William Sears,Martha Sears, The Baby Book Review

Overall Rating

The authors introduce readers clearly and persuasively to attachment parenting and align themselves with the natural inclination of most new mothers. Dietary needs of mother and baby, interactivities between parents and baby, stimulating baby's need for increasing independence are commonsensically and reassuringly presented. The layout of the chapters and pages provides easy access if the reader needs to locate a specific issue.

The authors assume that parents are a father and mother who are college educated, professionally active, mature adults in a middle class context. This leads to an idealization of parents and baby that is not part of the real experience of families.
"Single parenting" is placed in the chapter "Special Situations" and is followed by "The Down Syndrome Baby"--as if single parenting were some sort of defect! The authors completely omit any reference to same sex parents. That seemed quite astonishing to this reviewer since gay and lesbian couples are no longer infrequent and may well have questions regarding parenting not covered in chapters specifically framed in terms of heterosexual couples. A parent not in the normed heterosexual relationship will find himself or herself excluded or in a position of constantly engaging in qualifications and corrections. At least the authors could have acknowledged the limitation of their range and referred potential readers to sources other than "The Baby Book."

Nevertheless, the book is a very helpful resource. It may appear trendy in some parts but is finally based on common sense and experience of heterosexual parents. Scientific and medical information is clearly and accurately presented. The value of the book lies primarily in the help it offers to the first time parent.

One innovation is at least a few paragraphs on the sexual relation between parents after the birth of the child. Much understanding is given to the mother's complicated hormonal ups and downs and the necessity for the husband's patience and tenderness to encourage and meet his wife's needs. Such a discussion was not part of Dr. Spock's world!

The complexity of toilet training, its physical and psychological issues are sensitively and persuasively discussed with many helpful hints.

The book clearly anticipates or follows the need for a "green world", of organically healthy and wholesome food and environment for the new life. Who would disagree with that.

The book follows the preferred attitudes today without being obsessive.