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Summary: the best baby book in my book shelf
Review: I know little about babies or kids. Never spent much time around them. All I can say is that this is the first book (of many in my bookshelf) that I turn to.I do not agree with everything Dr. Sears proposes. For example, I would never dream of giving up my 20 year career (yes, i'm one of those 40+ year old first time moms). Taken as a whole, the attachment parenting thing works very well for us (Mom, Dad, and baby). Especially since I'm not with my son during the day, the baby-wearing, breastfeeding, and co-sleeping intuitively 'feels' like the right parenting style (for me).
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Summary: Must have for any new parent even if you don't breastfeed!
Review: Dr. Sears and his wife Martha write wonderful books! I previously bought their Pregnancy book and just loved the content and the ease of reading so I purchased this one on a recommendation. The information is priceless - particularly the idea of learning to understand what your baby is trying to tell you. Also wonderful is the chapter on sleeping - I immediately used this chapter with much success. Full of relevant personal experience and suggestions. Keep in mind that Dr. and Martha Sears are VERY into breastfeeding and since I am not, I just skip through these chapters even though they very subtly try to convince you that you are a bad parent if you don't breastfeed....Regardless, a must have for new parents library.
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Summary: They mean it when they say "everything you need to know!"
Review: This book really covers everything about babies. It's been an excellent resource for me. It covers everything from the first day you bring baby home, to teething and feeding, etc. The only thing to be aware of is that Dr. Sears has a lot of strong views on parenting that might not appeal to everyone. Things like having your baby sleep in bed with you aren't always accepted with open arms in today's society. But I have to say that his methods really worked for me and my son.
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Summary: This CAN be done with twins
Review: I read the review of the man who said that attachment parenting couldn't be done with twins. I definitely disagree. I have twin babies and a two-year old. I would be a basket case without attachment parenting. My twins were also very early and spent some time in the NICU. They learned bottlefeeding in the hospital and I taught them to breastfeed when they got home. It was a lot of work in the beginning, but I think it is easier than bottlefeeding now. Also, I really feel that becuase I am breastfeeding them, wearing them (I take turns) and sharing sleep, that they are more calm and cry less. One of my twins was a very "nervous" baby because of his prematurity and had difficulty settling down. The sling is the only thing that works to calm him. Sleeping with him has also helped a great deal. They sleep much better in in the bed with me. I think the real key is to do what works for your family and not assume that what works or doesn't work for you will be the same for others.
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Summary: Best baby book out there!!
Review: I read this book, along with about 5 of the most popular baby books after my first child. This one was the only one that discussed a comprehensive approach to parenting. While attachment parenting may not be for everyone, it worked wonders for me and my child. It was definitely the parenting style that seemed most natural for me. I think the key is to read and discover what works for you and your child. This book, however, goes beyond attachment parenting and also serves as a wonderful medical resource. It has saved me many times and always seems to have at least some info on what I am looking for. Other books seem more limited.
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Summary: How about busy moms?
Review: I didn't find this book realistic at all. Mothers (and fathers) that have to try to manage work and raising children will get frustrated when reading this book. When I read this book, it seemed that I never did anything right and parenting was not for our family (since our income is less them K70,000). The upside is that despite my obviously being terrible mom (according to this book), my sons develop and behave great and I am often asked for parenting advice by friends. After this book, I've read the "What to Expect During the First Year" and I must say it provides lot more realistic view of raising children. The bottom line is: whatever you do, check more than one source for your information, make sure your source is trustworthy (like it or not, but scientific-research-backed opinions have little more weight), and most imprtantly DO WHAT YOU BELIEVE IS RIGHT (and what you can handle).
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Summary: My Favorite Baby Book
Review: I owned 7 or 8 baby books when my first child was born and there were at least two very memorable instances in which this book covered a significant topic of concern that was not even touched by any of my other books. (One was intermittent breathing patterns of newborns - very disturbing to parents of an otherwise extremely healthy newborn.) For this reason alone it is worth having on one's bookshelf. Initially, I was surprised to read the negative reviews on this site about the book -- especially since I personally found the book to be the best Baby Book I owned. EVERY book and EVERY author has some "angle" -- and Sears happens to have the attachment-parenting angle. As a professional woman so accustomed to hearing everyone being so "tough" and somehow molding their baby into a perfect schedule, the book's point of view was very welcome to me. However, I did not hang on every word of every story -- I just found that much of the advice was helpful, especially in contrast to some of the other advice I had been receiving. No one should put all of their eggs into one basket (or live by the letter of just one book) -- every child is different and what works for one may not work for the next. There are plenty of Baby Books out there, and this one is one of the better ones in my opinion. I would buy it again in a heartbeat.
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Summary: The Wisdom of Compassionate Parenting
Review: I found Dr. Sears' book only after the birth of my fourth child, and I dearly regret that I was not able to benefit from it for babies 1, 2 and 3! Start by asking yourself, if you were all alone in the world, in a place where you couldn't speak or understand the language, couldn't even feed yourself, or figure out how to use the toilets, what would help you most? Would it be best to be shifted all day long from cold box to cold box (crib, to stroller, to high chair, to playpen, etc.) in a remote room all by yourself, where literally, no one can hear you scream? Or would you prefer, as Dr. Sears recommends, to be loved, and held, and cuddled and carried, in constant contact with the only two people on earth who know you and care about you best? We Americans are obsessed with the idea of independence, and believe our babies should be free and on their own as soon as possible: Free of the breast, free of our beds, and free of our care -- off onto the bottle, into a crib in a sequestered nursery, and off to day care to spend all day with people who don't really love them. And guess what? As a result, our children are the only ones to suffer severe feeding problems, sleep problems, and separation anxiety! Doctor Sears' method of baby care is compassionate, intuitive, and loving. It brings us back to the notion that parents exist to serve the needs of infants, and not the other way around! He provides support for breastfeeding mothers, baby wearing by all members of the family, co-sleeping, and a wealth of other realistic, loving advice. He provides a wealth of information about physical and psychological development of children, and of parents, too! But while his focus is child-centered, it does not suggest enslaving yourself to your baby (though that naturally happens anyway -- but that's a whole other issue!), and provides abundant support for parents meeting their own needs to be healthy, well-adjusted people. This book compares VERY favorably with the thick volume put out by the American Academy of Pediatrics, which shockingly full of an enormous amount of misinformation (possibly because the members of the academy aren't in the trenches of childcare, their wives and housekeepers are!). I have found only one error in the book: When discussing breastfeeding failure (which is heartbreaking, but does happen), they suggest that bustier women are likelier to suffer difficulty. This is true, but mostly because physicians and lactation specialists don't know what successfully nursing busty women know: You don't nurse your baby across your front, but instead in a football hold along your side, resting on a great big pillow! (Trust me, it's been eight years and counting . . .) BUY THIS BOOK, and enjoy your baby!
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Summary: A great book on the how tos of attachment parenting
Review: Recent research has shown attachment parenting to be best for the healthy emotional development of a child. However, most books do not explain how to attachment parent. This books spells it out in easy to understand and follow steps. As the mother of a high needs child I have found all of the suggestions to be life savers. I wore my child until he was 6 months old, I've breastfed since day one and we have a family bed. All these things have made my son a lot easier to deal with.
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Summary: Mom and Dad's Bible
Review: My wife and I were recommended this book from our birthing class teacher in NYC before the birth of our 1st baby. We already owned a couple of other books like this but found this one to be the only one we read. Every question we had was answered in plain english and answered completely. Now we have two children and we continue to refer to the Sears's excellent proffesional knowledge. We give the book to our friends who are 1st time parents as gifts because it is such a great resource and a good book can relieve a lot of stress when dealing with a sick baby. Worth every penny!
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