Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
Answers many of those first time parent questions, which allows me to be a psychotic parent in private and a reasonable one in front of the pediatrician.
Lots of (mainstream) information. A bit dry and dense though. Wish I had started reading earlier as some information is useful before the baby is born (what to buy, information about breastfeeding...) I skipped a few parts because they were not relevant anymore.
informative
slow-paced
A good resource to refer to as baby goes through the first year (though I read it mostly through since it was a library copy). Lots of facts and advice for any parent of a newborn. It has a section on nearly any question you may have.
I’ve treated this as a reference book over the past year, and it’s been pretty good – it had most of the information I wanted to know. I wish they had gone into more depth on a few topics, though, and the organization could have been better.
As a new parent, I casually refer to this book as "The Bible" due to its comprehensive scope and categorical commandments. It focuses on practical aspects (e.g., health, feeding, sleeping, clothing) more than on the child's development. Some information is outdated (e.g., the recommendation to take rectal temperature) and the book doesn't always respect the real-life diversity of experiences (e.g., there's apparently no nipple pain as a new mother starts breastfeeding unless there's a bad latch... really?). It's also very hard to say which recommendations are based on sound science vs. common practice. But, overall, it's a very useful reference book during the child's first year.
I read this WHOLE book! (even the adoption and other sections that didn't apply to me, though I'm still making some of the recipes in the back to try them out). I really liked it because it gave me ideas I hadn't thought about (like ways to stimulate my baby at different ages or when to move from a crib to a bed). But it also provided helpful information I was curious about (like how to help him sleep through the night, weening tips, and when he should be able to perform certain skills). It's very brief and not specific with tips, so find other resources for more detailed information if you need it. But it definitely provides a good overall view for the first year!
Honestly thank god for this book. I was so focused on giving birth that I didn't read a SINGLE baby book before my daughter was born. I guess I just assumed I would know what to do, or family would show me, or ... something? BUT I HAD NO IDEA WHAT I WAS DOING. I bought a few different books once I was able to come up for air - you can see I started this in March when she was 3 months old lol. I really felt like this one did the best at giving you an idea of what to expect, a resource for finding answers to questions, and didn't shove any single parenting style down your throat. I can see that it's the baby bible for a reason!
I haven't read the whole book; Nila's only 13 months, but I like this series of books.
My mom makes fun of me for reading these books. She's all "pish posh. We didn't have these books when you were born and you turned out just fine."
Well, yes. But, I like reading about common problems, stages and development milestones. It's great to have a reference for things that are going on with my daughter.
I also enjoy reading advice on things that aren't going on with my daughter. It's an interesting collection of knowledge about things to which I've not given much thought before Nila.
My mom makes fun of me for reading these books. She's all "pish posh. We didn't have these books when you were born and you turned out just fine."
Well, yes. But, I like reading about common problems, stages and development milestones. It's great to have a reference for things that are going on with my daughter.
I also enjoy reading advice on things that aren't going on with my daughter. It's an interesting collection of knowledge about things to which I've not given much thought before Nila.
informative
slow-paced