The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby from Birth to Age Two (Revised and Updated Edition)

It's a great book, which provides tons of useful information and great tips for new parents. I would strongly recommend it to my friends. Although, during my child birth classes all nurses and pediatricians recommend that parents buy a book written by the American Academy of Pediatricians. They say it's the best book for parents.

Someone recommended this book to me. I thought it was a kinder, gentler book on taking care of your baby, so I bought it. Well, after having an unplanned caesarian, trouble breastfeeding, and some post-partum depression, I turned to my trusty book for some answers. I realized this book is nothing but Dr. Sears's opinion on parenting.

He recommends wearing your baby until the baby falls asleep. My daughter was so collicky she would cry the whole time. The bottle-feeding section will just make you feel bad about not breastfeeding, which is not so good when you have post-partum depression. I also tried co-sleeping with failure. I would wake up at the tiniest sound she made. After two weeks of co-sleeping, we put her in the crib, where she has stayed since then. Thank goodness because I had to go back to work in three months.

My daughter is now 3. She is independent, happy, healthy, smart, and active and she sleeps in her own bed every night thanks to the AAP childcare book and the Dr. Weissbluth sleep book.

Poor Mrs. Sears! She must be exhausted after having eight children!

I will be giving this book as a gift for every baby shower I go to from now on. The first month of my baby's life I spent constantly referring to the couple of books I had, and was frequently disappointed by the vague coverage of such basic topics as crying. My baby was fussy for hours at a time and it wasn't until I stumbled upon the AskDrSears.com website that I felt like I was getting very practical advice. I bought the book soon thereafter and it has been my primary resource ever since. I trust the experience, both as parents and children's health professionals, that the Sears family brings to the book, and I have had great success with attachment parenting.

Like everything else to do with parenting, your mileage may vary depending on your personality, and that of your child. But any parenting philosophy that emphasizes physical and emotional closeness with your baby can be generally relied upon to deliver happy results.

I never use this book. I really don't like it.
It is all attachment parenting based and not at all as I would like to approach caring for my baby.
It is all about never letting your baby cry, carrying them with you all the time, sleeping with them etc. Not my style at all.
Would not recommend it

I checked this book out of library when my first child was a baby. I now use AskDrSears.com website. This book is very comprehensive and a good reference book from attachment parenting perspective. I would also recommend to read about other perspectives.

If you need to go back to work then you may find that some ideas are not practical, but overall it is a good book. It talks a lot about breastfeeding, carrying your baby in a sling and co-sleeping. Sears don't tell you that you are a bad parent if you are not following all the ideas, they tell you to find what is best for your baby AND you. If offends you or makes you feel guilty to hear a lot about attachment parenting, then this book may not be for you.