So how’d a pediatrician like me end up writing three books and being on national TV? I ponder that myself every once in a while! As we put the finishing touches on the seventh edition of Baby 411, it makes me look back on the past fourteen years. Boy, time flies. I was perfectly content with life as I knew it prior to June 2002. I had a great pediatric practice with the nicest families I could ever dream of. And I found child advocacy for my local and state medical societies to be very rewarding. Then I had a conversation that changed my life. Alan and Denise Fields were long-time friends and bestselling authors of Baby Bargains. Based on our collective experiences, we came to the following conclusion: despite the surplus of parenting books, today’s parents needed help. The Information Age led parents to more questions than answers.

The Fields were experts in writing books but did not go to medical school (maybe a wise decision!). I could answer all the questions, but I didn’t have the time (or so I thought) or the skill (I learned along the way) to write a book.

But I had a passion to educate parents—just like I did in my office every day. “Write a couple chapters and send them to us,” said my friends. So I did. “We like it,” said my friends/future co-author/editors/publishers. “Give us 15 chapters by Thanksgiving.” “But that’s a chapter a week!” I protested. “Yep. Welcome to the book business.” Jotting down ideas between seeing patients, pulling an all-nighter to write the sleep chapter, and missing a few bedtime stories with my own kids . . . Baby 411 was born. Toddler 411 and Expecting 411 followed to complete the trilogy. Since the first edition was published, many aspects of pediatric healthcare have changed: New recommendations to prevent SIDS . . . new studies shedding light on colic . . . completely new recommendations on feeding babies solid foods. And that’s just to name a few. It’s no wonder parents are confused about what to do! It’s sad but true: any parenting book written before 2015 is already outdated. So, in retrospect, writing the first edition of Baby 411 was the easy part. Revising the book to keep up with the pace of medicine has been the challenge. (Note to self: next time, write a book on a topic that doesn’t change but every ten years.) Life as an author, speaker, and full-time paediatrician is a bit chaotic at times, but it has taken my mission of child advocacy to a larger stage. And I wouldn’t change a thing. Well, more sleep would be nice. The wonderful notes from our readers keep me energized. Keep ‘em coming—we love hearing from you! I owe many thanks to the Fields for believing in me and in this project.

My biggest thanks go to my husband, Mark, for walking down this road with me. I never could have done it without you. I also thank my sister and brothers for their grassroots marketing efforts, giving books to everyone they know, and approaching random pregnant women in Costco parking lots across the country. (I swear I had nothing to do with this idea.) To my patients and their parents. You are my inspiration. Thank you for sharing your experiences to help other families. You teach me everyday! I thank the citizens of Austin and the Austin medical community for their extraordinary encouragement. I am so proud to call you my friends, neighbors, and colleagues. I vow to Keep Austin Weird. Other special folks, friends, and spiritual advisors include: the stellar communications department of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Texas Pediatric Society, and the staff at Parents Magazine. And finally, I dedicate this book to Andy and Julia. I love you so much and am so very proud to be your mom