Infant-and-Toddler-Development Books

There are a lot of books out there that talk about child development and what to expect for new parents. This book really does not give you any specific things to look out for. Basically it is written like a self help book with not much in the way of guidance. For child development get the book called "Baby Steps" by Claire B Kopp, PHD. In addition, the stuff in this book is made into an applicable 5 step process for calming your baby in the DVD and book called " the happiest baby on the block".
The Dr. Spock books dont go into depth in any one area. I suggest finding specific topic books on the areas of interest to you. A lot of things in this book are things that once I had the baby did nothing for me. In addition, when you leave the hospital , the nurses and pediatrician seeing your child at the hospital go over this with you prior to being discharged.
Don't waste your money on this book.

This is a very thorough, well organized resource for baby/child questions and issues from birth (even pre-birth) on up. I tend not to think any one book is a complete all in one - but this is pretty darn close. We also like that the advice and opinion offered is not as tense as some other books, as in "you MUST do this and be SURE you DON'T do this", rather, it offers examples and reasons behind the tried and true and stresses no one is a perfect parent - no two babies are exactly the same.
I plan to purchase several copies for my friends that are currently expecting.

Guys,this book really help us expect what is not expected, and prepare us for each detail and baby development needs.

If you spend an equal time reading the book/time with baby ,you will know what baby is saying. The book gave me hints of what to look for.

I thought this book would give insight on what a baby's different cries were for. It didn't do this. It only stated some obvious observations.

This book talks about the different gestures and sounds that babies make and how these are signals to parents that they are trying to communicate. For example, we would usually dismiss a baby's first smile as a reflex, that it did not mean anything. The authors, however, explain otherwise. This first smile and eye contact is a baby's first attempt to try to connect with his/her parents. The book goes on further to explain the different cries and how to interpret whether baby needs a diaper change, is hungry, or is in pain. Other chapters include baby's hand gestures and the meaning of baby babble. This is a useuful book since not only does it talk about the things babies do, but also gives suggestions to parents about toys and games that encourage interaction. It also introduces parents to the pros and cons of teaching baby sign language. All in all, this is an excellent book for would-be parents and parents alike.

The book explains the basic concepts of the phenomena in a language which is simple and clear.

Judging from the title, I was expecting a book which would give practical advice and resources for raising an intellectually gifted child. Even though I was surprised that the "gifts and talents" the title refers to are in areas such as "sense of humor" and "social consciousness," I tried to appreciate the book anyway. After all, it is true that all children have some "gift" or area of excellence, whether it is in an academic area or not. However, I found the book dull and lacking in useful advice. I got very little out of it. At the very least, they should change the title to reflect the emphasis on social talents.

This book is a great reference tool for any new parent. With week by week insights into how your baby is developing, and what to expect along the way, it's the best book I've found.

We used it every day. It is a day by day guide. The entries are short which is important at that stage because you don't have a lot of time. We left it in our bathroom and that was enough to have time to read it every day. It really lets you know what to expect(what they could be doing or physical developments).It also gives you a good idea of when to go to a doctor. It also teaches quite a bit of what new parents need to know to take care of their babies.(Just don't be thrown off by what they put in for the first week- It's what you need to know but you may not have the time for it. That week is better to read ahead if you can.) LOVE IT!!!!

This was a bargain book that indicated it may have a "small mark from the publisher or an Amazon price sticker." The price sticker was there and that was fine. However, the cover has a long carpet-knife mark all the way down one side, the front and back covers are bent and have small tears. the binding is loose toward the end of the book. There was a stain that, luckily, I was able to wash off. This book was a gift for a young, new mother and I didn't have time to return. I will know better next time. GR

I liked this book so much with my first child, I am re-reading it with my second and it is my standard first baby gift.

If you are a new mom, I suggest that you dont read this book. It relies heavily on milestones and what babies should be doing at each week. For example, it says that your baby will be holding its head up, sitting, walking, etc at specific weeks, which are often on the earlier range on the spectrum. I dutiful read each week, but constantly felt alarmed and concerned about my childs development (and I'm normally a laid back person). My pediatrician told me that my child was fine and had no signs of delay, and to throw away the book. I did, but this was only after months of reading over and over again that my baby was "behind" and not doing what they were supposed to at each week. This is just not encouraging or comforting for a new mom. I wish I never had read it.

I read the translated version (Chinese). It is a wonderful book and I've learned a lot from it. I used some of the recommendations on the kids in the nursery where my wife and I volunteer and they worked!

Some reviewers mentioned only about the spanking which covers a very small portion of the book. In any case, I personally don't believe the author meant to tell the parents to beat the crap out of their children. I think he meant to say that children sometimes need discipline and a little spanking on the [...] or hand might do the trick, especially when dealing with strong willed children, the target of this book. Take myself for example: I was a very strong-willed child, my father seldom punished me but, I still remember vividly one incident, even after 40+ years. When I was about 4-5 years old, once he gave me a slap on my hand when I said some pretty nasty thing to my elder half sister (from my mother side). I was more in shock than in pain from the slap but, needless to say, I learned the lesson and never made that same mistake again.

One of my close relatives spoils their only, also strong-willed, child exactly the same way as described in the book. The kid is now 27 years old, living with his parents and having problems holding on to a job, again, exactly like what the book describes.

Love comes in different forms and kids come with different personalities. The parents are responsible for figuring out the "right" way, spanking or no spanking, to teach their children. This book merely suggests methods that worked before.

On a side not, Dr. Gynthia Ulrich Tobias has authored several books dealing w/ how to bring up children of different personalities, also very informative.

BTW, we DO NOT spank the children in the nursery.

All of you idiots who think that this book is about beating your kid obviously don't know how to read. Dr. Dobson says that SOMETIMES it is necessary and also says shows you how to discipline while NOT taking your child's spirit. Just because you don't agree with spanking DOES NOT mean you need to bash the rest of the very good advice he gives. He has excellent insight to the strong willed child. All of you naysayers obviously have never had the pleasure of figuring out the delicate line of disciplining a strong willed child while not squashing the wonderful personalities they have. I struggle everyday with my daughter because she is so streng willed....but I have to teach her how to use that strong will in a positive way and not impulsively.

I have a spanking spoon. I don't beat my children with it. Rather they get one solid pat on the behind when they are out of control...which is not common. My children are not afraid of me or my hand. They do not like the spanking spoon and almost always correct their behavior when they get the warning. I was spanked as a child and I love and respect my parents so much that I hate being away from them. As a young adult I always reflected on how my choices would affect not only my life, but my parent's feelings. They tried very hard to guide me and my sisters in the right direction and I am thankful that they loved me enough to discipline me when I needed it. Dr. Dobson does not advocate beating your children....obviously some folks can't see past the politically correct world view to read what the man is teaching. Honestly, if you really think that by providing boundaries for your kids is somehow limiting their ability to think for themselves or to be creative then maybe you should look at some of the great minds of the past. A time where corporal punishment was the norm. BUT, in contrast take a good look at what you're allowing your children to idolize, to be influenced by, and to emulate and you'll see what a world that is free of guidance and discipline is about. Thankfully for my family, Dr. Dobson is a friend and not an enemy.

This book is sick. If you don't remember what it was like to be a child: needy, defenseless, and full of bouncy energy-don't have children if you don't even care to try to remember. Don't have children if you don't "have the time or the energy". Raising kids isn't like raising plants or fish. Grow up yourself(irrespective of age) before you bring some defenseless person into this world who expects to be loved and cherished by you(ALL THE TIME). If you don't like being "on demand" all the time, kids aren't for you. Why have kids??? They aren't a requirement for initiation into adulthood. Why have kids and then hurt them? Any "parent" who is attracted to a book like this needs to question their own level of maturity, and their own desire to have children. This book is sick.

I'm 22 years old and recently found out my parents raised me according to this book. Violence is not tolerated in our society except on children. To this day I have flashbacks to my childhood when my parents would hit me (probably ages 3-10). You can sugar coat the word however you want but spanking is using physical force/violence. I remember feeling so small and weak and terribly afraid when my parents would hit me. Today as an adult I look at young children and the thought of hitting them horrifies me. The idea that using physical force/violence upon a tiny child to get them to behave is harmful to society. Dr. Spock is a much better resource on how to raise kids without using violence. Good behavior should not come from fear of pain, it should come because you like people, want to get along with them, want them to like you. Nowhere else in society is violence tolerated. I don't trust my parents because they still advocate spanking and I would never let them alone with my future kids.

As a childbirth educator I have reviewed numerous books on birth and can only strongly recommend this book for my students/clients carrying multiples. While every other developed country in the world knows the benefits of hormone-free meats and animal products and evidence-based maternity care, we Americans still suffer under our unrestrained capitalistic model of care. Yes, the author, Eliz. Noble, recommends organic and natural foods and yes, vegetarianism. Food corporations began giving them to animals in the 70's--not for our benefit--but for their's. Faster growth and more production. The American Cancer Society recognizes that vegetarianism is the most effective way to avoid most cancers. But Noble says if vegetarianism isn't for you--go organic. It is also the TRUTH that our bodies have not changed in the last 35 years, but how OBs treat women certainly have. What mainstream Americans consider "in their best interest" advice from their OBs is often actually "liability-risk care" and not "evidence-based care". Noble cites studies and evidence-based care and this is simply too difficult for most mainstream Americans to hear. That's why, out of the 26 placings of developed countries, we rank #25 in maternal mortality and #21 in infant mortality. That's bad, very, very, very bad. For the truth that other developed countries know, read this book.

I really appreciated the author's views on protecting children. I found her to be progressive and well-informed when it came to such issues as circumcision. There is a great deal of medical research which shows that circumcision is harmful and traumatizing to the child, and this author tells it like it is.

I bought this book because it seemed to be highly regarded by other parents of multiples. However, I have been disappointed in the overall content. While Elizabeth Noble does a fine job of pointing out that carrying and delivering multiples is often risky (which I knew -- that's why I wanted a book!), she inserts a lot of personal bias and commentary into passages that are presumably meant to be factual/informational. Those of us who are not strongly interested in an organic, vegetarian/vegan diet, and those of us who are NOT REMOTELY interested in childbirth without pain meds, might find the tone of the book off-putting.

The many cross-references could be valuable resources for the reader, but the references and information do tend to be older. The first edition of the book was published in the early 1980s; subsequent editing has not addressed Ms. Noble's reliance on studies from the 1970s. Without more recent information on twin mortality and complications, it is difficult for the reader to determine what is REALLY worrisome or advisable.

My biggest concern about this book is its focus on all the things that could go wrong. It's true that expectant mothers need to be informed, but we also need to be supported and reminded that the vast majority of twin pregnancies result in two perfectly healthy babies. FWIW, *most* resources that I've seen focus on the scary side -- but the fact that they all do it doesn't make it ideal.

I plan to buy another, more recent book to get me (and my babies!) through my twin pregnancy.

I've read most of this book and the more I've read the more bizarre it is. Noble claims that hypertension, anemia, and gestational diabetes are natural aspects of pregnancy that can be harmful if treated. She says bedrest is actually harmful, that ultrasounds increase fetal mortality and left-handedness (???) and a host of other claims. She implies that those carrying multiples many years ago gave birth to healthy 7-lb each infants with none of the problems that some of us having multiples face today. She is an advocate for veganism, water births, home births, doulas and midwives and avoiding pain meds. Though my twins are big and healthy I certainly didn't take the advice in this book.

This is not medically sound advice nor is it objective or open-minded. It is a book of extreme views.

This was the first book that I bought when I found out that I was expecting twins and I found it to be outdated and full of a lot of biased information. The author has her own thoughts about what type of diet you should eat and advocates natural childbirth but doesn't provide a very comprehensive point of view to assist those that may not want to experience childbirth the way that she has. If you share her views then this book will be very helpful to you.

I also tried contacting a lot of resources at the back of the book and found most of the numbers to be disconnected.

I thought this book was a nice way to do simple activities that stimulated various senses with my baby. I also worked part-time and I gave it to my nanny when I was away to give her ideas of things to do, which she really enjoyed. I liked the specific reasearch linked with each activity to help me understand why a particular activity was helpful. While some of the activities were things I was doing, many were new and I just liked having an easy reference to grab when I wanted to do something I might not have thought about. I also think it's a nice gift for a new Mom.

Considering the content of this book, it is really not worth the fifteen dollars listed on the cover. It consists of games and activities that are basically traditional; the sorts of things that most mothers do with their babies. Five to ten dollars at most would have been a much more reasonable price.

However, it is not a bad book at all. Contrary to what the previous reviewers said, parents will not automatically know all of these games. Granted, I would definitely have done some of the things mentioned in the book with my child anyway (for example, holding the baby and making faces), but many of the other games may expand the parent's "bag of tricks" or inspire new ideas in them, and there's nothing wrong with that!

The best thing about the book is that it emphasizes the importance of human affection and interaction in promoting brain development, rather than expensive toys or gadgets. So go ahead and purchase it if you find it on sale, or take it out of the library. Just getting a few good games or tips will make it worth your time.

This is a nice little book for first time parents who aren't always so sure how to 'intelligently' entertain the new little person in their lives. Everybody wants their child to become the smartest and best they can be but find it sometimes difficult to figure out how exactly to promote that in the first few months. This book gives some nice and simple ideas that anyone can follow to hopefully get a few extra smiles out of their babies.

What a waste of trees to make this book. 120 things you do naturally & 5 minor, unimportant things you don't. DON'T BELIEVE THE REVIEWS WITH MORE THAN ONE STAR. ALL THE POSITIVE REVIEWS WRITTEN BEFORE MINE except one have only reviewed books by this author, all that they give high grades for, most likely FRIENDS OF THE AUTHOR. If there are other reviews by them check the date, it will be after my posting. I checked their reviews because I couldn't believe anyone would give this book 5 stars. Some "games" listed are and I am quoting "Let's Watch" this is where the baby just watches whatever is happening around her. "Diaper Song" sing to your baby as you change its diaper, the pages brain research section states "singing to babies facilitates genuine bonding between adult and child". There are about a dozen different games of peek-a-boo offered. You can play it with a loud voice or try singing peek-a-boo. For a real change of pace you can put a puppet on your hand to hide for peek-a-boo or any number of ways you already play peek-a-boo. Only buy this book if you're looking for clutter for your bookcase.

I have 125 Brain Games for Babies and love it. It has many little games that I knew but had forgotten about; but it has many more that I never would have come up with. It does a good job of simply explaining the specifics of brain development and it�s importance in the first months of a child�s life. This is a good, handy basic book for a new parent.

Surely Authors should not be allowed to give inevitable five star reviews to their own books or in this case a book adovcating their own methodology/books.

As the researcher who developed the BabyPlus prenatal enrichment system, I was flattered to discover my innovation had been accurately portrayed in one chapter of Sarah Brewer's Super Baby. Neither I nor the technology's manufacturer had prior contact with this physician-author, and that she personally utilized the product before writing about it was highly impressive since both scientific and maternal perspectives are represented. Because the work is intended as a practical guide for parents-to-be, its technical material remains necessarily abbreviated, but several studies in peer-reviewed academic journals over the last decade stand behind the results of my discovery (some are posted in their entirety on easily-located websites), with one independent comparative assessment employing classical music, maternal singing, BabyPlus, and a control group mentioned--from a physician team headed by Mikhail Lazarev, M.D., Ph.D., Chief of the Children's Health Laboratory, Center for Rehabilitative Medicine, Russian Ministry of Health--its newborn and infant outcomes detailed in the popular hour-long British television documentary, "Brave New Babies," narrated by actress Miranda Richardson and aired frequently on The Learning Channel as well as throughout a dozen countries. My own book on the historical, theoretical, and applied aspects of this fascinating subject is due for publication shortly.

or the print version of an infomercial? The author repeatedly pushes something called Baby Plus - an expensive pre-natal stimulation device. She claims some study done in Russia showed it to be remarkably beneficial. But the study is not accurately described and the institution that did the study is not specified. I've read several books about pre-natal and early development and they ALL say that no study has ever convincingly shown pre-natal sound stimulation to be beneficial.

I think the manufacturer of the Baby Plus product must have paid the author to write this book - but isn't that supposed to be disclosed somewhere?

This book and the BABYPLUS sytem have had a PROFOUND affect on my daughter, Cary! My daughter was born alert and enormous (a common side affect) at 9 pounds 12 ounces. Despite a tight fit through my 5 foot 3 inch frame and the fact that she got STUCK, her head was big beautiful and perfectly round. No conehead affect. She nursed like a pro..and didn't stop for nearly three years! She has reached EVERY milestone early. She sat unassisted at 4 months, and walked back and forth across the yard like a pro by 10 months. At 1 1/2 she could peddle a 12 inch training wheel bike very quickly up and down the sidewalk. My older daughter wasn't even ready for that bike until her 3rd birthday! At age two she could pump her legs on the swing..high..and no longer needed to be pushed. By age three Cary could read many words and knew all her letters and letter sounds. She could do a perfect cartwheel.

Now at age 4 Cary can read any beginner book very well...5 months before kindergarten. She can do back walkovers and back handsprings without any assistance and has been moved from her preschool gymnastics class into a "by recomendation only" competetive team! The coach had to seak out special permission from the owner because this isn't normally done for 4-year-olds. Officially, kids are supposed to be 6 or older to enter the team. She has also been given special permission to attend "open gym" and "back handspring clinics" which are also reserved for kids age 6 and over. She is an amazing violinist. After only 6 months of lessons, she is farther along than many of the kids who are in their third year! Is she over-loaded? NO WAY! She doesn't want to leave and then begs to go back! She wants to wear her leotard to bed everynight. We've compromised on an under-the-jammies solution.

I got online today to buy myself a new copy of this book since I had given mine away a few months ago to my pregnant sister-in-law (along with a Brand New Babyplus.) If you're worried about the cost of the program, don't be. Just consider the resale value. That's what I did. I got most of my money back...and my daughter still has 100% of the benefits. I'm beginning to "try" again and will soon be buying another Babyplus.

After experiencing the profound affect that the system had on my daugher, I can not imagine carrying a pregnancy without it. It's more than a little advantage. In my opinion, not using it is creating a disadvantage. My daughter has so much SELF_CONFIDENCE! That alone is worth all the money in the world.

*********************** The only other major baby-boosting system that I would highly recomend is breast-feeding. Studies show that breastfed babies have higher I.Q.'s. How much higher depends on how long the child is nursed...the longer the better. The World Health Organization recomends a minimum of 2 years! Read all about the importance of breastmilk on brain development in this book! **********************************

This book's tack over other pregnancy and early childhood books is its focus on research related to developing the baby's mental capacity. I have always felt that the vast majority of children, probably including myself, are born and raised in an environment that does not help them deal with the world; instead parents let the public school system teach them the basics of education. The last thing I want for my kids is for them to have to learn things critical to their successful development as a citizen while at the same time dealing with the shock of being in a strange environment with lots of kids they don't know. At times the information gets dry, as there are many references to research, but the author makes an effort to present it in a format that makes sense to the layperson.

This book is absolutely awful. I read it to be informed and wound up being offended. If you feel this way about having another baby, you shouldn't! This book reads like first children are the greatest joy, and all the ones who come after that are just intrusions on your perfect little family. Ugh! There are many ways to prepare your home and eldest child for a new sibling, and none of them should involve this miserable and cruel piece of garbage. As for sibling rivalry- as one of four children, and now a mother of five- I can tell you that it only happens if you allow it to happen. Foster love between your children, and they will respond by becoming great friends.

I can't believe there are really women who feel this way about their second babies. God help them. I threw this rotten book in the trash. Don't waste your money on it- go buy something to celebrate the new life growing inside you and the new member of your family!!!

I had hoped this book would provide more insight and ideas. I didn't feel it really addressed preparing children based on their ages and understanding, and I wanted to know what a two-year-old will be feeling and thinking about a new baby, and I was hoping for more ideas. There are a few funny anecdotes, but overall, I didn't find anything useful.

I found this book to be very helpful. It's an easy to read guide with a lot of useful advice. I've been able to use many of Vicki Lansky's ideas to help my toddler not feel left out. I am pleased that my oldest feels proud to be an older brother.

I was disappointed in how small this book was, and that on every other page it was selling other books or even T-shirts! I think it could have been a lot better. The one chapter in The Girlfriend's Guide to the Toddler Years that deals with bringing another baby into the house was more insightful than this entire book.

Vicki Lansky finally answers all of your questions about being pregnant with another baby! Everything from how to handle you toddler while pregnant to bringing that baby home!

Will you love the new baby too? Will your older child be able to handle the transition? What can you do to make the transition more smoothly? Can you move the toddler rfom the crib in time? And many more...

This information is conveinently divided into age categories and is in a nice format for quick reading when you have a few minutes!

While I applaud all attempts to provide supportive advice to our young people as they navigate the path of adolesence, I have a hard time supporting authors who copy the writings and titles of a fantastic book TSM that came out on this subject in the late seventies. Get your own material!

I heartily recommend this book to any parent of a teenage girl. Dr. Ayers knows exactly what she is talking about. The teenage years are so crazy anyway that it is hard for a parent to know what is normal and what is not. This book explains how teenage girls think, which behaviors are normal and which indicate a problem. It provides practical and specific advice on effective parenting, problem-solving and dealing with crises and emergencies.

I heartily recommend this book to any parent of a teenage girl. Dr. Ayers knows exactly what she is talking about. The teenage years are so crazy anyway that it is hard for a parent to know what is normal and what is not. This book explains how teenage girls think, which behaviors are normal and which indicate a problem. It provides practical and specific advice on effective parenting, problem-solving and dealing with crises and emergencies.

This book is perhaps the worst teenage manual I have ever seen. The advice is at times completely biased and untruthful (assuming, for example, that girls who are fat must be selfish) to destructive and sexist (if your teenage girl jumps up from her seat, have her repeat the behavior and stand up more gracefully). The entire tone of the book is almost condescending towards young women, as if the author is at best bemused by them. I have a Master's in Social Work, twelve years experience working with young people, and volunteer experience in several national youth agencies, and I am raising a teenage girl. Of all the books on kids I have ever read (And I've read literally hundreds) this is the only one I actually threw out.