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Summary: The Easy Method of Parenting
Review: "Don't worry about it," is the prevailing wisdom of this book. Extremely reassuring, but a bit condenscending, I found this book to offer a pat on the back when I really wanted more thoughtful, researched answers. This book is the bible of childrearing for those who don't like to read, don't have time to read, or just want to make it through the first year as easily as possible. I do not even recommend it as a quick reference book since the format is question and answer, divided up by month, so, without subject headings, it is difficult to access. Do yourself and your baby a favor by reading some more complete and up-to-date authors such as William Sears and Burton White.
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Summary: Go to Dr. Sears!
Review: I used "What to Expect When You're Expecting" while pregnant, so I thought it a natural step to buy this book. I tossed it aside in frustration. Its advice is fine if you have a machine for a baby, but for the rest of us...I was so glad to discover Dr. Sears' series of books. These are the books people need for advice on raising people.
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Summary: Too much bad info
Review: It's too bad that this series is so popular, because it just serves to reinforce a lot of worn-out myths about parenting, particularly about sleep habits and "crying it out". Further, some of the breastfeeding info is just plain wrong. Please don't let this book be your only source of information. Sears' _The Baby Book_ would provide some balance on sleep habits; Huggins' _Nursing Mother's Companion_ gives *accurate* breastfeeding info.
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Summary: It's not only a book... It's a bible for easy parenting
Review: When I was pregnant I had under my pillow the book "What to expect when you're expecting". When I found out that there was a similar book about parenting and what to expect the first year of my precious child, I was thrilled. I ordered the book and begun reading it even before my delivery. It helped me a lot to prepare myself on big issues conserning how to raise my child - breastfeeding, bottle feeding, attitude problems, colic etc- and on trivial ones. Now my son Christos is almost three months old and I have this book always on hand. There isn't any question on my mind that I can't find an answer in this book. The essential in this book is that is written in simple terms, is down to earth and most important is written in an non hystercal way, something very helpfull for a first time mother with no help from anyone - mother, mother in law etc - like myself. That's why I say with no hesitation that it's not only a book. IT's A BIBLE !!!
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Summary: Yuck!!!
Review: Ok book for some basic information. Condones "cry it out", which goes against all mothering instincts. Not enough empasis on how important breastfeeding is
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Summary: A great reference book, but only YOU know your child best
Review: I was a real doofus when I became a mom at age 38. I didn't know how to change a diaper, give my daughter a bath, or select a wardrobe for her. This book is a great "how to do it" primer for folks like me. HOWEVER, other reviewers echo my thoughts about some of the philosophies contained here. The authors buy into some of the most harmful mindsets of the American culture, such as "children in this country are expected to become independent sooner than in Third World countries." And letting a child cry it out at such a young age probably does more psychological harm than good in the long run. (It's interesting that so many of the "sleep experts" out there didn't use the "cry it out" method on their own kids. Hmmm) So the bottom line is: use what's worth using in this book, but trust your own gut feelings as a parent. Moms have raised kids since the beginning of time without experts. I'd also read Dr. William Sears' work to balance the perspective from this one. Best of luck to all parents out there
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Summary: full of lousy information while posing otherwise
Review: Does the typical presentation of breastfeeding as a lifestylechoice and formula feeding as 'just as good'. Ick. It fails topresent any of the very real information on the health risks of not breastfeeding, and does very little to reassure mothers who may be a little hesitant about breastfeeding in public. Pump to go to church?! If you believe in God, why shouldnt' you believe that God made breasts to nourish babies?
The sleep information is a rehash of the tired Ferber, cry it out theme which runs counter to almost every mother's instincts of what her child needs. The authors seem to think that mothers dont' have any intuition or ability to follow their heart when nurturing their babies. Read "the Baby Book" by William and Martha Sears- a much better reference and more compassionate to our next generation.
The only thing good about it is the breastfeeding preeemies information, and that it isn't as bad as Baby(un)wise.
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Summary: The best book for new mother or a mother for the 10th time!
Review: I loved this book! I received it as a gift when I was pregnantwith my 2nd child. When ever I thought there was something wrongwith my baby or I needed some kind of back up advice I would justlook in the book and there would be my answer. It's wonderfulto feel content and calm about making the right decisionswhen it comes to your newborn. I am now pregnant with my 3rd child and looking forward to "what to expect when you're expecting. Thank you!Tracey Gridle
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Summary: There are much better books out there!
Review: I bought this book as a resource for my first child. Although it has some useful information, it is very "middle of the road" and I felt it didn't go in depth enough with research and information I felt to be important. One *huge* area that is lacking is the breastfeeding information. They do not adequately explain the differences between breastfeeding and formula, and recommend weaning a child at 9mo. The AAP recomments nursing for *at least* a year, and the WHO (World Health Organization) recommends at least 2 years. In WTE, the authors indicate that if you don't wean by 9mo, a child will almost assuredly not wean at all or until much much later. This simply is inaccurate at best. Throughtout the book, the book is obviously biased towards a "doctor knows all" point of view. I suppose it's a good book for anyone who would like to know what the average doctor would tell her to do, but it's not a good book for anyone who likes to have a little more information and make her OWN informed choices. No one is perfect, and doctors certainly don't have *all* the information that makes them experts on childrearing in general. This book to me seemed like doctor propaganda.Although there is definitely some good info in there, I feel that the biases (especially with regard to nursing) outweight the good that is in this book. I'd save your money on this one and look into other books for specific areas you are interested-- a nursing book for nursing, a child development book for child development, a medical guide for medical issues.
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Summary: Poor organization & dated material
Review: This book, unfortunately, is not the same quality as "What to Expect when You're Expecting". The information is okay but it has not been thoroughly updated. (Example: the current breastfeeding recommendation is 12 months, but the book says 6 months.) Moreover, it uses the month-by-month organization that the previous "What to Expect" book did. The month-by-month organization does not work when following baby's development. There is too much variability. For example, some babies will start crawling by the 4th or 5th month. Mine was almost 8 months old before she started. Example #2: Solids are covered in the 4th month chapter, however, you can start as late as 6 months. As a result, I had to consult several chapters to get all the information on a particular subject (sleeping problems, for example). Then I had to mark the pages so I could find it again later. Sometimes I could not find what I was looking for until after a lengthy search. (Let's see, would that be in the 2nd month or the 4th? Hmmm...not here...which chapter could it be?) It wasn't long before I looked for a new baby book. I've found "The Baby Book" by Sears & Sears to be excellent. The information is well-organized, quite current, and quite thorough. It is organized more by subject than by month, but it still has a list of suggested milestones for each month. There's also plenty of suggestions and real-life examples as experienced by the Sears and by their patients. I use it all the time and I haven't gone back to the "What to Expect the First Year" book even once!
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