Infant-and-Toddler-Development Books

I am a new mom (5 month old baby) and found this book amazing. I really enjoyed reading it and I love that it covers both the theory and the practical side of how a child develops emotionally. It is very well organized; the first part covers the goals for emotional development, and the second part covers the challenges one encounters. Each chapter finishes with a very specific list of tips for parents, which are summarized at the end by theme, with a note of age relevance for quick reference. You can't get better organized than that!

Absolutely wonderful and very psychologically-sound! Helps you understand your baby's feelings, needs, and temperament. Provides great advice to help your baby grow up with a secure attachment. Well-researched and well-organized. It is a must read!

My daughter is only three months old and already the information I've learned and applied from this book are working wonders. She's just such a happy baby and I believe that this book has made that possible. From the beginning she's been a sweet heart but from what I've read thus far I'm able to keep her smiling and understand what it is she need's from me. Every night I read this aloud to my hubby and we are just amazed how simple but effect the teachings in this book are. You may say that don't have the time to read this book but after reading just a few pages this book will make you want to find time to read it.

If you are like most new moms, you will not have time to read this book. I have to read through a few pages just to get one piece of good advice from it. That's time that I just don't have to spare. This book is not good as a how-to book and is not organized well enough for anyone with children.

I have 2 babies. One 5 months old and the other 2 years old. This book it is helpul because can help in both cases. It is very easy to read and very simple make those little things that makes the big difference. Thanks. You are fantastic.

I had the 2nd edition of this book. This was my bible for the few months before and after my daughter was born. It's funny, esay to read, and made me feel prepared (well as much as you can feel prepared for a newborn baby.)

I was given this by a friend when I was pregnant with my first child and I referred to it countless times during the first year of my baby's life. Now I give it to all my expecting friends. It's the go-to reference whenever you're not quite sure about something ...sleep habits, illness, food, development, etc. A must have for new parents.

A great resource - written with a sense of humor that is grounded in reality, "Baby 411" gives parents the information they need in a straight-forward and scientific manner. Easy to understand and easy to use.

This book is full of great information. It covers everything, from eating and sleeping to rashes and sniffles. It has been the go-to resource whenever I have had a question about anything with both of my kids. I can always find the answer I need. If you are expecting or have a baby, buy this book!

My wife and I recently had twins and these were our first children. There were some complications as well and the whole experience was very overwhelming. We read probably 10 or more books and nothing can compare to this book. It has the answer or explanation for every question we had. They should give this book away to all new parents at the hospital. Buy it now!

During a visit to my parent's house about 6 weeks into my son's life, my father presented me with his 30 year old copy of this book. Clearly it had made such an impression on him while he was raising me, that he had not only kept it, but remembered it when it was my turn to raise my first child. After reading the What to Expect series, Dr. Sears, Dr. Spock, and other various finds studiously like textbooks while I was pregnant (highlighting, note-taking, comparing ideologies), I found this book refreshing, simple, honest and captivating. The "rules" are so commonsensical they may seem at first like a waste of time. But the author discusses the reasons why babies and young children do the things they do and need their basic needs in a way that makes you feel like you can really see the world through your child's eyes. It is a delightful read and many times brought tears to my eyes as the lightbulb went off above my head and I could see how simple raising a child can be. My son is 7 months now and this book has never left the side of my bed. I re-read it frequently as he develops just to re-center myself when the stresses of parenthood ever seem too weighty.

Unique as Pete: How Autism Does Not Mean Different

This is an excellent guide to raising a new baby. I love it becuase it's all based on sound research and the advice in this book has been right on with our daughter. This is a MUST have if you are raising a new baby.

When I was pregnant with my daughter - there was a lot of worry since this was my first child. Obviously, children do not come with a manual! I bought and read this book and used it constantly as a referral. Our daughter is happy, polite, shares, intelligent, kind, etc. She is constantly invited to parties and restaraunts that other childdren are not invited to. After meals at restaraunts, the managers/owners come and comment on what a well-behaved child she is. She does have many friends and can get along with varied personalities. We purchase this book for all new parents - and they read it stating they would like a child that is as polite and respectful (of others and their properties) as our daughter is. You really cannot go wrong in purchasing this book!!

From describing each developmental phase to suggesting toys, this book provides invaluable information that can help parents navigate the early years. Great shower gift for first time parents!

This is a great book for anyone interested in developmentally appropriate activities, toys, etc. for their growing baby/child. It gives excellent descriptions of what is going on in baby's development to help understand how to handle challenges and opportunities in rearing a self-confident, intelligent, happy child. Much of the activities are simple things you can do with little or no money, which is great. The national foundation based on this book is fantastic and I tell everyone about it: [...]

a must-have!

As a teacher with my first child, I wanted to be sure to know the best techniques for simulating my little one's mind and helping him through the developmental stages. This book combines research with practical suggestions for developing attention, bonding (for emotional stability and security), and communication. It is written in parent friendly language and the activities are easy to implement. Many of them come naturally to parents and it is great to know that you are already doing the right things to help your child. Reassuring and informative!

I had checked the book out from the library, read it, and enjoyed it. I later decided I wanted to have it on hand as a reference as my daughter grew, so I purchased it. It is full of information about brain development and how you can help your child grow. Do not mistake this for a "how to build a Superbaby" book. The key word in the title is "nurture".

As a new mom and a kindergarten teacher, I love this book!! I really wanted to know how to take every opportunity to interact with my little one in ways that were beneficial to his development. The book is very reassuring in that as parents we do most of these things already. As an educator, the science information is facinating! I also love that this book is not about teaching your child to read (not a pre-requisite for kindergarten...), but it is about cultivating your child so that they can make the most of their future learning experiences.

Simply put -- this is a fabulous book. It has the perfect mix of scientific research and practical easy-to-use suggestions. The author also brings to the book her experiences of a parent to a special needs daughter, providing a compassionate and insightful touch. (Not to fear -- she does not delve into overly personal and sappy anecdotes -- but rather gives the reader further evidence that she really does know of what she speaks.)

There is a lot here for parents of infants to take away. And as someone who is very interested in how the brain learns and develops, I was definitely not disappointed. The book is well researched and the science is explained in a way that is interesting and easy to understand. The organization of the book also makes it a quick reference for those that just want to know "what" to do (and not necessarily all of the "why"'s behind the activities). There are plenty of charts and tables that get right to point and offer quick reminders for parents. A very valuable resource all-around!

From the point of view of a new and inexperienced parent, this book is a fabulous find. Some other books espouse the writers opinion on what's best for your child, this one is based on scientific findings on how the brain develops and delivers this information in a very user-friendly and entertaining manner. It's just very well done.

I love this book. It's such an easy read, which is great for a busy parent. I also love the author gives flexible approaches. These days, there is so much advice out there, and some times I feel like I am being lectured by sancti-mommies. Instead, Ms. Gross-loh acknowledges parental concerns, and how to make EC work with many different lifestyles. I really enjoyed reading all the anecdotes from other parents. The book is very realistic, and doesn't make grand promises. It's advice is very straight-forward and relaxing.

This book might be worth it if you already have a more organized book about EC itself and want to hear about it from others. Reading quote after quote from parents who are learning/doing elimination communication strikes me as a waste of time and shows poor editing. The quotes might make you feel good, but they won't help you learn to "catch."

I came across this book accidentally in the library. My son was exactly 6 months. The next day I went to get the little potty and my son immediately peed in it. He is 7 1/2 months now and poops and pees in it regularly. We switched to cloth diapers and the whole experience has been amazing. I am so glad I found this book. Overall, we will be using less diapers, save money and have a happier baby. This method is great because you can adapt it to your lifestyle. You can do it full time, part time, occasionally...
I also meet with other moms in my area who do the same. You can find them in yahoo groups. Don't wait and get the book today!

Maybe my expectations for this book were too high. I'm a big ec supporter and was so looking forward to it but felt let down when I finally read it. I found the books by the more established authors Boucke Infant Potty Training: A Gentle and Primeval Method Adapted to Modern Living and Bauer Diaper Free: The Gentle Wisdom of Natural Infant Hygiene far more complete and informative, so if you only plan to read one ec book, go for one of them instead.

I do like the writing style of this book (same goes for the other two ec books) and applaud the author for providing another book in this genre. A strong point is that this book urges parents to take things slowly by using ec part time or just occasionally, however this point and some others are made over and over again.

I didn't find much original material in the book. In short, a rehash with a slightly different emphasis and flavor.

I had been casually ECing my baby and had already read 2 other books about Natural Infant Hygeine. I bought this book just to sort of get re-inspired about the theory and read a new author. Wow! While the other books I'd read were very nice, this one was way better at actually giving solid instructions and advice. Instead of just expecting moms to intuit from day one (the intuition does eventually become the main indicator, but only once you've established EC with baby...) Gross-loh lists the most common pee-times and describes very carefully the how-to of EC. I highly recommend this book both for first time ECers and veterans who might like a pep talk.

All I can say is that I am disappointed with this book.

We're expecting our third child and I picked up this book because I liked the title. I figured almost two years worth of information in one book would be nice since we already kind of know about preganacy and the baby's first year. I wouldn't have to read too much with my busy schedule and maybe get one or two good tips I didn't get before. Was I wrong!

This book is not thin, total 317 pages. And yet, it reads so easy and fast (even considering my first language is not English). As I was reading this book, I was amazed how much information this book is packed with! This book covers not only the generic facts on how your baby grows, but also suggests what you can do as parent(s). It also has many wonderful photos.

Dr. Greene covers physical stuff such as nutrition, but also covers how you act and think may affect your baby. He also covers in detail how the baby develops - very informative and I had to read several passages to my husband. His respect and love for the life also can be felt throughout the book which also increased my own respect, awe, wonder, and love for our third baby.

I love to read and I've skimmed through many books on pregnancy, but this one is the best one and I am reading this thoroughly. This is like an all the best books on pregnancy and first year combined in one!

Although I read this book late in my pregnancy, I would recommend it to any expecting parents! I thought that his insight was more direct (and aligned to my own personal philosophies) than most expectant 'mom' books. Dr. Greene's other book, Raising Baby Green (my personal favorite), encouraged me to pick up this one, and I feel as though many moms and dads have a lot to learn from his experience as both father and pediatrician. Every question from should I eat organic to which diapers to use are covered- don't miss out on this book (it would also make a great shower or congratulations gift!)

My wife and I recently were blessed with the birth of our first child. Being new parents we often have felt overwhelmed and extremely inexperienced. Dr. Greene's book has proven informative and comforting in those moments when we needed a little helpful advice. "From First Kicks to First Steps" is easy and fun to read, and is a great resource for anyone with a little one at home or on the way.

Dr. Greene has put together a remarkable guideline that takes expecting couple from pregnancy through toddlerhood. Much like his award-winning children's health website, DrGreene.com, he does this in an engaging style with well-researched information.

Expectant mothers (and fathers) should look no further. This book is destined to be the "must-have" book for parents-to-be.

Daniel Z. Sands, MD, MPH
Assistant Clinical Professor, Harvard Medical School

I like this guide. It is in alphabetical order and contains just about every word you would want to use to communicate with a child. My older son is also having fun learning the signs and using them with the baby. I started using this book with my son at about 8 months.

Very thorough guide. Works like a dictionary. Excellent listing of signs you can use daily. mb

I bought this book to help me with simple signs to teach children under 2 years old who are not hearing impaired. I found the alphabetical listing made it easy to find words I wanted to use and the simple illustration made sure I was making the sign correctly. I think this book would work very well for someone wanting to learn basic signs for young children whether hearing impaired or not.

We have been doing sign language with both of our babies since around 6 mos of age, and this book has been priceless. Very easy to use, very informative.

This book is so helpful I carry it in our "Diaper" bag. (We actually use elimination communication so our baby hasn't used diapers since 11 weeks, but we still call it our diaper bag. See Potty Whispering: The Gentle Art of Infant Potty Training) I frequently pull this book out when my son needs a word. He is 19 months and knows about 70 signs. He even signs in his sleep (I wonder what he was dreaming the night he was signing "paper.") This is the most comprehensive signing book I have found. Lots of good kid words--like yogurt and cracker--that I couldn't find anywhere else. My biggest complaint about this book (and why only 4 stars) is the food words. It mainly has sweet based foods (and even signs for McDonald's.) There are limited fruits, veggies, and other healthy foods. So I also carry Fruits & Vegetables (Beginning Sign Language Series)Also, despite the great number of words in here, it is not totally comprehensive. It doesn't have the word "key." Every toddler loves keys so I'm not sure why that's missing. I'd love it if there was a website where I could recommend words for future editions.

For those of you uncertain about using sign as much as we do, it has really made having a toddler much simpler. He can tell stories about the time the dog had the bird in its mouth and we got the bird from the dog and took the bird outside. When he dropped his toy into a hole in the floorboards, his signing conveyed to me what had happened (since I didn't witness it.) When he got cactus thorns in his hands and was, naturally, screaming as I took them out, he signed "water." I got him a drink of water and he calmed down. Without the ability to make that request, he would have kept screaming (I never would have thought to give him water.) Some people have questioned if sign language at our level will delay speech. I asked a developmental pediatrician about that. She considers children who sign bi-lingual. Bi-lingual children often do have slight delays in their speech. However, the brain development that occurs is so beneficial that it is better for the children. At 19 months our son has his 70 signed words and about 20 spoken words. He spends much of each day repeating a verbal word he is just now learning (dishes is one of his favorites.)

I've been reading this to my one-year-old every night before bed, and she never tires of it. It is made of sturdy pages with big (also sturdy)flaps for little hands to lift. She loves playing peekaboo, so this book delights her, and she squeals everytime she sees her face at the end. I love this book so much, I intend to keep it in my "library" of books so that my grandchildren can enjoy it someday!

My son recieved this book for his 1st birthday and it was an instant hit. It was a fun enjoyable read for him, but the flaps are super flimsy and he had torn most of the book apart within 6 weeks. He's 15 months now and the book has been out of rotation for some time. :(

My boys loved this book. It actually lasted through one and passed on to the next extremely well! Each flap puts a smile on my little one's face. Its a great purchase.

We received this when my son was 15 months and he has loved it since. Initially, he just loved to lift the flaps, and it has handled his roughness. With the great pictures, we also use it to ask him to find an animal on a given page or within the whole book.

This is the sweetest book-after many many readings I am buying a new one since most of the flaps are gone and been "loved." This was my daughter's first book when she was 4 months old-she's loved it since the first time we read it. Hope your little one enjoys it too!

I love the journal series she has made. they are very detailed and easy to keep track off. My husband enjoyed the pregnancy one, and i missed picking up the first year one. But overall i love this journal and would recommend it to any mom that has a deployed spouse.

I recv'd this book a couple of weeks ago and wished I had purchased sooner (my son is 2 and the book is from 1-3 years). The book is a combo b/w a toddler reference and a journal. There is space for you to note what your toddler is accomplishing at particular weeks but not preset lines/questions like "what is their favorite food" or "name 3 of your toddlers favorite songs", etc. If you prefer the preset questions, you may not prefer this book.

I am so glad there was a sequel to The First Year Journal. A friend of mine got me started on the first one and I had to purchase the toddler journal to continue commenting on my child's development. Now, two kids later, I have had the chance to read and take notes about how they've developed for the first three years of their precious lives. What a great gift to give them later in life. I love the scribbling pages and handprint pages to show their progress. I also love the three areas that are covered each week: physical, cognitive, and social. I highly recommend getting this book, as well as the first one, and make as many comments as you possibly can because you forget so much about those first three years throughout your child's life.

I love this book! It provides very helpful developmental information that is always VERY accurate and also provides great prompts to help you journal about your toddler. I would recommend it to anyone!

I loved this journal and had 3 of them for my 3 triplet girls. I enjoyed entering little tidbits about their life every week, adding handprints and their own artwork in the appropriate spots, and the descriptions of development at this age and questions asked. It was not onerous. Usually, I would jot down a few things while I watched TV at night at the end of the week.

I was sad when my girls recently turned 3 and I could not find another journal like this one to continue charting their journey.

I love the activities, information, pictures and songs in this book. Great book for you and your newborn.

The book was good, but for the price I was disappointed. You are your baby's first "entertainment system" with silly faces and songs. For $20 this book basically gives you ideas that you can easily find for free on the internet and in less costly books! Don't waste your money; there are less expensive books on the market with the same information.

When I brought my first baby home from the hospital, I looked at him and thought, "OK, now what do I do with him?" This book gives you a little something to focus on each day, either a song to sing, an exercise, a game, or other suggestions to entertain and stimulate your baby. It's like a friend giving you a good piece of advice every day! You and your baby will love it!

This is a great, easy to read guide for new parents. It gives great suggestions and information on building a close relationship with a newborn. The book includes information and activities appropriate for each week of a baby's life, up to age 24 weeks. It also has great bold illustrations for each week that are fascinating to babies - very handy for baby's visual stimulation. The book is very pro-baby, pro-hands on bonding, pro-parent/baby interaction. This would be a great gift for any expectant or new mom/dad to give her/him tangible suggestions on what to do with baby to make the most of their relationship and to optimize baby's development. This book is simply wonderful!

Babies -- there is so much for them to experience and learn! And there is nothing they enjoy more than spending time with those who love them! Where can you find information to help make the most of your baby's first 6 months -- a most important time of their lives?

The book, "Baby Be Loved," by Susan Ann Stelfox, will help you do just that! This ingenius book contains ideas, activities, and helpful information for each day of your baby's life, from birth to the 24th week. You'll find developmental milestones, exercises, games, songs and other inspirational ideas for bonding with your baby. In addition, each week of the book displays a baby-friendly image that will help stimulate your baby's developing vision.

MyParenTime.com highly recommends this book -- how I wish it was available when I was a new mom :). The spiral bound book is made so it can hang like a calendar, which makes it very accessible for quick glances of information. Most new parents don't have time to read standard parenting books to find a great daily idea or suggestion. This book helps solve that problem by allowing information to be found quickly and easily. What a perfect way to leave more time for treasuring those special moments with your new baby :).