Taking care of babies and raising children can be very trying, but a Filipino parenting expert says "raising" mothers and fathers on proper parenting can be equally challenging.

Dr. Susan Echiverri, part of a panel of seasoned experts at the Pampers Parenting Institute-Philippines (PPI), said that there are still many parenting practices worlwide that have to be improved.

"In the Philippines, there are still many 'haka-haka' or misconceptions about taking care of children, especially in terms of treating their ailments," she said.

Echiverri, a genetics-specialist physician based in Chicago, Illinois, identified several unnecessary practices like the "bigkis," a practice of binding the baby with linen allegedly to prevent colic or "kabag" (gas pains); having babies treated by a faith healer when they contract diseases attributed to witchcraft; and, letting babies undergo "hilot" or a tradition of healing through massage without first consulting a doctor.

"Yung mga 'hilot,' I think na okay para sa bata. Masarap yun para sa baby, naku, they love that! But patingnan man lang [yung baby] bago pumunta sa taga-hilot kasi lalo na 'yong mga less than one year old, susceptible yan sa infection," she said.

"Another major problem I've noticed worldwide is that many fathers are sometimes afraid to take care of their children. I've always advised that the father should have a very active role because it's good for bonding with the child and it gives some free time to the mother," she added.

Echiverri said the participation of both parents is important because it helps build a sense of trust and security.

Practice makes perfect

A mother of three kids, Echiverri said she has found reading about parenting tips very helpful in raising her kids, all of whom are now college-age. "Nagbasa ako about music and singing or talking to them all the time. I made sure they have time out with their father and making my husband learn how to bathe them," she said.

In addition, all the Echiverri children were all breastfed and were not pressured to make leaps in toilet training. "They all have wonderful teeth because they were not fed from the bottle. Wala rin kaming pressure sa toilet training so they did not grow up angry children."

"Now, they're very close to their dad. They are all very musical. They are all critical thinkers, and they're very close to me. They seek my advice and we have a great relationship. And they don't even watch TV," she said proudly.

Echiverri frowned upon frequent TV exposure to children because its "rapid-fire" visuals tend to confuse babies or toddlers at a time when their brain response is in its early stages. "They have to learn watching real life, and they also have to be physical while learning. Dapat hindi lang sila nakaupo," she said.

Baby know-how

Although there has been an explosion of blogs and child-care websites on the internet, and more parents around the world are becoming aware about the do's and dont's of parenting, Echiverri said a majority do not have access to this wealth of information.

"I was going through the web, ang daming blogs on baby care, and that's wonderful. Pero yung segment ng population natin na hindi computer-savvy, naiiwan ng kaunti. Kaya I hope na yung mga rural departments of health will reach out to these mothers at the grassroots level," she said.

She said many parents miss out on valuable tips on how children develop at certain ages, how diapers help babies in their development (it keeps babies' nether regions dry so they don't wake up cranky), and other information on the value of breastfeeding and toilet training.

In response to the problem, she said, PPI-Philippines has come up with a nationwide information drive for mothers, fathers, and everyone involved in taking care of a baby. PPI is set to conduct a series of seminars on childcare and parenting at several hospitals around the country. They will also distribute helpful pamphlets to mothers in maternity wards, especially at hospitals where birthing rates are high.

The Pampers Parenting Institute is an international network of experts dedicated to understanding babies and all aspects of their development. It is currently present in countries like the United States, United Kingdom, Romania, and the Philippines.

Other PPI Philippines experts include Dr. Nellie Kaw, a pediatrician based in the US; retired Col. Estelita Galutira, head of the Mothers and Child Nurses Association of the Philippines (MCNAP); as well as MCNAP member Balbina Borneo.

For more information, visit the Pampers Parenting Institute-Philippines website at www.pampers.com.ph.

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