Winnie, I have been following the Dr. Karp's book thread. I do not see any  
post that shows an inability to disagree respectfully.  Disagreement is  
possible.  Those of us who disagree with Dr. Karp have not been rude or  
disrespectful.  Just the fact that we do not agree with him does not show a  lack of 
respect for him. We may even agree with part of his theories (even  though they 
are not really his) we just a disagree with part of the  direction he took the 
concept.  I do not consider what he creates to  be a reflex.   He can promote 
it as such and he can have many experts  agree with him.  I still have the 
right to disagree and say so.  To do  so on Lactnet requires I do not personally 
attack him or show disrespect for him  as a person.  It does not require I tip 
toe around my disagreement.   You are right too...we have been there done that 
and for anyone who wants to  know what was said back when, just go to the 
archives and read. 
 
I have great respect for lactation professionals on this list and I do not  
think they have to blindly follow a method because some have decided they found 
 a new human reflex we did not know existed.  To question is to gain  und
erstanding.  To disagree is to create dialogue that furthers  understanding, even 
if it does not lead to acceptance.  I appreciate Dr.  Karp's response though 
it is very similar to the responses he provided in the  past when the method of 
swaddling was questioned.  I do not consider his  self defense any more 
polite or respectful than Nikki's questioning.  I  have not found Nikki to be 
anything but respectful over the years and  I certainly do not see her questions 
about this new method of parenting to be  disrespectful.  Dr. Karp has a new 
book out.  The title is Baby  Bliss.  He is not promoting his method only to the 
few parents who have a  very colicky baby who will not settle with more 
natural methods of soothing. He  is promoting his method to parents in general.  
This is his right as an  author and marketing for profit is going to be more 
likely geared towards all  parents than a few parents.  If only the truly colicky 
baby's parents were  being targeted, the title would say so, but the profit 
margin would be  less.  

I am an American pure capitalist so I respect his right  to make a profit. I 
even respect that he truly believes that this is a great  thing for babies and 
parents. I just also think the jury is still out and we are  comparing apples 
to carrots because we are not comparing the calm baby in a  natural skin to 
skin state to the 'calm' baby swaddled.  We are comparing  the screaming baby 
to the quiet baby.  No question parents and experts  alike will prefer the 
quiet baby.  I am not sure we have the means or the  understanding of the newborn 
to really be sure that we are looking at a happy  content quiet baby who has 
had a 'reflex turned on'.  What we see is the  outcome and based on our 
cultural bias for baby to be quiet and down, we like  what we see.
 
I have a very long response to Dr. Karp in my waiting box, and when I feel  I 
have covered my concerns completely I will post it or maybe others will do  
such a fine job I won't bother.   It won't be anything different from my  
concerns a few years ago.  Just as he has not changed his response to the  concerns 
raised.  People who believe babies need freedom of movement of  hands to face 
and the ability to wake early for a feeding cue will simply  continue to 
disagree.  Dr. Karp knows the opinions of those who have them,  but the opinions 
is not of concern to him because he does not see it as  valid.  What he sees is 
a baby who was screaming has stopped.  The  outcome justifies the means.  
This is the general state of medicine for  mothers and babies is it not?  And 
like other things, better safe than  sorry, right?  After all, he really is 
right.  Screaming babies stress  out mothers and are a cause of abuse we need to 
prevent at all costs. I can't  argue with that at all. I agree that in 
comparison to a baby abused I prefer a  baby swaddled arms down, pacifier in place and 
sleeping quietly for hours.   Absolutely.  It's all in perspective isn't it?
 
Take care,
Pam MazzellaDiBosco, IBCLC, RLC who is certainly not a doctor and not an  
expert in infant psychology, but is a mother of seven children which is about  
half of the babies used in the swaddling study and sleep arousal, and close to  
the same number of the babies in each group.
 
 

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