Monday, August 31, 2009

The Baby Book


Contained within the 767 pages that make up this go-to baby guide, you will find virtually everything you need to know about the general health and well-being of your baby for the first two years of its life. It's ridiculous how much information is contained in this book and it's surprising, given its size, that it doesn't weigh more.

The Baby Book by William Sears, M.D., and Martha Sears, R.N. (along with Robert Sears, M.D., and James Sears, M.D.) has become my favorite baby book. Without fail, if I find an answer in this book, no amount of googling will produce a more concise solution to whatever it is that is boggling me at any given moment. It is based on the author's "experience in parenting eight children and caring for thousands of others during thirty years in pediatric practice." Yeah, I'll trust that. Boosting my confidence further is the fact that their children have gone on to become doctors and come back to contribute to the revisions of the book.

Everything is contained in one book--from prenatal care and birth plans to teething and potty training and every single thing you can imagine that comes between. The advice is not only medically sound, but so compassionate. I really do feel like the Sears' have the very best interest of the wee ones of the world in mind throughout the pages. There are no "do it this way or you will ruin your baby" attitudes. In fact, the book is incredibly positive...very encouraging in a "do what you can" sort of way.

Check your local used bookstore for an inexpensive used copy, or splurge on a new one. I'd say check it out from the library, but this is one you'll want to have nearby at all times.

And that is my very quick review of The Baby Book. It was going to be much longer, but someone is waking up in the next room...

2 comments:

  1. We love this book and refer to it often for comfort. BWB is, by the book, a high-need baby and has many fussy/colicky moments. At least it's nice to know what we're experiencing isn't abnormal.

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  2. With the exception of not being "uncuddly", we found ourselves with a high-need baby, as well. In fact, I have yet to meet a baby who doesn't exhibit most of the signs of being high-need for at least the first couple of months. With the added complications of both thrush and mastitis, I'd say it was about three months before we moved out of high-need status and into the Cool Baby zone. It is so nice, though, to open this book and see your own experience on the pages. Even better are the simple things you can do to (hopefully) bring resolution to whatever situations arise. I refer quite often to the Infant Development at a Glance charts on pages 450-453. It really helped ease my mind those first few months. She might not have slept much or wanted to be put down (ever), but she was still growing and developing so quickly. Now I use the chart to figure out what I can do to challenge her as she flies through these developmental stages.

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