Dr. Green's Baby Book

What a great book. We have turned to it for pooh colors, temperature panics, the meaning of puke, sleeping, crying, eating, you name it. Funny and practical, and accessible to all but the most extreme thinkers on caring for children. Everyone has got an opinion on how to be a parent and what is best for children, and from my experience the intensity of these feelings is right up there with religion or even - gasp - sport.But Green writes in the introduction that he aims to "reassure parents to trust their own instincts and to do what feels right". Right on - he gives plenty of ideas on how to tackle things, but treats us with the intelligence to make good decisions for ourselves. I guess this book won't suit parents who feel the need to equate parenthood with constant martyrdom. But for us it has been great. Good medical advice (again, won't suit the paranoid), fair, reasonable and fun parenting tips, everything drenched in common sense, and always with permission to go your own way. So many "problems" we thought we had with our kids have melted away with a few kind words from this book.Brilliant advice on eating habits. Lots of love. Frequently untrendy. Suitably politically incorrect. Toddler Taming is also great, but will not appeal to folks who think the title isn't funny.

Like Dr. Green's other book, _Toddler Taming_, this book is a great asset for new parents. As an American living in Australia, I have books about child rearing on my shelves written by both Australian and American authors, and this is the one most consulted in the quiet times as well as hauled out in the middle of the night. Dr. Green uses his personal knowledge as a parent and his professional experience as a pediatrician to address the basic but also sticky issues like sleep and feeding (breast or bottle, as well as solids), as well as issues uncomfortable to talk about (post natal depression, crying, premature birth, birth defects, and SIDS). His humorous, realistic and approachable language makes this book a joy to read, even during those few relaxation periods that new parents have. It will be a huge help for parents who are looking for practical advice in this day and age. And happily, _Dr. Green's Baby Book_ does not have an agenda. It simply provides information and common sense advice that moms and dads can use.