Infant-and-Toddler-Health Books

If you are looking for a workout, this is not the book to buy. It basically has shapes and not a workout for the mom. Not worth it!

What a great way to spend time with your baby and get back in shape all at once. The book is easy to follow and fun for both you and your baby.

Some helpful information enclosed but mostly just a simple relaxing book to read.
The pages have large print and you can breeze through this. Got a few good tips but not as many as I thought I would get when I started reading this book.

I'm turned off by these dummies books. Is there ANYthing they don't have a book on. ANd I'm not a dummy. It's so much nicer to look at a DVD, especially when there's not only baby massage info, but information from a QUALIFIED therapist on baby development and natural exercises and interaction to do with your baby to make sure he is developing well. I recommend Aimee Ketchum's DVD (very inexpensive for the top quality and plethora of information in it) and WEE Exercises (also very well done).

Let me make it clear that I was -- and am -- looking for a beautiful book containing beautiful photographs about baby massage -- a book to promote baby massage in a extremely visually appealing way. With that in mind, and the fact that I haven't read the actual text of the book closely: the book is illustrated with 24 color photographs and numerous color pencil drawings. The reproduction quality is only ok. This is the best photographic book about baby massage I've found so far, but I haven't stopped looking.

This book has the most beautiful pictures I've ever seen, which is why Anne Geddes is so famous... but if you just like her work, then you should just by one of her books that are solely just photographs; which is why I gave it three stars, because as far as a journal goes, it's not that great; there isn't any pages to put pictures or keepsakes or anything... but her photos are wonderful (if you just want to buy it for that).

This was not what I was expecting. First, it is written for United Kingdom and I didn't understand some of the terms they used. All of the "Useful Address" and websites at the back of the book were in England. I think some of the tests the book talked about are not done in the US. (I could be wrong, that is why I wanted a book on pregnancy!!) Page 18 told you "The later you have your first child, the greater the reduction in ovary-cancer risk." Page 22 said "And the later you have a baby, the greater is your risk of ovary cancer." I flipped back and forth between these pages for 15 minutes trying to figure this out.
It did have some really good points and it did make me feel better about my decision to wait to have childern. It is a good start if you are just beginning to look into pregnancy if your over 30. But, get it at the library........

It is a rather curious thing that Ms. Robin has changed the title of her book from "Bottlefeeding Without Guilt" to its current incarnation of "When Breastfeeding Is Not An Option." Very curious indeed, especially since the entire book itself is based around feelings of guilt.

The conception of this book was a damned cunning idea.

Very astutely, Ms. Robin has picked up on the fact that sensationalism and wild exaggeration sells. Sensationalism *especially* sells when it involves justifying the feelings of those would-be buyers who can read this book and say, "See? I'm not the Devil Incarnate after all! Finally, somebody understands me and is telling me that not only am I not at fault for bottlefeeding, but those horrible women who breastfeed and were mean to me are all members of a cult!"

Nobody ever said that logic sells.

In a market-led society where authors must struggle to come up with ever more titillating ideas, each one outdoing the previous, this author is proof positive that the majority of women are Sensors/Feelers on the Keirsey Temperament scale and will gladly buy a book that is not even based on pseudo-science (sarcasm alert) in order to justify their feelings of abject failure.

There is, of course, no need for me to reiterate the facts. It has been scientifically proven, over and over again, that breastfeeding is the BEST option for your child. That cannot be, and is not, disputed.

If bottlefeeding had ever been a good idea, surely there would not be so many silly women that would need to read a book like this, since it would simply be common knowledge that bottlefeeding wasn't in fact wildly inferior. The fact that this book, and others like it, are even written is just further proof of the inferiority of bottlefeeding. Especially since, once again, the book is based on the GUILTY FEELINGS OF THOSE WHO BOTTLEFEED.

I wonder why those favourable reviewers of this book feel that things should be sugar-coated before they are spoken? Is the truth really that difficult to handle? Wouldn't they rather know the facts so that they could make the wisest decision possible for their children?
Here we come to another fact: most pregnancies in America (even amongst married couples) are unplanned. This is why ultrasounds are routinely performed as a matter of course at around 12 weeks gestation of the fetus. It seems a little strange to me that something as important as bringing a child into this world wouldn't be well thought out. But then I look at books like this one and heave a great sigh when I realize that there are some women who are so selfish at heart that they would bring an innocent and defenseless child into this world and not even bother to make an attempt at breastfeeding it.

Choice? Yes, women can choose to feed their children however poorly they want. Seems they'd want more for their children, but that's just me.

Finally, I give Ms. Robin a failing grade on this review for taking the easy way out.

Ms. Robin could have felt her feelings of guilt and remorse and put them to good use.

She could have mobilized people to ACTIVELY participate in making breastfeeding easier for those who choose to nurse their children. She could have reported how most women don't have any access whatsoever to lactation specialists at their hospital, and who are left on their own to grapple with breastfeeding in the dark.

In short, Ms. Robin could have been a force for good, an agent of change, speaking on behalf of other women in her shoes. Instead, she took the easy way out. She became a passive nihilist. Since there was nothing to be done about her feelings of guilt, she turned inward, ran back scurrying to her little rabbit hole to hide in, and then she advised others to do the same. Why? Because knowledge of their errors would be too painful. Avoid pain at all cost and be passive. Blame others for succeeding where you failed, call them a cult, anything to make yourself feel better.

Ms. Robin, maybe someday you will write a proper book. An interesting book full of facts and inspiration, rather than some pieces of paper held together by binding that is of little use to anyone.

As a mother who has both bottle and breastfed, I find this book disturbing. You can get better information with the packets in the hospital. This book is filled with wrong information, and if you didn't know you should feel guilty about bottle feeding you will when you read this!

This book is a wonderful resource for mothers who choose to formula feed their babies. It is a breath of fresh air in a country where there is virtually no support network for bottlefeeding moms and dads...and who are constantly harrassed by militant lactivists...such as the ones who have written negative reviews about this book. My question is this....If you are breastfeeding....why on earth did you read this book? It was obviously not written for you.....or are you just in a dogmatic haze debasing this literature without having read it just to prove your point? You don't see bottlefeeders writing bad reviews about books on breasfeeding do you? Stop being so angry and militant and let us make our choices without guilt. It is because of women like this that a book such as Peggy Robin's had to be written. Read it and you will see that it is far from "angry". And it helps you see that yes, you can have a healthy, thriving, intelligent child regardless of whether you use breastmilk or formula.

I think there needs to be more books in the world like this one. I truly feel no one has a right to tell me what is right for my baby. Everyone comes from different situations, so don't be so quick to judge. Learn the facts before you form an opinion.

This book has made a huge difference for me. I can't breastfeed due to an infectious disease which will spread to my baby via breastmilk. I just felt so terrible about not being able to breastfeed because I actually believed the propaganda that breastfeeding prevents all sorts of other disorders. I felt I was giving my baby a bad start. Reading this book made me realize that although breastmilk is best when possible, as I've always felt, formula is not the devil's toxic brew that some radical activists make it out to be.

The author clearly states that she is not a health professional. She clearly states that she is just a woman who found herself unable to breastfeed and totally alone and without support as a result. I found this to be true as well.

This book is the counterbalance that women need in this society where the mantra "breast is best" is drilled into our heads and the science is skewed to such a disgusting degree to make non-breastfeeding women feel guilty.

I know women with the same disease as I have who have breastfed because they were so controlled by the media and propanganda surrounding breastfeeding. They felt that breastmilk was the golden elixer and that their child would suffer without it. Now they have very ill children because they caught the disease from their breastmilk. Nice job!

Women need truth and education and free choice... not guilt-tripping and blown up BS research. The radicals have made a big mess and hurt many children in their quest to help them and they don't even see it.

My mother was La Leche League in the 70s and I and my four siblings were all breastfed. I know breastfeeding is the better option if your milk is safe and your baby is able to get enough milk from you, etc. I highly recommend this book to anyone who can't breastfeed or can't manage to breastfeed due to something in their life.

While I really enjoyed this book, I will concede that the previous reviewers have a point: calling this book "The Nursing Mother's Guide to Weaning" makes it sound like it's just, and only, a how-to manual on weaning your baby. In fact, it is a somewhat condensed primer on weaning patterns throughout history that transitions into a breakdown of the nursing relationship by age group (under 3 months, 4 months to 1 year, 1&2 years, older than 3) and then discusses characteristics, challenges and possible solutions to these challenges other than full weaning before discussing weaning techniques. Thus, this book, in it's entirety, is for the nursing mom who is thinking about weaning and wants some things to ponder when making this decision. One point that I liked was also touched on in "Mothering Your Nursing Toddler," the fact that it's tempting to feel frustrated and tired and blame this on the fact that you're still nursing. This seems to me to be an oversimplification, however, a too-simple solution for a multi-faceted issue. For the mom who has absolutely decided to wean, as is stated in the introduction, the author has colorcoded bars at the top of the short segments at the end of each chapter that detail the weaning techniques by age group. (The setup of the book is similar to her breastfeeding book in that it contains full chapters and then important information condensed at the end, which I liked.) By skipping the chapters and just reading the pertinent colored pages, a mom could get just the info that they need very quickly. For a mom needing to wean immediately, certainly this book would be useful, though it would probably be prudent to just check it out of the library. I am glad that I bought it, though, and will be revisiting it in the next couple months as my son's and my nursing relationship winds down.

While it's true that this book encourages extended nursing, it also contains useful strategies for weaning at any age. If you're on the fence about weaning, read the whole book and then decide. If you're sure you want to wean, skip the "whether to wean" sections and go straight to the "weaning ideas" pages. The book offers a variety of strategies and stories from numerous parents.

First of all, let me just say that I am pro breastfeeding, but I also believe that it is a personal choice that every mother must make for themselves. So is weaning. I support nursing mothers whether they do it for 2 weeks or 2 years. My daughter is 9 months old and has always been breastfed. She never would take a bottle and doesn't like formula, even in a cup. I got this book because my plan is to wean my daughter at one year and I was looking for some practical advice. Well, I didn't find it in this book. The chapters are grouped by the child's age when you plan to wean. 90% of each chapter focuses on the reasons you may decide to wean at that age and why those reasons are not valid ones. The book basically shoots down every scenario for weaning your child. The sections on "how to" wean focus on how ineffective most of them are. This is not a book that will give you support and advice on weaning. It does not acknowledge and accept the fact that breastfeeding until your child is in preschool is just not the right choice for everyone. I am proud of the fact that I have breastfed this long but the decision to wean is something that I alone (taking my daughter's needs into consideration) will decide. If you are looking for a book to talk you out of weaning then this is the book for you.

I also loved the Nursing Mothers Companion and am very pro-breastfeeding, but I am sad to say that this book is not what it purports to be. As pointed out in other reviews, much more time is spent telling mothers why they shouldn't wean than how they might wean. A great disappointment.

I absolutely love the Nursing Mother's Companion and have used it as a reference on and off since my son was born a year and a half ago. I was hoping that the Guide to Weaning would offer me some innovative tools or helpful exercises to better understand how and when to wean my son. Instead, it seemed like most of the chapter on toddlers (1-2 years) was a cheerleading session for strategies of how to continue nursing, with a short section on ideas for how to wean at the end. I really didn't get any new information here - I think that most moms who decide to prolong breastfeeding have already had to figure out how to manage where and when it's okay for the baby to nurse; it's the final step of actually weaning that can be difficult to tackle. In all, I didn't find the book to be particularly supportive of my choice to begin weaning my son or to offer any concrete suggestions beyond common sense and advice that's easily available from other moms who have been there before.

This book contains helpful information, but fails to talk about one important aspect of a premature baby. It does not address how to manage being separated from your baby while it is in the NICU. I would have appreciated a little more focus on getting and keeping your supply up when you must pump, and cannot feed on demand. Otherwise, a very fine little book.

I was really hoping for lots of great info when I ordered this book, but it wasn't there. LLL really needs to update this and include the specifics that moms need to nurse a preemie. This is not a book but a pamphlet. When it came in I devoured it in a short amount of time and couldn't believe that that was "all there was". I really expected more of a LLL publication and was very disappointed, however, the info it did have was good and accurate, there just wasn't enough of it.

I'm the mom of a 29 weeker who weighed 1lb 10oz at birth. She barely tipped the scale at 4lbs on coming home two months later. I pumped breast milk while she was in the hospital and wanted to be able to breast feed when she came home. It was very difficult and I needed information on getting a preemie who's been bottle fed in the hospital to latch on. This book had general information but was no help with the specifics. It was a waste of money for me. It might be helpful for someone with a brand new preemie who is considering whether to try breastfeeding or not.

I wish that I had had this book right after my son was born at 30 weeks. I had breastfed my older (full term) daughter but knew nothing about breastfeeding a preemie. This book gives a very positive outlook and really makes you feel like it is possible to nurse your preemie. There is information on pumping and storing your milk, on problems you may encounter while pumping, about kangaroo care and on helping your preemie learn to nurse, including pictures of nursing positions that are especially suited to preemies. Most importantly, there is information on ways to provide supplemental feedings other than by bottle to avoid the nipple confusion that may hinder breastfeeding.

This book is rather short. I don't think it is meant to be an all encompassing "how-to" breastfeeding manual, but rather a nice way to begin learning about breastfeeding a preemie. Anyone who wants to nurse their preemie should take the author's suggestions to see a lactation consultant to heart. My son came home exclusively breastfed and I owe my success in nursing to several caring, hardworking lactation consultants. You just can't learn everything you need to know from this or any book, but this book is a good place to start.

I would suggest skipping this one, even at the low price, and buying the latest Baby Bargains -- This book appears hastily put together, has information that is so self-evident it doesn't need to be stated, snubs its "target" audience of first time mothers by putting in a whole section on preparing siblings for the birth, and has out of date information -- The Midas car seat deal it suggests is no longer offered, for example. Also it has no index, so even for the few things I found interesting were very hard to find again.

Call me lazy, but I was really looking for a spare, organized month-by-month or week-by-week CHECKLIST. This is a regular book (albeit a short/small one) and not a particularly well-organized one at that. I want to know what to do when . . . I don't want safety tips for strollers or fluffy and outdated information on maternity clothes. Save your money; I wish that I had.

This being a first pregnancy for me, I was very interested in this book. It hasn't let me down. The book is pretty good really, & I would recommend it to any first time Mom who is uncertain of when she should buy what. The author explains how to use the book, breaks down the checklist by trimesters, offers advice for after the baby arrives, & even includes a pregnancy calander.

While not chock full of information about pregnancy in general, the book does give you guidelines to follow for purchasing important baby items & making baby plans. I think I'll use this book throughout my pregnancy. It's definitiely worth the money