Born Dancing: How Intuitive Parents Understand Their Baby's Unspoken Language and Natural Rhythms

Born Dancing is difficult to find but worth the work to locate it! Years ago I heard the author, Evelyn Toman, speak and was so impressed that I read her book and found it to be very intuitive and helpful. As a child psychologist, I purchase this book for every friend and relative who has a baby and all have said it was readable, interesting, and helpful.

I have a master's in maternal child nursing and 2 kid. I ran across this book in a remainder pile years ago and have since bought at least a dozen copies to give new mothers. This book does not prescibe a list of behaviors to raise your child, but encourages you to know your infant and develop an understanding of what that child needs. Over the years I have seen the "rules of parenting" change over and over-("start solids at 2 weeks, 2 months, six months.")-. Each new rule includes an explanation on how previous children had been destroyed because their parents had "done it wrong" Parenting is tough enough without this constant shifting of rules accompanied by heaping servings of guilt for not having followed this week's rule last week ( A good mother should have known the rule was going to change!) This book gives parents the tools to get past "Trivial Inconsequential Concerns" and really focus on loving and communicating with their baby to see what is truly important. There is even a whole section on what makes a baby laugh at different ages!!

Instead of a "one size fits all" advice book this book does a great job of explaining the importance of responding to your baby as a unique person. Every child is different and by listening to their individual needs instead of trying to follow general advice one can connect more closely and meet the child's needs more effectively. As a simple example, this approach bolstered my resolve when relatives and strangers alike told me that my infant son needed to be dressed more warmly than he seemed to like. Now eight years old he has always been warm when most people are cold and resists wearing coats until the rest of us are shivering. This is just one small example of the cumulative benefits that come from reading and considering the perspective so beautifully described in this book. When in doubt listen to your baby and your heart.