Infant-and-Toddler-Health Books

I picked this book up on a whim because I was so frustrated by the surprising lack of information from my doctor and on the internet about what to do after those first couple solid food meals. Yes, I knew how to recognize when my son was ready to try cereal. Yes, I knew to start rice cereal first. Yes, I knew to feed him a tiny, heavily watered-down portion with my finger. Yes, I knew to wait a few days to see if he had an allergic reaction before giving him another new food. But then what? How big a portion should I be working up to? How much formula should he still be drinking, and should he still have the same intervals between meals? How do I go about adding foods to his diet, and what ones should I avoid? The choices of baby food flavors seem so limited---does that mean I shouldn't be feeding him other foods if I can puree them myself? How do I start a sippy cup? This book answers all those questions and tells you how to go about preventing allergies while encouraging your child to not be a picky eater. The "day in the diet" and week-by-week "month in the diet" sections were priceless to me, as were the groupings of foods by nutrients so you know which ones fill a nutritional void if your child strongly dislikes something else in the same category. I also liked that the book explains how to make your own food if so inclined, giving helpful tips for fixing portions that will store well. It was educational to learn that fresh produce isn't ALWAYS better because some vegetables are high in nitrates, so frozen is better while your child is very young. The other reviewer who mentioned that this author is very militant about breastfeeding makes a good point, but it didn't bother me too much because I bought the book when my son was a little over 5 months old---so I skipped past the sections on newborn nutrition. Fortunately, when you get to the sections on solid foods, breast milk and formula are referred to fairly interchangeably. I spent the first three months of my son's life beating myself up over the fact that I "failed" at breastfeeding (despite counseling from two lactation consultants), but I'm not going to let a book make me feel that way again. My son is now a very happy and healthy 6-month-old who is a joy to be around---and who eagerly tastes every new food placed in front of him!

Reviewed by Jamie Driggers

Babies don't come with instruction manuals, and though it seems like the process of feeding them should be instinctual, many times it is far from it. Enter Baby Bites, a comprehensive guide to feeding your baby from birth through the difficult toddler years.

Whether you plan to feed with bottle or breast, each has factors that can make the process more or less difficult. Both are covered in this book as is the transition from breast to bottle. Have questions about what you can eat or take while nursing? It's covered. What are the differences between the additives in various brands of baby food? It's in there. If your child prefers fruit over veggies, which fruits have similar vitamin content? Covered. Do you plan to make your own baby food? Would you like some recipes? Are there some tools that are better than others? Yep. Yep. Yep. You'll find the information. And lots more.

This is a book that you will probably want to buy and keep on your shelf for reference. It isn't particularly easy to read from cover to cover, but as a quick guide it would be quite useful. The book contains food charts, diet guides, questions with answers. There are sections dealing with food allergies and colic. There is way more information than most parents will ever want to know. But, of course, we don't know what we want and need to know until we need to know it, do we?

This book provides you with more than just strategies for feeding your child well, it is an all-inclusive guide to feeding with bonus side issues that are often the result of feeding. I especially appreciated her more balanced opinions on the types of food regarded as more "healthy."

Armchair Interviews says: A great gift for new parents (or grandparents).

Warning! This book made me feel like a terrible mother being that I do not breast feed my baby. Most of it resorts back to the benefits of breastfeeding your baby and how formula feeding will never match up to it. It should have spent more time dealing with the steps of actually feeding your baby not how breast milk is the way to go. I think I actually cried while reading sections of this book becasue I formula feed my child. God knows I tried breast feeding.
Other than that, It is a good reference.

Baby Bites is an excellent resource for every family. I've read several books on child nutrition and this one is my favorite. It has all the information you need to feed your children healthfully. As a mother of two and a registered dietitian, I highly recommend Baby Bites.

I bought this book to help me figure out what and when to feed my 6-month old son. I wished I had bought it when I got pregnant! It is an excellent resource for nutrition when baby is born up to toddler years. I skimmed through the first chapters since it covered things I've already been through, and I realized that this book pretty much answered all my random questions I had during the first 6 months of my son's life. I tend to be an internet searcher for answers since books tend not to give me the answer I need when I need it, but this book pretty much covers it all and without a lot of extra information.

It's easy to skim through so you can get to the points you want to read about, all the information is chunked in an informative way, and it even covers nutrition for vegetarians and vegans, which surprised me.

I try not to live with too many "should haves" in my life, but I do keep thinking I should have bought this book months ago. It would have saved me a lot of grief when I was wonder about breast feeding, formula, spitting up, colic, poop color, etc..

Even if you do buy it late in the game, it's well worth the month. Tons of information that will guide parents on the right path when they're feeling completely clueless or frustrated by a lot of advice.

This book is very basic. It has a basic explanation of conditions, but does not go in depth on any particular condition. It will explain a what a rash is, but if you want to know why or how to cure a rash on your baby's face that has a particular look or pattern, this is definitely not the book for you.

I highly recommend this book for everyone with children. In my nine years as a parent I've read a lot of books on childrearing - four complete books on sleeping alone and numerous others on different aspects of discipline and development - and this book is one of the most informative, easy to read, and helpful that I've seen yet. My personal favorite chapter covers behavior and development. This chapter pulls everything together from toilet training to discipline. The book is also extremely informative on symptoms and illnesses, home care tips for children and medications. I now have new tips for coughs, a problem I have been dealing with since my four-year-old son was an infant. The down-to-earth information on medication means I won't be overwhelmed when I go into a drugstore to buy over the counter remedies. I have already referred to this book dozens of times, even though I've only had it for two weeks. This book is so useful that I'm ordering extra copies as baby gifts for all my friends with newborns.

This is the perfect handbook for all new parents. We are grandparent's and it reminds us of the original Dr. Spock book, without the political agenda, that we denpended so much on when we were raising our kids. It's a basic how to handle most common childhood illnesses and symptoms. We bought it to use when our grandchildren visit us. When our kids saw it, they were so impressed they bought copies for themselves to use in their homes! It's easy to read and easy to find answers. I wish we would have had this book when our kids were growing up. We also like the common sense behavior strategies and recommendations. It's a great book!!

Parents receive practical advice on how to handle common childhood symptoms, injuries and illnesses with the aid of a guide which covers everything from baby checkups and medications to developmental and behavioral issues. Packed with practical advice, Quick Reference Guide To Your Child's Health is organized in a form lending to quick and easy consultation.

This book is well-organized, easy-to-read and very thorough. Any questions you may have about childhood illness or injury are listed alphabetically with helpful descriptions and specific advice on home treatment, as well as when you should call your doctor. It includes a great section on symptoms for when you aren't exactly sure what illness your child has, plus dosing information for over-the-counter drugs. The best part is that it is written by two women with extensive medical experience (a pediatrician and a pediatric nurse) who also happen to be moms! This book would make a great gift for new parents or anyone spending time with young children!

I've found no other book that offers a truly balanced, evidence-based look at sleep in babies and toddlers. While the author seems to try too hard to be kind to everyone, despite the evidence that shows some practices wanting, she still offers the most science-based look at sleep available. And, thus, the tips are offered within a context that makes them truly valuable to parents.

I would have given this book a much higher rating if Reichert hadn't folded at the end and advocated Ferber's Cry-It-Out method. For most of the book the author admits to being a loving, nurturing parent. She doesn't let her kids cry; she co-sleeps; she has a lot of attachment parenting behaviors. However, in the interest of not making waves, she opens her arms to the more militant Ferber approach. Sorry, but I can't condone that and I wish she wouldn't have.

Other than that a couple of her chapters are very good--like the ones entitled Temperament, The Generation Gap, and Half a World Away.

This book just ends up saying: Babies are going to wake up; don't fret over it; do whatever you want to deal with it. Man, it could have been a much better book if she had stuck with what she does instead of what she hears about what other people do. (She refers a lot to polls that were taken in cahoots with her magazine, Today's Parent.)

This is a top-notch guide to solving your baby's sleep problems. I am constantly recommending it to the expectant parents I work with through my doula practice. The book discusses the pros and cons of various sleep-training techniques, explains the science of sleep cycles, debunks common myths about what causes nightwaking, talks about how generational differences can lead to conflicts between parents and grandparents over sleep issues, and offers tips galore for coping if you've got a night-waking baby or toddler. I also like the fact that it refers to Canadian health associations such as Health Canada and the Canadian Paediatric Society. Highly recommended.

I have tried all the so called expert sleep books and techniques and always ended up feel either frustrated or incompetent. But In Search of Sleep has made me realize that night waking is not about bad parenting or bratty little kids, but biology and development and culture. It is only a problem if we see it that way.
I love the way this book reframes the sleep issue, and the array of coping strategies the author offers.

The subject of sleep and babies is a very contraversial one. There is a lot of guilt and mthys surrounding it. The author does a wonderful job of educating the reader about what all of the MYTHS are and what the FACTS are. There is very little research that has been done on breastfed babies and sleep as well as co-sleepers. As a doctor and as a new mother I am constantly amazed at how many people are quick to judge what kind of parent you are depending on whether your child is sleeping through the night, as well as what strategies you have employed for "sleep time". The generation gap is huge on this topic and many mothers are left to feel guilty by the choices they have made and have no one to turn to as their mothers just do not understand. Most women will lie to avoid saying their baby spends any time in their bed. This book helps women feel good about the choice they decide to make and gives information in a factual non-judgemental way so that people can make a decision for themselves that suits their temperment as well as their babies. A must for any mother struggling with the sleep issue.

I loved this book! It is not the typical pregancy book, and it does not tell you what to eat, what to do, or what your baby looks like from week to week. It's more of a documentary that follows a two-doctor obstetrical practice in New Jersey, and the mothers-to-be that the practice services, during a nine-month period. In addition to the pregnancy issues facing the practice's patients, the book reveals the behind the scenes drama and personality conflicts that exist among the staff and doctors. The two doctors have very different personalities and practice styles, and that comes through very clearly in the book. The book follows what I would call an average young, recently married couple over the course of nine months, from conception through delivery, with insight on how parents & friends react to the pregnancy, how the couple feels about the pregnancy, how they deal with career issues and such, and of course, medical issues with the pregnancy. In addition to the "average" couple, the doctors treat a number of women with not-so-average pregnancies, such as the one carrying quintuplets, the one carrying one dead and one live twin, and so on. I wouldn't rely on this as your primary source of information on pregnancy. It's a little out of date (written in 1994) and in my opinion, the doctors are a little too enthusiastic about epidurals, episiotomies, and such -- but it is a fun, novel-like fast read and it gives you a sense of what your doctor may be thinking about when he's treating you.

"Having Babies" is well-written and I found the articulated writing style helpful with making the characters true-to-life and keeping the chapters interesting. However, as far as looking to this book as a source of information....well, just be sure to check out many other sources as well. The information is presented somewhat in depth but I am very wary of the one-dimensional aspect of the "factual" parts of the book which are presented as ultimate truth. For one thing (among many others), the side effects (physiological and consequential) of various pain meds during labor are not even given lip-service, let alone well-examined.
Again, utilizing many other sources of information will make this book a more valuable read than just reading it alone.

I recently borrowed this book from the library and it's really great. Although there are many informative books out there about pregnancy this book prepares you for pregnancy unlike any other book out there. I truely recommend this book!

It's a shame this book is out of print. I just recently picked it up the library and it is the best pregnancy book I've read. The author spent nine months getting to know the staff of an obgyn office and the patients. You follow one couple from them flirting with each other to a dance all the way up to the birth of their first child. Then you also get various stories on the way along with various facts about the obgyn field.

Two warnings though:

First..there are a couple of very sad stories that are not too fun to read while you are pregnant. But if you're the type of person who can face reality, you'll be okay.

Second...The hospital where the babies are born is a little on the old fashioned side (ie: babies swept away to nursery, no rooming in).

But still, I loved this book and highly recommend it.

Like Todd Parr's other books, this is a fun book with great illustrations. We bought it for our second child. We've had some difficulty compared to other baby books in that the pages are of "shiny" nature and sometimes dark making it a little difficult to find an appropriate pen to add comments.

My Really Cool Baby Book opens up a whole new sight for young ones. They explore many things. They learn good things to do and bad things not to do. Children love it!

This book is Great! you can fill in the blanks,attach stickers and record all the things a your baby does. It's not about Do's and Don'ts as the other review says and very different from his other books which are all Great

When we brought home our first foster child with the hope of adopting, we felt she needed to have a baby book like any other baby would have. But we had a really hard time finding a good one. I didn't want to have to leave a lot pages blank when I didn't know all of the information that a traditional baby book asks ("When my mom found out she was pregnant, she ..."). Then I found this book. There's one page that says, "Some special babies are adopted" and a box to check that says "I was." One page says, "I'm lucky because I have..." and you write how many moms, dads, etc. The pages are easy to fill out with a lot of choice boxes to check. It's colorful with silly pictures that the child will enjoy looking out as she gets older. We're now on our second "foster with the hope of adoption" child and we're going to use this book again.

This book was much too clinical for my taste. I'm a pregnant woman, not just a statistic or a patient. I want to know more than just the basic information, and I don't need to know the technical/medical/Latin phrases for everything (I found this really distracting while reading the book); just tell me in plain language what is going on. The book omitted a lot of information about the various things one can expect to happen during each trimester, and I could have done without the extensive lecture on genetics. The data that was presented seemed to be well-researched, but I just don't think it was presented in the most effective manner.

I looked for a long time to find a book that assumed a woman without an MD degree could still understand much of what happens to a pregnant woman; this one cites studies, describes biological processes, and generally treats the reader as an adult. I admit I had litmus tests: Feinbloom says there's no reason to circumcise and admits that there are no data to prove that consuming a small amount of alcohol endangers a fetus.
This and Vicky Iovine's Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy are the only books I'd give to a newly pregnant friend, and the only ones I'm wholly glad I bought for myself.

My husband and I worry a lot, especially now that we're trying for our first baby. This book has been a great resource from a well-respected doctor. Not only does it provide in-depth information about a lot of pregancy and baby concerns, but it also analyzes the information to help readers make important decisions. Definitely a must have for those sleepless nights!

I've done a small survey of pregnancy books recently, and this is the winner. As another reviewer said, "If you only buy one, make it this one." I expect to have no problem getting my husband to read this book. It is not cutesy, it is not preachy, it does not read like a conversation with a close friend. It reads like a conversation with the doctor you wish you had -- one who would spend hours explaining things to you. The author is sympathetic to the trials of pregnancy of childbirth and parenthood without treating any of those conditions as an illness.

The book has terrific information on what to expect as you're pregnant, what to expect in the doctor's office (like a list of all the standard tests, how the tests work, and what they're looking for) and the whys of a lot of things. The book does cover some unusual complications, but gives clear statistics on how common they are. The author is big on data, and will say clearly if he thinks something is a good idea but that there's no data to back it up. Bottom line: the author assumes that with good information, you can make good decisions. I plan to avoid "What to Expect When You're Expecting" -- I think I have the info I need from this book, without the super-stringent diet and calico print cutesy-ness.

This book wasn't what I expected, but it was interesting. It's more organized into groupings of quotes or excerpts from welcoming rituals.

It had some lovely things that we used for my daughter's welcoming, though I wish it would have given citations for where these excerpts came from. I found a few that I was fascinated by and wanted to read the rest of it, but could not find where it came from.

If you are looking for ideas or quotes to get you started creating your own welcoming, this book will help a little. If you are curious about the history behind the quotes used...this book won't help at all.

This is an amazing book that is beautifully written and packed with ideas. It has several sample welcoming ceremonies that you can do, but it also provides enough information for you to make up your own using different elements of each. I loved the cultural information and the suggestions for creating altars. I think this would make a great baby shower gift and is a must read for all pregnant women.

So Welcoming Ways quotes Thomas Moore, in introducing one of its beautiful rituals to introduce children into the world.

This book is a fantastic collection of traditions and ideas for welcoming our newborns into our lives and homes. While I plan to have a traditional Catholic baptism when my baby is born, this book gave me several additional ideas to help honor my child before this date. All family members are incorporated into the ceremonies, to give the child a sense of becoming part of a whole, who is eager to have them join into the family.

World customs are mentioned, and it was a treat to read what other countries do to celebrate their babies. We have become disconnected with the rituals that make up life, and this book is a wonderful way to help new parents develop a way to mark the huge step of welcoming a new child into the home.

This is a book that needs to be on the shelf of every parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, god-parent, parent educator, OB-GYN, Midwife, NICU nurse,adoption agency, and anyone else who has contact with infants & families.

I am a parent of two daughters, ages 4 & 6, and I am saddened that I did not have this book when they were born. Yet, I am also a parent educator, and hope to provide many pre-natal families information about this book and the value of traditions. I also plan to give this book as a gift to all of my friends & family who are or will be expecting a child---I feel that it is as important to them as the prenatal information they receive.

The illustrations are beautiful, the text and content inspiring, and the cost exceptional for a book that will/should be passed down generationally.

Out of the ton of books I bought, this was the most practical, down to earth and easy to access in times of trauma! we now have it at Pre-school and use it constantly. If you can only buy one, buy this......you will use it again and again.

Doesn't have a lot of info that I didn't already have in other books that were not toddler specific. Would be OK I guess if you don't already have other baby books that cover through age 5.

As a mother of a toddler and a doctor who cares for toddlers and their parents, Dr. Natterson's book appeals to the mother and the doctor in me. The clear, concise, easy to understand information is accessible to those both new and seasoned in toddler issues. The book's organization by system makes it both readible as a text from cover to cover, or an excellent reference for specific questions. As the author mentions, this is a superb 'springboard' for more information, providing reputable websites for more details of each illness or condition. Dr. Natterson will answer your questions and concerns, explain what's going on with your child, and help get you through daily challenges of a parent's survival of toddlerhood.

Ironically, both my sons were sick when the book arrived in the mail! Dr. Natterson's book is clear and precise from ear infections to the use of anthistamines. I highly recommend this book to parents. It's a simple and straight forward reference guide on children's illnesses. I'm pleased to now have the answers at my finger tips.
Thank you.
Jocelyn Stuart

This would be a great book to give as a babyshower gift, wish I would have read it when I was pregnant. Book is wrote in a Question/answer format and is very easy to read. Wish doctor would give a list of age appropriate foods to serve. Alot of books I have read will give suggestions but I feel safer hearing it from a doctor. If you find it used I'd buy that copy.

This book is an easy read and well written. I wouldn't buy it as your only infant feeding reference, but I do consider it a must-have. As the parent of an infant with gastro reflux, I especially recommend it for other reflux parents -as this book is written by a pediatric gastroenterologist who doesn't skip over reflux in a quick, brief paragraph like other baby books. I do appreciate Dr. Vartabedian's inclusion of details such as the minimum calories needed per day by weight (though he does discourage calorie counting!). One extremely interesting part of the book is where he discusses low-iron formulas. After 6 mos., about 27 oz. of formula a day meets an infant's daily iron requirements whereas an infant on a low-iron formula would need 83 oz in one day to fulfill the body'd iron needs. -This is great info to tell your mother-in-laws who claim that your baby's digestive problems or gas are iron-related and insist on a formula switch. This is a book that you do not have to read cover-to-cover. You can simply go to the section appliable to your baby. The index is very comprehensive as well. An over all good book.

First Foods is so informative and very easy to read. I was so scared to start feeding my daughter solids, but this book answered all my questions and provided reassurance. I really liked the question and answer format. I am lucky enough to have Dr. Vartabedian as my daughter's doctor. She had horrible reflux - but now she is doing great and eating much better. I think every first time parent should get this book!

This is an absolutely fabulous book and has been a total lifesaver in dealing with a VERY picky 2 year old!!! The idea's are wonderful and I would highly recommend this book to ANYONE (Mummy or Daddy!!!)

Ann's style makes it easy to navigate the often-difficult world of baby and toddler dining. She covers these topics much better than other books.

Ann Douglas gives practical nutrition and allergy pieces of advice and more--sprinkling her books with fantastic and real stories of other moms. She doesn't preach and does allow for the discussion of alternative and natural choices, such as vegetarianism.

This book is a great companion to her other works, such as "Sleep Solutions".

As a new Mom of a baby approaching the "solid foods" age, I found this book to be very useful. Specifically, I really liked the concise approaches in the book (generally in table format) in the areas of 1) what foods to introduce and suggested general orders, 2) what foods to avoid until given points in time (egg whites, honey, etc..) and 3) how to change textures and introduce new foods as you approach an older baby/toddler.

I liked the fact that the approach was "open" in that I don't need to follow as rigid a timeline or schedule as I may have found from other sources. The tips and quotes from other Mom's also made the book unique - afterall, I consider other Mom's to be experts at this point!

As a new Mom, I don't have alot of time to read - so I found this easy to read and quick/concise....easier than pulling the information out of multiple other sources. The other great part is where the author gives links to various sources for further info such as baby recipes etc... I also look forward to utilizing the baby food calendar that the author supports through her website.

I would definately recommend this book to other new Moms that are trying to figure out the "solid food" thing!