Rating: 
Summary: The Guilt Trip Book
Review: I started reading The Baby Book a couple of months before my son was born, and convinced myself that I was going to be the "perfect" attachment-parenting mother. I was going to breastfeed, carry my baby constantly, respond to his cries before they became REAL cries and sleep with him for as long as he wanted.The book convinced me that anyone who didn't do all of the above either wasn't a very good parent or wasn't trying hard enough. When my baby was born, reality hit. We started our lives together with an emergency C-section delivery (and painful recovery). Next, the baby refused to nurse (and lost 20% of his birth weight in four days because I wouldn't give in and feed him formula). Then, my husband and I realized that neither of us could sleep for fear of squashing the baby in our bed, nor could we realistically respond to every grimmace and cry and expect to actually accomplish anything--such as eating, peeing or sleeping--let alone cooking or vacuuming or heaven forbid, going back to work. I eventually won the struggle over breastfeeding, but not without going through a lot of guilty feelings that if he never latched on, it would ruin his life and our bond. This book contains a wealth of basic information about baby's basic needs. Unfortunately, it's mixed in with a lot of preaching about how only attachment style parents can have a good bond with their kids. If the attachment style doesn't fit your lifestyle, this book will only leave you feeling like a failure as a parent.
Rating: 
Summary: Make this your "baby bible"
Review: This is an extremely helpful book. I owned several other parenting books (which have since been given away), but have used this as my "baby bible." My son is a high-needs child, and had we attempted to schedule him as some other books recommend, I think he would have been very unhappy -- as it is, he is a wonderful, independent, and cheerful toddler today. Highly recommended for all parents!
Rating: 
Summary: Love most of it
Review: Our baby (first one) is 3 months old and I've found the Sears' book very helpful (I also really appreciated the advice in the Birth Book and the Pregancy Book). We are mostly using the attachment style of parenting and it's working well for us. Our daughter was quite fussy and needy during her second month but she seems to have grown out of that phase and is now a pleasure most of the time. We are loving parenthood. My one complaint about the book is the advice that if breastfeeding hurts then you are doing something wrong. I LOVE breastfeeding my baby - it is one of the most satisfying parts of motherhood for me BUT it was not easy at first. I had plenty of milk from the start and my baby eats very well, but for the first 3-4 weeks my nipples were VERY sore. I felt as if I was doing something wrong and spent many anxious hours consulting with friends, our pediatrician and even a lactation consultant -they all agreed that latch on was fine and that we were doing things just right - my nipples just needed to be toughened. I have since learned that many women have problems with sore nipples at the start even if they are doing things just right. I would have felt better had I known that this was normal. Otherwise, great book so far!
Rating:
Summary: A great resource with a great parenting philosophy
Review: Not only is this a great medical resource, but it details a parenting philosophy dominant in the world throughout history, but nearly eliminated in the USA over the last century. It requires more sacrifice than the new American way, but few great things in life are achieved without a great deal of sacrifice. If you are looking for a parenthood of "convenience", then this is probably not the book for you.
Rating:
Summary: Great Read for All Parents of Babies and Toddlers!
Review: I highly recommend this book to all who are or will be parenting babies and small children. Even for those who won't agree with everything the Sears say, it is still beneficial to have this information, and be introduced to gentle, attentive parenting. For those who agree whole-heartedly with the Sears, this book will help empower them to stand firm against those who insist that babies should be treated more harshly, while their instincts go against it. The portrayal of breastfeeding as simply a way to feed and comfort a baby, is refreshing considering the typical "crunchy" better-than-everyone-else rep that breastfeeding often gets, while not hinting any negativity to those who are unable to nurse. Great info for parents who really want to do all they can to raise their children up as healthily as they are able. NOT for parents who view their children as human pets.
Rating: 
Summary: Not for everyone, certainly not me.
Review: The reviews of this book were so good, as a first-time mother I was quite interested in reading Sears ideas on parenting. When I started reading, I was actually a bit put-off by his incredibly bias opinions on matters such as circumsion and breast-feeding. Without coming out and directly saying it, it seems pretty clear that he does not believe in circumsion. And breast-feeding is a personal choice, and he makes it clear that you're not doing all for your baby if you don't breast-feed.
As far as this "attachment" philosophy goes, it may work from some, but certainly not for many others. His idea of having a child sleep in a "family bed" for 2-3 years seems not quite right to me. Where are the parent's time alone? He even suggests that when the child is an infant, parents can still be intimate with the child right there because the infant is not aware of what is going on anyway!! It seems this whole attachment theory is based on letting the new infant rule the house and the parents, with parents giving up any sort of independence and adult life! His idea of always holding a baby till they fall fast asleep instead of allowing the baby to fall asleep on their own seems a bit far-fetched to me.
The book does have some interesting factual information about birth and delivery, and how the baby will grow and change. I can take a few ideas to heart, like the co-sleeping, though I'd use a co-sleeper and only for the first several months. Perhaps if Sears was not so strong in his opinions, and allowed parents SOME remainder of control over their child, this book wouldn't have been quite as irritating to me. It all depends on you you choose to raise your child, and I believe parents should use more of their natural instinct (since all babies are different!) then relying on a strong-opinioned doctor's theory on "attachment".
Rating:
Summary: Great book for READERS.....
Review: I am a reader so the length of the book was fine for me. If you are looking for a quick reference guide, however, this isn't for you.
This book is in true Sears' form....lots of useful information but they certainly have their own ways of thinking about things. I recommend this book to any first time mother to be or first time mother. Just remember, as with anything else you read, this is a guide and you should take what you find useful and leave the rest behing. 4 stars!
Rating:
Summary: Not a very rewarding parenting philosophy
Review: This book claims to be a reference guide for babies. Indeed, it does include some useful general information about babies. However, it promotes the attachment parenting philosophy without informing parents that there are other available parenting philosophies. I personally don't agree with the attachment parenting philosophy. Can you really have a rewarding relationship with any person who is constantly attached to you? Whether it be your baby, toddler, or even your spouse? Children need to be given their space and I need my space as a mother. That's my main reasoning for not constantly carrying my children in a sling and letting them sleep in my bed. I like to reserve bedtime activities to just my spouse and I. I have a very well-adjusted 2 1/2 year old who loves me unimaginably and also is very happy to play on his own sometimes, be left with a babysitter or at the gym daycare, and sleeps in his own room with no frustration. This is because he's been granted independence and has found its rewards. But he also knows that I'll ALWAYS come back and give him a big hug. So he can have fun while I'm gone and also when I come back. He gets the necessary amount of sleepat night and during the day and is very happy and able to learn throughout the day. He is able to fall asleep in his own bed or in a different bed or a port-a-crib at grandma's, in a hotel, wherever, with limited assistance from me. What a skill for a little person to develop! I also have a 2 month old daughter who started sleeping through the night (6-8 hours uninterrupted) at 7 weeks. She also sleeps by herself in her crib, bassinet, at grandma's house, wherever also. It's so wonderful for me to be rested and refreshed in the morning. I'm much more ready to take care of my two children than had I been up with them all night or banished to a tiny corner of my own bed for fear of waking or squishing the children sleeping in my bed. And what's more, they both take their afternoon nap at the same time so I can read, rest, clean, whatever. For a real reference guide that is more complete and gives all sides of the story, I recommend the "What to Expect" series. For a book that clearly advocates a moderate and very rewarding parenting philosophy, I recommend the "Babywise" series. This book was a life-saver for me. I got it when my first was 2 months old and wished I had it from the start. I did use it from the start with my second and things have been SO much easier with her!
Rating:
Summary: A great reference!
Review: I love all the Dr. Sears books (The Birth Book is my favorite). The Baby book is a wonderful reference to have on hand (much better than the What to Expect When You're Expecting books). My only problem with The Baby book is the section on circumcision, which has outdated info. Smegma doesn't cause infections (circumcised males and women produce it, too) and circumcision is not needed to treat phimosis (effective creams and alternative surgical treatments are available). His website has accurate info (my favorite parenting site)He also glosses over the risks of vaccines, which are significant. I practiced so-called "Attachment Parenting" before I even knew what it was. I just followed my instincts and we have 2 happy, healthy, independent children. That's why I like the Dr. Sears books: they give you great info and advise you to follow your instincts.
Rating:
Summary: The Best Book I Have Read On Parenting
Review: This book helps guide parents past cultural taboos relating to child rearing. Dr. Sears encourages parents to follow their instincts and look to their baby's needs in a way that is more sensitive and family-centered than most popular parenting books. The concepts he presents make a lot of sense because he provides facts and examples to reinforce them. I highly recommend this book because I believe it has helped our family bond in a way I doubt would have been possible otherwise.
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