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Summary: I love this book!!!
Review: I think this book is wonderful and every parent need one in their home. Dr. Cohen 's pediatric philosophy is so straight forward and i like that he is giving his personal view. This book is like a dictionary and when my now 2 month old son was 5 weeks old i was reading in the book how Michel got his children to sleep all night and i took the advice and my son almost sleeps thru the night now, he wakes up one time but will soon sleep thru the night, he loves his bed and i never have any problems to just lay him down in his bed and let him fall asleep by him self without crying. With my 5 year old i had allot of crying when it was bedtime. Dr Cohen is also my childrens pediatrician and he is a wonderful doctor and my 5 year old just loves to go to him. I can strongly recommend this book.
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Summary: Just a dictionary
Review: I'm not quite sure of the purpose of this book. Most of the entries are a paragraph long and simply define the word. For example, under Flu it tells you all about what the flu is but nothing about what to do for your baby. Huh? Even the developmental milestones are a paragraph for each 3 months span of age which hardly tells you much. On a side note I find calling all little boys Jimmy and little girls Lucy annoying and WASPy. I looked through this book, now I'm returning it.
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Summary: The perfect book for some parents
Review: If you are a confident, open-minded and not too traditional (in the American sense) parent, then this book is for you. His advice is in-depth where important and more humurous where appropriate; but all in all a resource you can trust and live by guilt-free.
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Summary: Wonderfully insightful!
Review: Michel Cohen presents a clear headed and generally balanced look at infant rearing. Handy a-z listing covers most broad topics and offer generally good, common sense advice. I would not, however, suggest one use this as your one and only child rearing bible. I have found it best to read several different sources on things to get an idea of what a) the options are b) the different school of thought are and c) what the consensus is on issue. There were a few places where I found Dr. Cohen's advice a little too easy going (for instance the cooked/uncooked honey advice- cooking honey will NOT kill the botulism that might be present, best to skip it altogether for infants). Some other books that have proved helpful:
Secrets of the Baby Whisperer by MELINDA BLAU (Author), TRACY HOGG (Author) and On Becoming Baby Wise by Gary Ezzo, et al - both are helpful on deciding how to get your baby to sleep longer at night (or at night at all). Trying to follow either one down to the last letter will be difficult, but take what makes sense form each one. Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5 by American Academy Of Pediatrics. This is the best book for detailed (more so than Dr. Cohen's book) advice about child rearing. Not as breezy as The New Basics but much more comprehensive. In the end remember ANY book is going to have an angle/agenda. Read for information and keep an open mind. Warning: His advice on potty training is just plain flat out wrong. Children crave guidence and need it to learn how to be successful people. He had me until the potty training entry...
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Summary: This book rocks!
Review: Most of the baby books people gave us are dry and full of trivia, but this one is totally to the point, well-organized, and designed for maximum usefulness. Our son wasn't sleeping and we'd tried all kinds of rocking and food timing with no results. But when we followed Dr. Cohen's advice, it was like, boom -- Trevor was sleeping in three days! Awesome. Also, we fully agree with their attitude on baby food. Feed your baby what you eat. Just pop it in the blender. Its better, its cheaper, its healthier. And you know whats in it. Just do what he says - laissez faire, which is French for let it ride. But when you have issues, he deals with them too. Its just an awesomely organized and thorough book.
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Summary: Excellent Advice and "Historic Artifact"
Review: My husband and I found a really funny childcare book (ca. 1890) at his grandparents' house. Very "of the time." I have a feeling Dr. Michel's book will be very "of the time" for our generation of parents. This book is a great addition to the childcare library precisely because it addresses some of the confusing issues facing parents today that are not necessarily covered from "our" perspective: AD(H)D? Nipple Confusion? Attachment Parenting? Food Reactions? It addresses these (as well as many other more timeless topics) in a very matter-of-fact & sensible way. You really know that Dr. Michel is in the trenches dealing with modern parents every day. He speaks to us directly. That said, my 3.5 yr old had his first bout of croup the other night and Dr. Michel also had great advice for this more timeless problem, so I would say it's more than a mere point-in-time artifact. Also, as an attorney I truly appreciate that Dr. Michel is willing to voice an opinion on topics and doesn't waffle or hedge on everything. Not every section suggests "checking with your pediatrician" as many similar books do. Many sections advise you not to worry, which is pretty rare -- and quite refreshing -- in childcare (or pregnancy or parenting) books. (Similar is some ways to Spock, another of my favorite "experts.") The reason I'm giving it 4 (vs. 5) stars is that I don't feel it's really exhaustive. It lists topics alphabetically, so you kind of have to know what you're looking for (vs. beginning with a symptom or a body system & working through the decision tree). I do think it's a wonderful supplement of good, practical advice to accompany a more clinical book (like the AAP birth to 5 book). I will definitely give it as a baby shower gift (particularly to my non-NY friends).
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Summary: Perfect balance
Review: New Basics succeeds at being clear and easy to understand in a difficult medical field full of competing theories and a din of dire warnings. Instead of traumatizing the parent reader with confusing diagnostic routines that are best left to a pediatrician, New Basics takes the approach of "best case" rather than "worst case" allowing the parent to gain confidence and understanding of the normal course of child rearing and health. The book keeps things direct and simple. You don't need a medical degree to understand it at three in the morning when you're already stressed enough worrying about your child. The attention to detail goes beyond the great effort that Dr. Cohen has made so that the information is clear and straightforward. It is obvious that the doctor has also taken great care in the design and format of the book, understanding how it will be used; so clearly laid out, you can even read it by the side side of your child's bed with the dim glow of a night light. As parents, New Basics has worked for us. I can't think of a better endorsement, or a better book to have by your side.
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Summary: The end of over-engineered child care?
Review: New parents, first-time parents, are sitting ducks for the child and infant care business: everything everyone says is held up as true and very quickly they find themselves completely confused, specially at 2am, when the baby's crying and 12 books give them 14 different advise on what to do. Dr. Cohen's book is like a breath of fresh air -- and I only wish he had published it some 10 years ago when my children where younger. Like he says so eloquently: DON'T WORRY SO MUCH!
Most issues a baby encounters resovle themselves best if we just leave baby and mother nature deal with it. Resorting to specialists every step of the way just doesn't help. Obviously if there are some extreme or traumatic situations that need the input and intervention of professionals, parents should not hesitate. But for the most part, as Dr. Cohen explains time and time again, too much zeal does not necessarily help the child nor the parent.
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Summary: Good Old Fashion Common Sense
Review: Sedona, AZ
My husband and I run a preschool, and we'd been hearing about that NewBasics from some of our kids' parents. Easy to read, simple but complete, a book men can appreciate - that's what people were saying. When our daughter Mary announced she's finally pregnant, we got her a copy- but we read it ourselves first. In the end, we were happy to give it to her. It's hard to believe a Frenchman living in Manhattan could get it right, but I tell you, after raising four kids - three boys and our Mary - he's on the money! You don't need to fuss and fret over every little boo boo or what have you. One thing we do know is just what that Dr. Cohen says: Kids are tough. We have 32 little ones running around here five days a week, and if they think no one is looking when they fall, they just bounce right back from tumbles that would scare a parent half to death. Several of our parents like this book for its back to basics approach. One likes it because it looks so pretty and is so easy to read and look things up in. I like it because it tells it like it is. None of that "attached parenting" or "tummy time" or duelas. Just good old-fashion reality. Take your shots, don't take an aspirin for any little thing, let them cry it out, eat your vegetables ... take it from an old gal who sees more than her share of tots. This is how you do it.
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Summary: Bad advice
Review: Some very odd advice, like in the section titled Washing he says to bathe your baby "every once in a while". Toothbrushing? He says don't bother until 12 to 15 months while any dentist will tell you to brush teeth as soon as there are teeth to brush. The attempt at clever writing gets old, such as labeling the evening the Witching Hour and saying that "Lucy's trick ain't no treat". The repeated suggestion to "allow her to cry out her frustrations" is sad. While many topics are covered lots of them don't really say anything like the one paragraph on twins that says, (Really!) "The particular thing about twins is that well, obviously, there are two of them". Another odd one, toilet training is "unnecessary" because children will learn this on their own. In regards to fears, he says to treat them "in a controlled, dismissive manner" since "he'll eventually realize by himself that what he is scared of is not that scary." The author's solution for colic is to "leave Lucy to cry in dim light and warmth in the bassinet". The book is disrespectful to any health professional who does not carry an MD after their name. Midwives and lacation consultants are poked fun at and he recommends using them for emotional support only and asking a family member for the real advice on breastfeeding. The fact that the advice for many subjects is that "they will pass in a few months" is not helpful during the process. To answer the question "Is it true that you can't spoil a baby?" He answers: "You can't exactly spoil your baby, but you can spoil your life" I'd pass on this one.
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