Customer Reviews

The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby from Birth to Age Two

5 star:		(69)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

I spent so much time reading this book when I brought home my baby girl. It has so much useful information for new parents and it's written in a very simple, non-condescending way. I always have it near by to check on things like introducing new foods, signs of allergies, what to give baby when she's constipated. It's a really great resource.

I did find it lacking on information around sleep (maybe that's why they wrote a book on Sleep?). This book is pro attachment parenting. I love the philosophy and have tried my best to practice it but I realize now, that hardcore attachment parenting is probably most difficult for mothers who have to work - whether it be from home or outside of the home. Really think your plan through!!! It is suggested that moms should always nap with baby. If I had a maid or a cook, maybe I would indulge in this practice every day! What do mothers who have to leave their child at a daycare or with other family members do when it's time for putting baby to sleep? I can't see anyone but me curling up in bed to make sure my baby naps properly! I believe the book gives you the pros and cons of returning to work vs. staying at home with baby. I would love love love to stay home for the next 3 years but I have to get back to work to help keep the roof over our heads!

Otherwise, this book is amazing. I would highly recommend it as a very important resource for any new parent.

I had MANY baby books and eventually got rid of them all but this one. This book has everything you need to know, from a terrific developmental reference chart, to what to do if your baby wakes up with a huge swollen pink eye (very helpful index). My second baby was collicky, and again, this was the most helpful and reassuring book for me. This book cover's literally EVERYTHING. I think this book should be sent home with every new mother from the hospital.

BUY THIS BOOK!!

I think this book truly empowers parents to get to know their baby, and to choose the parenting style that is best for them. The things they advocate strongly, like breastfeeding and carrying your baby for much of the day, have been shown in scientific studies to be very beneficial for children. There are also many researchers who are finding much evidence in support of co-sleeping. However, we do NOT co-sleep, and I feel no guilt from this book. Over and over again he insists, "if you resent it, change it" and "where mom and baby both sleep best is the best solution." He advocates taking weekly dates with the spouse, and emphasizes that moms MUST take care of themselves to take care of their babies.

The big downfall to this book is the lack of practical advice. For instance, while he acknowledges that co-sleeping isn't the best solution for some families, he doesn't offer much in the way of other advice. I really recommend supplementing this book with Elizabeth Pantley's No-Cry Sleep Solution (read when your baby is a newborn!!) and Gentle Baby Care. These, especially the sleep book, offer great, hands on practical advice to supplement the responsive, loving baby care theory that Sears promotes.

I really love this book! Our first son is 6 months old and we've really developed a parenting style based on what works for us and what feels "right". Then I bought this book and found that a lot of the things we were doing naturally, such as babywearing, co-sleeping, responding to our son's needs immediately, are actually a part of Dr. Sears' attachment parenting philosophy. I was feeling quite unsure of myself to begin with as everyone said "You'll spoil that baby!" but Dr. Sears' book reassured us that we were doing the right thing. His approach is logical and really makes sense to me and it is sure working for our family. This book empowers parents to follow their gut instincts and not to worry about "spoiling" their baby. It also has great general information about nutrition, health, development, play, etc. right through toddlerhood. The BEST baby care book I've found!! The only complaint I have is that it is HUGE! Its very thick because it is packed with useful information. This is great but makes it tough to read with one hand while holding baby, nursing, etc. I'd recommend it to new parents as the only book you'll need to get through babyhood and beyond.

I like this book because it affirmed my beliefs about raising a baby. It appears that people react strongly one way or the other when it comes to the various popular baby books. I would suggest that the books are just information, and that the strong emontional reactions come from the fact that a new baby completely alters your life forever. I think people blame baby books for their own permanent loss of personal freedom. No book will ever truly prepare you for a baby. I guess you really don't grow all the way up until you have to care for a child 24 hours a day. So buy this book and than buy the other baby books and use them for ideas when you are losing it but it isn't the authors fault you brought a kid into the world.

This book has been my greatest resource with both my children. Not only is it a great medical reference but it also has practical advice for parents. It is particularly useful in the early months and dedicates a large portion of the book to issues surrounding the newborn. My husband and I continue to keep The Baby Book handy for our 1 year old. If I had to recommend one book to new parents this would be it!

What a great book to have! It touches about every little aspects of caring for a newborn. I am absolutely delighted to have bought it. I think Im going to put it to good use very soon! (IM 8 months pregnant)

Fantastic book. Never ending helpful information. So many times I opened up this book. From nights we couldn't get our new born to sleep to the night we realized he had an ear infection. Each and every time, Dr.Sears guided us through the tough times and gave my husband and I the confidence we needed. As a new parent, this book is the next best thing (and I think better) than taking your child to the doctor. Dr.Sears has the most wonderful, loving ideas on how to raise your baby. Although attachment parenting is known to have it's disadvantages, I can't think of a more beautiful way to ease your baby into this daunting and at times challenging world.

The Baby Book is the perfect gift for a first-time mom, pregnant friend, or any new family. It is written with a light, gentle and positive tone, but is eye-opening at the same time. On the surface, it seems to be a "baby guide" like so many others on the market, but The Baby Book is different.

Dr. Sears and his family coined the term "Attachment Parenting," which is a philosophy of parenting that embraces instinctual bonding behaviors like breastfeeding, babywearing and cosleeping. If these terms are foreign or even off-putting to you, that's okay. The Baby Book contains all the fun facts to prepare and guide moms and dads with new babies. It just adds another dimension, empowering parents to care for their children with respect, and encouraging them to develop a deep relationship that can carry them through countless tough decisions in a lifetime.

Rather than parroting the tired mantra of "check with your doctor," The Baby Book presents the data you need to make informed choices on your child's behalf, or tells you where to find it if you want to know more. And you will want to know more after you read this book. It will give you the sense that it's okay to question the status quo and make your own way as a parent.

If you think you are the type of parent who likes to take charge of your child's health and well-being, rather than leave it up to an "expert" who hardly knows him (aka the pediatrician), I would also recommend reading Healing Our Children: Because Your New Baby Matters! Sacred Wisdom for Preconception, Pregnancy, Birth and Parenting (ages 0-6)

I recently took this book out of the library and I have to say, it is the most comprehensive book I have seen yet. There are so many relevant topics in this book and I can see myself using it for years to come. I will definetly go to the bookstore and buy this book so I can have it whenever I need it. Dr. Sears' writings on attachment parenting made complete sense to me. He often refers to his own family's challenges and successes, which makes for a relatable component in the book. There is so much information in this book, I reccomend it for any new parent. In addition, Dr. Sears' other books in his 'parenting library' are worth checking out as well.