Ordering some books...need recommendations

[catlvr976]

I was thinking about getting some more books. I have the Attachement Parenting book by Granju and the Sear's books, The Breastfeeding Book and The Baby Book. I was thinking about getting Our Babies, Ourselves, or the Continuum Concept. Are those good books?

I am looking for books that reinforce non-CIO, cosleeping, attachment parenting in general that are really good. I want to use them as my defense for when people (such as my MIL) go on about letting my baby cry, why I breastfeed etc, so I want them to be GOOD; scientifically good (if that makes any sense).

What are your recommendations?

Thanks in advance!!

[Clarity]

I liked Our Babies Ourselves, quite a bit...more than the continuum concept I think. Both are totally worth reading.

[Doodlebugsmom]

I reccommend:
You are Your Child's 1st Teacher
How to Talk so Your Kids Will Listen and Listen so Your Kids will Talk.

[Embee]

I liked the Continuum Concept but I haven't read Our Babies, Ourselves so I can't compare the two. I have also read You Are Your Child's First Teacher and it is quite good.

My favorite parenting books so far have been the two recommended to me right here at MDC:

Kids Are Worth It by Barbara Coloroso &
Kids, Parents and Power Struggles by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka

[Momtwice]

Both of them are excellent. If I could choose one it would be Our Babies.

I have heard that these pediatricians have good books about AP parenting at night (anti CIO)
Dr. Jay Gordon
Dr. Paul Fleiss

For more ammunition about the science of attachment parenting, do a search for James McKenna's articles on the web about cosleeping; they are numerous. Also if you don't already have it last fall's Mothering issue about sleeping with your baby is EXCELLENT and has lots of scientific references.

THe La Leche League catalog always has tons of great books about breastfeeding such as The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding.

Other books I recommend about breastfeeding
So That's What They're For, Breastfeeding Basics (Tamaro)
The Politics of Breastfeeding (Palmer)
Milk, Money and Madness (Baumslag and Michels)
Breastfeeding: Biocultural Perspectives (several authors, a huge book, you may want to try it from the library first)

[Alstrameria]

I have two I'm reading right now, the first is a book on pediatric neurology, and it's objective, so you can find unbiased support for what you do. The second is also objective, and there is intermittent support for AP stuff, but not as AP doctrine, more as fact. I hope that makes sense.

Anyway, I like these books because they are obviously science based, with no specific agenda, but yet they support basic AP principles. I pull that stuff out all the time. Hah!

What's Going on in There?: How the Brain and Mind Develop in the First Five Years of Life, by Lise Eliot

Your Child's Self Esteem, by Dorothy Corkville Briggs

Jen

P.S. Thanks for the James McKenna references Momtwice! Excellent reading.

[grumo]

The books I wanted to add are already on this list, so I'll just remind you to order through Powells.com so that MDC gets some %. (I don't remember how or how much, you might want to check the fundraising thread.)

[meister31]

All of the above and I would like to add :
The Hurried Child

[somemama]

I recommend Dr. Gordon's book "Listening to Your Baby."

[oatmeal]

One of the dadies in the dad's forum recommended I get Gavin deBecker's "Protecting the Gift"

Though many would not want to confront the issue of predators and child safety head-on, it's a reality that all of us face, not matter where we live in America. I won't horrify you with the statistics of how many of us live on the same street as a child molestor.

I got this book two days ago and it has changed my life. I am grateful having read it and I feel strongly compelled to urge all parents I meet to get it and read it to give it to anyone caring for your children - and have them read it.

Knowledge is safety.

[Clarity]

he also does the Gift of Fear...an excellent book to help you divine the diffenrece between practical caution and hysteria.

[Piglet68]

I also think "Our Babies, Our Selves" is excellent. I own it and love it!

[momatheart23]

Oatmeal, I just finished reading protecting the gift as well and it is excellent, not really about AP, but wonderful. In fact it made me feel so much better and safer. When I first read the cover I thought it would be a bunch of scare tactics, so didn't want to read it. But once I did I was hooked. I know it is off topic, but I just wanted to second your opinion, in fact I just quoted it in another thread

[Kim]

I highly suggest Natural Family Living by Peggy O'Mara. It was the first book I read about AP. Very comprehensive in subject matter (everything from cosleeping to breastfeeding to vax, and nutrition, etc) and uses lots of analogies. When I try to explain my parenting stance I find myself using many of the analogies used in the book. Natural Family Living references many of the authors above...James McKenna, Dr. Sears, etc.

[mamaduck]

I was thinking about getting Our Babies, Ourselves, or the Continuum Concept. Are those good books?

Both are good books, and address very foundational issues. Be prepared -- they are kind of dense. Not light reading at all.

Our Babies Ourselves is full of excellent thought and information, but reads dryly. And focuses on babyhood. But if you want scientific support for what you are doing, it is a good choice.

Continuum Concept was fast paced, but you really have to concentrate on paying attention. (At least, I did!) I didn't agree with every conclusion the author made, but it provided a great "overview" theory for addressing childhood in general (not just babyhood.) I liked it because it supports AP but not "child centeredness." I think that is a crucial point. Some mothers have complained that the advice put forth is not always realistic -- it is worth noting that the author is a anthropologist but not a mother. So -- you really can't think of it as a "parenting book." But it does strike me as very foundational thought for AP.

If I were choosing between the 2 -- I would go with the Continuum Concept --- but only because both my children are out of babyhood.

[Cindi]

The best parenting book I have read is Aletha Solter's Helping Young Children Flourish. She does back up her information very well. That book is geared for 2-8 year olds. For infants, she has a book called Aware Baby.
I am going to a workshop with this woman in March and can't wait because I have been so thrilled by her book.

Continuum Concept might be more difficult for your MIL to grasp, and she may give up on reading it, as I did. I liked the first part where she described the native culture and I was very inspired by her observations, but it is not "good science" as far as how she comes to her conclusions, nor easy to apply in our culture. Also she never had children, and that feels missing from her perspective. (Warning: not a book for the guilt-prone mother!)

Cindi