1st-year books?

[nilatti]

I'm looking for recommendations on a good general book that covers first-year milestones, scary crazy things that newborns do that actually aren't a problem (like deciding not to breath for 10 seconds!), what age to introduce solid foods, teach the difference between day and night, etc. I know that What to Expect has a 1st-year book, but...let's just say, I had this baby on my bedroom floor and at 2 weeks old, he's probably spent a TOTAL of 5 hours not being held. WTE is not exactly my kind of parenting. I'm hoping to find a book that covers the same kinds of topics, but in a way that is a bit more hippiemama-friendly.

[ErinYay]

I found Dr. Sears' The Baby Book to be the very best overall book; it doesn't approach things linearly, which I like, as my baby isn't so much linear!

We have both the What to Expect and Your Baby Week By Week for the first year, and I found them both to be so-so. I had much better luck with our pediatrician, Dr. Google. "4 month old not sleeping," "army crawl baby age when," asking Dr. Google specific questions is by far my preferred method of calming my nerves.

[Tway]

Originally Posted by ErinYay

I had much better luck with our pediatrician, Dr. Google.

Hey, he's my favourite pediatrician, too! Spent many a long night chatting away with him obsessively. My only complaint is that he sometimes gives me very inappropriate information for things like "sore nipples".

I also read WTE, and got pretty depressed over how my DD "should" be sleeping. I keep meaning to pick up a Dr. Sears book. I'll keep an eye on this thread for more great suggestions!

[Norasmomma]

WTE should be taken to the curb and put in the recylce bin, those books are wretched. Wean your baby by one for sure, don't co-sleep, bal, bla, bla.......

Dr. Sears is so much better, so is Dr. Google although sometimes the bed side manner is pretty scary, LOL.

[ErinYay]

Originally Posted by Norasmomma

Dr. Sears is so much better, so is Dr. Google although sometimes the bed side manner is pretty scary, LOL.

This is very true. Dr. Google often confuses oncology with obstetrics and neurology with developmental pediatrics.

[jecombs]

Another vote for Dr. Sears' The Baby Book! I refer to as my Baby Bible

It has great info on development, feeding, sleeping, plus info on all the major illnesses of infancy and that all-important Tylenol dosing chart. I couldn't have lived without it!

[Asiago]

I like Dr. Sear's baby book
and one I thought was great, The Baby Bond (The New Science Behind What's Really Important When Caring For Your Baby) By Dr. Linda Folden Palmer.
I purchased it as an natural parenting type book but it contains so much more info than that, such as nutrition, Illness, allergy etc. It's one of my favorites.

[maptome]

Yes, Dr. Sear s b a by book .

[katroshka]

Another vote for Dr. Sears!

[St. Margaret]

Yup, The Baby Book. WTE tells you all the reasons not to babywear and outdated, incomplete info on cloth diapers... UGH I figure if they get stuff so wrong, how can you trust any of it? I thew mine away, didn't even donate!

[newmamalizzy]

Chiming in on Dr. Sears, particularly the development section. It always seems to really jive with what I'm seeing in my baby.

[P.J.]

Well, it looks like we're unanimous here. Yay Sears' Baby Book!!!!! I have to say though, the section on babywearing is seriously outdated, meaning they only cover ring slings and it could really use a little rundown on the various types of carriers available these days. But yeah, the section on development is excellent and I'm always referring to it when I have a development question.

[ChocolateNummies]

Originally Posted by jecombs

Another vote for Dr. Sears' The Baby Book! I refer to as my Baby Bible

It has great info on development, feeding, sleeping, plus info on all the major illnesses of infancy and that all-important Tylenol dosing chart. I couldn't have lived without it!

I've referenced it for all three of my children. It's literally in two pieces and chunks of pages are beginning to fall out. It needs a ziplock bag. Not sure about more recent editions but there is some info in mine that is outdated by now. That's when Dr. Google comes in handy. (Love that! )