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It is easy to read and touches on almost every topic. This book is a great information guide for any first time parent. Some topics go in great detail.
For me, though, the book allowed me to follow along, without getting overwhelmed by too much information too early. This book may be a little haphazardly organized for some. My biggest complaints are that the book clearly makes certain assumptions about what constitutes good parenting - essentially living a typical modern suburban American lifestyle - and engages too often in the relentless scare mongering of new parents that is ubiquitous in American childcare literature. Coming into parenthood with very little knowledge of infants, What to Expect. Generally good information, usefully presented - worth at least your consideration. The book provides separate chapters for each month of the child's life covering the normal development of the child and adding several short essays regarding topics that might be of interest around that time period.
I doubt, however, that a book as useful as this that doesn't have those shortcomings exists. For me, this was an essential guidebook. let me know when to expect certain milestones, how to cope with certain common problems and how to encourage, however slightly, the little one's development. The more single subject focused chapters following the month-by-month guide were also useful, but more often in the sense of knowing when to look for further help - that is to say, these chapters were perhaps less comprehensive than needed to cover issues like illness and feeding.
I found everything I needed in this book., in an easy language and practical explications.
This new one from Moneyball guy Home Game: An Accidental Guide to Fatherhood seems a good contender from the dad's point of view - recent memory reflections on the experience of becoming a dad, instead of expert advice. For a raw, funny, hopeful as it happens view from a dad, try The Faith of a Child Others made my head swim and added to general feelings of overwhelm. Only thing that really helped me get ready were collections of stories - Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son's First Year the only one I actually made it through. Can't say how many times we reached for this one in the first year. A gotta have for the new parents. Better by far than google for the what the heck do I do when my baby does X, Y, or Z.Getting ready to be a dad, this an other baby books piling up in my house were pretty overwhelming. I didn't want expert advice (until baby arrived and I needed it for specific somethings - in which case what to expect a fantastic resource).
I cannot stress this enough.Babies become independent when we meet their needs.If we ignore their needs, sure they will self soothe, but they will also lose trust, a very basic sense of trust that they are just learning to develop. I wish they would take it off the market. My 6 month old started sitting up on his own at 4 months, crawling at 5 months, and is now standing.and yes, I wear him like they do in "primitive societies" (rolling my eyes) He is sooo happy and smiling. He does not manipulate me.
I feel bad that this is available to new mothers. It is so outdated. Babies cry because they have a NEED. I wear my babies everywhere, everyday. This book talks about primitive societies and how they carry their babies everywhere, and then states how our society is different and we need to push independence. He babbles up a storm. My now 3 year old is an amazing, confident, independent, secure kid.
It talks about "spoiling" and how the baby manipulates at 6 and 7 months old. He cries when he needs me, and it is my responsibility as a parent to meet his needs. If you meet their needs, they become secure and confident and independent. It is one sided, it is horrible.
It goes against all motherly instinct. If you let them "cry it out" as this book recommends, they become clingy, insecure and more dependent. He slept through the night when HE was ready. DON"T BUY THIS HORRIBLE BOOK.
I cannot even believe how bad the advice is in this book. Babies do not manipulate. I never forced these milestones on him.
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