jews d
in
the
‘Baby
Whisperer’
Batya Sherizen helps
babies, and parents,
fi nd restful sleep.
ROCHEL BURSTYN
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
ABOVE:
Batya Sherizen helps
babies find sleep.
A
ny parent knows that “sleeping like a
baby” is not a restful sleep, particularly
for the parents.
By the time the twin sons of Stephanie S. of
Bingham Farms were 20 months old, bedtime
was a nightmare. They woke up at least six
times per night and Stephanie was constantly
cranky and exhausted. But these days, bedtime
is a breeze — Stephanie puts the boys to bed,
closes the door and is done for the night. She
credits a local “baby whisperer,” Batya Sherizen,
for her sound advice getting her through that
tricky time.
Sherizen, 33, of Southfield, didn’t always know
about sleep. When her oldest son, Azriel, was
born in Israel in 2006, Sherizen was dismayed to
find all her whimsical mothering dreams shatter
quickly; her son screamed all day and all night.
“I was not coping,” said Sherizen, who didn’t
grow up with a lot of babies around. Far from
her own family and with no support in place,
Sherizen began researching the subject of sleep.
“I found that a lot of these books address
pointed sleep issues, but I went further, learn-
ing about circadian rhythms, child psychology,
parent-child trust, everything … and eventually
found a way to put Azriel to sleep without com-
promising my parenting beliefs and leaving him
to scream for hours on end,” Sherizen said.
Thrilled and proud, she shared her success
with local friends and neighbors and soon
people began asking her for advice for their own
bedtime issues. Sherizen was happy to help, but
within a few months discovered she was spend-
ing more time giving sleep advice than on her
actual paying job.
With support from her husband, Moshe,
she quit her job in 2007, promptly launched
her business, Batya the Baby Coach, and has
been busy with it ever since. In 2014, the family
moved to Southfield.
Sherizen received further firsthand experience
with putting babies to sleep with the births of
her subsequent children, Shevy, now 9, Rochel
Leah, now 7, Chananya, now 5, and Kayla, now
2.
Sherizen gives an initial free phone consul-
tation before moving forward with treatment
plans that involves figuring out the particular
child’s innate rhythm and re-evaluating the
child’s entire sleeping routine in a 24-hour cycle.
Sherizen’s success rate is high and most issues
take her, on average, three weeks to solve, unless
it’s a particularly tough case.
Sherizen Skypes with desperate, sleep-
deprived parents from countries all over the
world, most commonly parents of babies ages 6
months to 2 years who are not sleeping through
the night.
“They’re exhausted … they have no energy,
no time for themselves or their spouses. They’re
just not functioning,” said Sherizen, who is
grateful she can truly help them.
According to Stephanie, the difference was
miraculous and life-changing.
“I used to spend half my day trying to put my
twins to sleep,” she said. “Now, I don’t dread bed-
time anymore … and I can enjoy my life and my
kids.” •
To contact Batya, go to Batyathebabycoach.com.
Ask Dr. Vieder
Is it true that you should drink eight glasses of water every day for optimal health?
Most of us don’t drink enough water every day and there are plenty of benefi ts to making sure you are well-hydrated. Eight glasses of water a
day is the right amount for some people, but depending on your weight and age, you may need more. The medical research center at the Mayo
Clinic devised a formula to help you to come up with your own optimal daily water consumption amount: divide your weight by 2.2. Multiply
that number by your age. Finally, divide that sum by 28.3. For example, if you weigh 170 pound and are 50 years old, you should consume 136
ounces of water each day which equals 17 eight ounce cups. This may seem like a lot of water, but remember that coffee, juice, and the water in
fruits and vegetables also count towards this amount. Coffee does not cause dehydration, but drinking alcohol will dehydrate your body.
How do I know if I’m not drinking enough water every day?
The easiest way to know if you are properly hydrated is to look at your urine. If it’s clear or a pale-yellow color, then you are properly hydrated.
Dry skin is another sign of dehydration. If your mouth is dry, you aren’t hydrated enough to keep the mucus membranes in your mouth lubricated
and your body is likely not producing enough saliva. Bloodshot eyes are another clue. Over consumption of alcohol can cause bloodshot eyes,
because alcohol dehydrates you. If your joints are aching, that could be a sign of dehydration. Your cartilage and spinal discs are about 80% water
so by staying hydrated, you are keeping your joints lubricated. If you aren’t well-hydrated, you may feel fatigued and lethargic. When your body is
dehydrated it “borrows” water from your blood causing you to feel fatigued. If you aren’t drinking enough water, you may also feel constipated
or have frequent heartburn or indigestion.
What is the ideal amount of water to drink when exercising?
It’s benefi cial to get your body properly hydrated before you start exercising.
Try to consume 17 to 20 ounces of water two to three hours before you start and another eight ounces about a half
hour before exercising. If you are engaging in strenuous exercise to the point where you are sweating, drink an extra 12
ounces of water for every thirty minutes of exercise. Some people can’t handle a stomach full of liquid if they are exercising
strenuously, and if that’s the case, then adjust these numbers down a bit until you fi nd the consumption level that works
for you. Finally, drink another eight ounces within a half hour after you are fi nished. Again, this can be adjusted up or
down based on your age and weight, how strenuously you are exercising and if you are exercising in hot and humid
conditions.
For more health information, visit the Ask Dr. Vieder page at LakesUrgentCare.com
Dr. Sanford Vieder, DO, FACOEP, Medical Director at Lakes Urgent Care, West Bloomfi eld / Livonia
jn
August 3 • 2017
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