up lending it out to all of your friends, so maybe you should buy two! :-)

Ingrid's own experiences helped encourage me to try this with our own son, with astounding success... our son is out of diapers, but more importantly we are continually communicating about his needs and providing response to his inborn instinct not to soil himself. This is a great gift for an expectant mom, as Natural Infant Hygiene is best approached with an infant, although older babies and their parents can adapt the principles. A treasured book on my parenting shelf.

Look before you decide
My wife and I bought this book, which was recommended to us by a friend who has successfully used Natural Infant Hygiene with their child. I finished reading it the other day, and my wife and I are talking about trying it.

Perhaps others have had different impressions after reading the book, but I think that only about 10-20% of the total text was actually helpful. The rest seemed more like marketing material. Over half the book is more focused on why you should practice Natural Infant Hygiene rather than how to actually do so.

I'm not sure I would buy it again.

Bauer's a little wacky
But this is nevertheless a worthwhile read. Bauer is definitely the crunchiest of the three authors of early-potty-training/elimination communicating books. Boucke has more cross-cultural information. While I have not yet read Sonna, it looks like she has the most historical/research based information.

Bauer spends a lot of time describing ways to increase the bond between mother (parent, caregiver . . .) and baby, including, obviously, natural infant hygiene/elimination communication, but also including baby wearing next to the skin and, in general, lots of skin to skin contact. She is, in her own quirky way, an inspiring mother.