The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby from Birth to Age Two. . - tools for navigating parenthood - book review

Whole Earth,  Spring, 2002  

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William Sears and Martha Sears 1993; 689 pp. $21.95. Little, Brown and Company

Widely regarded as the post-Spock baby-care bible, this is the baby book to have. Written by medical professional seasoned parents of eight, it is a thoroughly complete and up-to-date resource for all types of new parents, from really mainstream to really alternative. It covers all the basics (birthing, infant care, child development, transition to parenthood) and then some (keeping your marriage alive and intimate, with kids!). It defines and makes the case for attachment- style parenting (based on creating strong emotional bonds between infants and parents) with hard evidence and sound reasoning, no railing or preaching. The book offers no recipe for "the perfect family"; new parents are urged to create their own uniquely flavored soup. --TD

"Meeting your baby's needs without hesitation in the early months means solid communication patterns are developed. With time you can gradually delay your response, and gradually your baby will learn to accept waiting a little bit as she learns noncrying language and develops self-help mechanisms. If nothing else, consider it an investment in the future; you'll be glad for good communication when she gets older and her problems are bigger than being fed or getting off to sleep.

"Toddlers' walking styles are as variable as their personalities. Most begin walking with feet turned out, a position that improves balance. Next, as you are beginning to worry about turned-out feet, baby exchanges one worry for another and becomes pigeon-toed. You can put off your mother's suggestion to take baby to an orthopedic specialist. Most toddlers' legs and feet straighten by themselves by three years.

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