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Summary: DESIGNED FOR FIRST-TIME PARENT(S)
Review: William and Martha Sears did a very good job here. This book is handy; and very easy to understand. It takes parents through the infancy of their child. However, its biggest undoing is that the information it provided are so basic and elementary that anyone with previous childcare experience can comfortably do without it. Thus, if you have a fair knowledge of child-nursing, it will be more rewarding to leave this book and invest on a moderately advanced one.
The audience of this book are inexperienced couples who are expecting (or just had) their first baby. If you fall into this group, don't hesitate to grab it. There are chances that every tutorial you need are in it. But be aware, this book has not been updated since 1993!
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Summary: Excellent, the best out there, buy for any pregnant friend!
Review: Listen moms, if you read ANY negatives to this book it's from people who probably shouldn't have kids in the first place. People who don't want to be 'bothered' with real mothering-nursing their babies for that first year (at least) or spending time with their youngsters. If you are going to be the type of parent who let's someone else raise your child and you want to risk your childs health by feeding them artificial food made from man (and not God) then this book might not be for you. This book is for parents who want to parent. Pure and simple.
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Summary: Good parents listen to parents who KNOW how to do it!
Review: One word about this book-loving. A loving, natural way to raise a baby. No giving of artificial baby food, no leaving the baby all the time to be raised by others, no letting them cry because it will 'make them independent' (as some bad authors of baby books have said). This is common sense parenting from 2 people who not only have the medical facts down pat but have raised 4 healthy, loving children who are now doctors. Obviously, they know what they are talking about, the proof is in how their children turned out. (unlike Baby-unwise or Baby Whisperer)
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Summary: ' LOVE this book - best single purchase for a new parent
Review: I can't say enough about this book! It is easy reading (I've gone though chapters at a time) but comprehensive enough to make it the single best purchase (bookwise) so far. The Sears' extensive experience with their many children & pediatric practice really shows. I love this book so much, I am purchasing a copy for another friend who is expecting twins, and will be a first-time parent also, like me. Most importantly, I have read through, and agree with their parenting philosophy, that babies should be closely attended to, not left alone to "cry it out", and I think it is working wonderfully for our baby so far. Highly recommended
Rating: 
Summary: Returned it!
Review: I've heard a lot about this book and bought it eagerly. While the medical advice may be sound (I don't know enough to tell), the parenting advice and tone was so judgemental and annoying that I sent it right back. They advocate that parents should sleep with the baby (and consider not buying a crib), insist on going through labor in a warm tub and demand that the baby stay in-room at the hospital--all to develop an attachment with the child. These techniques may have worked well for them, and other parents, but the tone of "do this or fail at parenting" I found preachy and none too useful.
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Summary: A method is a method is attachment parenting...
Review: I decided to write a review of this book because I have just visited again the friend who gave it to me. She is crazy about the book and gives it to every pregnant friend she has. My friend and her husband are both large, but her 19-month-old daughter is so underweight (20 pounds) that she resembles an orphan in Delhi. My friend says, "At least I know she's getting all the nutrition she needs, because she's breastfeeding." In fact, her daughter still breastfeeds several times a night and probably doesn't eat enough solids during the day. The child also becomes a bit hysterical when she is not within a few feet of Mommy.
This shows the problem of going crazy about this parenting method. Children do not come with instructions and there are no manuals. This book tries to be one, and too many people accept it as such because it's very comforting to think, "I know what to do because Dr.Sears said it." If you are a new parent or mom-to-be, my advice would be to use your own instincts and not a "method". A great book that answers real, relevant questions without preaching any set way is "What to Expect the First Year". That is mainly what I wanted to say, but if you'd like to read more, I can tell you one reason why I didn't like the book from the very first time I read it:
You have to wonder why William Sears wrote the book and not his wife. The monster burden of the parenting style Sears advocates is placed on the mother, and yet the book is written by a man. Martha doesn't have time to write books, but her husband does, even though he is also a doctor and has eight children. Alarm bells started to ring in my head. Men have been child-rearing "experts" on paper for a long time, but men spend less time in the trenches, so to speak. Sears apparently lets his wife do 99.9% of the baby work, and then pretends to be an expert. Typical.
I had a few other reservations about the book upon first reading it, but I won't get into them. I'll just say that our 6-month-old son is a fabulous little guy. And we haven't used any "method" but our own.
Rating: 
Summary: great guide
Review: This book is a great parenting GUIDE. I stress the word GUIDE because while no book contains all the right answers, this one will help parents to make wise decisions regarding the nurturing of their babies. This book is not for those who feel bothered by sleeping with baby, carrying baby along, etc. I suggest other mainstream books to them which offer ways to let their infants cry themselves to sleep and to resist "spoiling" them for fear they may want to be carried around even after they've started school. Overall, THE BABY BOOK has good, sound advice for parents who really want to take the time to nurture a happy baby.
Rating: 
Summary: don't always follow the mainstream
Review: This book is like what every parenting magazine or pamplet will tell you. You might want to check this book instead... (at least be aware of other options) "Primal Mothering in a Modern World" by Hygeia Halfmoon 0965353346
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Summary: We used this book more than any other!
Review: This book helped make our first 2 years as new parents a joy. Responding to our daughter's cues and practicing attachment parenting helped our baby grow into a confident toddler. The book contains a wide range of information ranging from sleep, nursing, eating solid foods and social skills. We have passed the book onto friends who are now enjoying it with their newborn. We highly recommend it!
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Summary: Disappointed
Review: I was excited to get some insightful and practical information about rearing a child in the early years. I have so far been disappointed by this book. I think it has high expectations on motherhood and their solutions where neither practical, nor very insightful. The author calls on his wife's experience a lot and I didn't feel that her experiences were typical.
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