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Summary: Thank You Dr. Sears!
Review: I read this book from cover to cover while I was pregnant, and so did my husband. I am so grateful for such a complete guide to baby care! Being first time parents, we really wanted to have some idea of what to do when we brought our baby home and all the advice he gave made perfect sense to us. Our baby is now 9 months old and I still refer to it. I love this book.
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Summary: An invaluable resource
Review: As the mother of a one-year-old boy, I have most of the standard baby books in my library - Spock, Brazelton, What to Expect the First Year, etc. It has been my experience that the two books that are the most useful out of the standard works on the subject are The Baby Book, and What to Expect the First Year. Both of those books will answer, in depth, just about every question you may have from time to time. Also, both of the books are beautifully organized and indexed, making them very user-friendly. I found that many of the other books either didn't give as much detailed information, or weren't organized as well, making information difficult to locate.If you are trying to decide what general baby books to buy, you might consider getting both The Baby Book and What to Expect the First Year. Although there will be a good deal of repetition between the two, there are some issues on which the authors take very different positions. I have found it is helpful to read both points of view in order to make a truly informed decision. For example, the authors of The Baby Book are proponents of attachment parenting, a method of childrearing that embraces co-sleeping (parents and children sharing the same bed), long-term breastfeeding (i.e. for several years), babywearing (wearing the infant in a sling during the day rather than letting the child lay unattended in a crib)and other similar philosophies. What to Expect the First Year espouses a more traditional approach to childrearing (for example, the authors oppose co-sleeping). Even if you do not buy into the entire attachment parenting package (although I sleep with my baby and still breastfeed him, I thought the degree to which the authors push "babywearing" was a bit unreasonable), this book is still a very useful, valuable resource. Whenever I have any baby-related question (for example, what is a baby's "normal" temperature, when should I start solid foods and what should I feed him, when and how should I introduce the cup, is his physical and verbal development normal, what are the signs of concussion after a bump on the head, etc.) I always consult The Baby Book immediately. Even though I disagree with a few of the authors' philosophies about childrearing, the other information included in the book is well-organized, thorough, and in keeping with what other experts say. Unless the thought of attachment parenting really offends you (and if this is the case, you might find Bill and Martha Sears' profiles of themselves as the perfect parents rather hard to swallow), this book should certainly be part of your baby library. The Baby Book has comprehensive chapters on feeding issues (from breastfeeding to bottlefeeding to making your own baby food to dealing with toddler feeding), illnesses and injuries (including how to deal with choking and CPR emergencies), colic, sleep issues, your baby's expected month-to-month social, verbal, mental and physical development, and many other important subjects. The book also has several very useful charts, such as a feeding chart and an infant development chart, that present information in a very organized and concise fashion and make comparisons between age groups easy to absorb. To be fair, even though the authors espouse attachment parenting, they at least take a stab at not being too critical of parents who don't choose to breastfeed or sleep with their babies, and present information on other alternatives (hence the chapter on bottlefeeding, for example). And this book presents such a valuable wealth of information I wouldn't let the whole attachment parenting thing put you off. In fact, if you keep an open mind, you might find that much of what they say about attachment parenting makes good sense. Again, I would get both this book and What to Expect the First Year in order to provide some more balanced perspective regarding childrearing philosophies: you can't go wrong with either work.
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Summary: The Absolute Best Baby Book
Review: This book is like having a pediatrician, best friend, therapist and favorite aunt & uncle living in your home! Every imaginable question gets answered; every feeling is respected. This book contains an easy to use index and the layout makes it user-friendly, even for middle of the night emergencies. It does not present rigid step-by-step instructions. This is a book about relationship! Martha and Bill Sears attribute their knowledge to the parents of their little patients, giving readers confidence in their own instincts. How many times have my husband and I said, "Let's see what Bill and Martha think." Buy no other baby resource book.
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Summary: Best Baby Book Ever
Review: As the mother of three and a Lactation Consultant and Child Development specialist, I find The Baby Book to be the finest child care book ever written. Dr. and Mrs. Sears (the parents of eight) take into account the feelings and developmental needs of the infant with their advice. Unlike many child care book, concerned with the "convienece" of the parents, The Baby book puts the baby first, yet still takes into account the needs of the parents. Parenting is the hardest job one will every do, there are no short cuts, and no easy solutions. Yet respect for the child and an awareness of how treatment of an infant will impact the grown child and society as a whole are of imminent importance. The Sears' understand this.
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Summary: parents of the world unite
Review: Reader ambivalence is glaringly obvious. Instead of fighting with each other, why don't we question the policies of our workplaces and governments that preclude parental leave that is adequate in time and pay? If these are in fact the babies' biological needs, then why should we struggle to force ourselves and our families to fit the workplace agenda? Other countries have generous leave policies. Why can't we? I'm going to try wearing my baby to work. I don't care what anyone else thinks; I'm a mammal and I'm going to breastfeed. Breastfeeding is more than food, which is why baby-wearing is important. But I'm lucky: I'm a tenured professor, so no one can fire me. And I absolutely have to work. I'm going to be my baby's only parent. I wish I had a book about how a working woman actually manages to do this--even if it's a fiction book. For the most part, I enjoyed reading the Sears' book. I bought the book because it dealt sensibly with circumcision, breastfeeding, baby-wearing, etc. But I had two major problems with the book: 1) The vaccine section. I really don't know the issue well, and I was surprised by the absence of guidance. I'm still searching for relevant books/websites on the issue. 2) the lack of citations. How many of you "attachment parents" out there know that the Sears' did not coin the term "attachment"? Attachment theory was developed by John Bowlby, a British Psychoanalyst. His three main books (Attachment, Separation, and Loss) caused a revolution in developmental and later social/personality psychology in how we come to understand human development, relationship functioning, and individual adaptation. But I haven't noticed that the Sears' credit Bowlby or point readers to the abundant research on attachment. (Maybe he did in the earlier books, I don't know.) (Robert Karen's book "Becoming Attached" is a good starting point.) There is abundant research support for the idea that responsive parenting leads to securely attached infants, but "responsive parenting" is not necessarily defined as breastfeeding/babywearing/co-sleeping/etc. (These components ought to be called "primate parenting" not "attachment parenting".) Actually, children will form an attachment with whomever their primary caregivers are during the first 6 months to a year--regardless of how they are treated. Even abused children become "attached" (insecurely) to their caregivers. So the use of "attachment parenting" is an oversimplification. More to the point, anything that enables parents to be more sensitive and responsive to their children's needs is helpful for ensuring a secure, healthy parent-child attachment. Due to working conditions, this sometimes means daycare and bottlefeeding, which are all some parents can do if they happen to work in a baby-hostile environment. When in an environment that is not baby-hostile, practices involving co-sleeping, breastfeeding, infant massage, quick responses to crying, etc., are some of the easiest ways to foster parent-child syncronicity--they enable parents to be more in tune with their babies. Regardless of how infant security is achieved, babies who are feeling secure are a lot easier to parent. It's too bad that this society doesn't support anyone who takes care of and/or educates children. Even baby doctors get paid less than doctors who treat adults. For a "family values" society, we sure have a lot to learn. But that doesn't mean we should go around attacking each other. I'm sure we all love our babies. Surely we can try to help each other and support each other in our efforts to be sensitive parents. Let's lay the blame where it belongs. Or maybe let's quite laying blame altogether, and start changing our lousy parenting leave policies. Raising consciousness about the problem is a good first step. Obviously the current system isn't working. Start protesting. Just start breastfeeding or slinging or whatever as you see fit or are able, if that makes you comfortable. And whatever parenting method you end up using, just tell me people who question it (as if it's any of their business) that you have looked at both sides of the issue and decided that your approach is going to enable YOU to be the most sensitive parent you can be! P.S. I love this Amazon service. While I was typing out my note, a reviewer who talked about vaccines in her review replied to my emailed request to her in search of information about the issue. Bravo/brava!
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Summary: The Baby Book:Everything you need to know...
Review: The book has all the answers! I referred to it endlessly during those first few months of uncertainty for new parents. I still use it at least weekly as a reference to re-affirm my beliefs in attachment parenting and to research my childs development and ways to enhance her learning and health. I buy this book for all my new-mom friends showers too!
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Summary: Thought it would be good too
Review: but now during my second pregnancy, I like it even less than with my first. We are a co sleeping family as well and don't use cry it out, but I found this book really one parent's, who happens to be a dr, opinion. And don't get me started on his little private, by observation, studies he does(my ped has done as many anecdotal studies and could say the exact opposite of his "findings"). I'm probably going to either return it to the original place I got it many many months ago or I am going to auction it and hope I get enough for a salad buffet or something. For those who want a pediatrician's medical advice and would like to leave the parenting up to themselves I recommend the big AAP book(up to 5 yrs) for practical answers. Oh and don't let dad's read this. Dr. Sears imo really diminishes, like many ap movements, the importance of dad and because he is a bumbling idiot when it comes to parenting his own children doesn't mean other dads are. Some, in fact many dad's if given the chance, are just as nurturing, loving, and capable as moms and I get the feeling Dr Sears thinks mom's are superior in caregiving which isn't true for many families where partners are truly equal.
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Summary: WONDERFUL BOOK
Review: THIS BOOK HAS HELPED WITH EVERYTHING FROM USING MY SLING TO BREASTFEEDING TO ILLNESSES. A MUST HAVE FOR PARENTS.
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Summary: Very useful reference guide for new parents
Review: I frequently referred to this book during the first year of my baby's life, and continue to find myself turning to it occasionally as she approaches two. The information on breastfeeding was invaluable to me, as well as information on "wearing" your baby. Using a baby sling was something I was not familiar with but it truly was a lifesaver for my husband and I as it soothed our fussy baby when nothing else seemed to work. I reccomend this book, especially to first time parents, as it covers information on everything from giving your newborn a bath to teething, playing with your baby as she or he reaches new developmental stages to illnesses. Keep this one within arms reach those first few months to give you support and ideas as you develop your own style of parenting your baby.
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Summary: I thought this book would be wonderful....
Review: but I ended up throwing it away in frustration. Nothing in this book seemed to work and my baby constantly seemed out of sorts and fussy. Finally, at the advice of my pediatrician, I put him on a flexible schedule of eating and sleeping and playtime and he is thriving. He sleeps through the night, eats well and is a happy, easy-going child. My little one is so interested in everything around him that he would never sleep unless I had trained him to (as outlined in tne American Academy of Pediatric Caring for your Child from Birth to Five years.) I'm not sure how you can raise a child without ever letting him cry a little or ever putting him down. Yes, at certain times of the day, I did carry him (I used a Baby Bjorn rather than a sling)and that really soothed him, but I don't think it is necessary to always carry him. Maybe this works for some families, but our family needed a little structure for the good of the whole family.
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