Some parents will say that you don’t need to read books; you can learn everything on the way from ‘experience’. That, my dear sir, is not true. A well-written book is not just a book, it contains experiences of many and hence you get to rely on statistical evidence, not just anecdotal evidence. From that perspective, this book is an excellent introduction to the baby’s first year.

Unfortunately, I bought this book rather late; I got it when my daughter was already 5 months old. All I can say now is that life could have been much different if we got it and read it before the baby exited the birth canal. Anyway, my wife doesn’t like these books too much as she prefers talking to her friends/family about the baby rearing wisdom. But due to my limited social skills, I have to, unfortunately, get all such wisdom from books. And reading a book also helps me in completing my Goodreads Yearly Challenge, and if anything in this world helps you complete your challenge, why sir, you must do it.

Speaking of the book, the chapters are structured to give you a month by month forecast of what to expect from your little-devil. Additionally, it gives medical insight into the growth of infants. For e.g., I learned that baby’s muscles develop from top to bottom (head to toe). That is why babies first and foremost learn to balance their apparently heavy heads (1-3 months), then they are able to hold their backs and sit up (4-8 months), and finally, their leg muscles gain strength allowing them to walk (9-12 months). This specific, top to bottom, progress is fascinating if you really think about it. Then, there are other interesting phenomena that were very useful for an ignorant person like me. For e.g., there’s this phenomenon called “teething” where infants grow teeth and it is apparently very painful for them. My 5-month-old also grew a pair of central incisors recently, and now it makes sense why she was crying unstoppably a few weeks before the teeth eruption.

Another fascinating but controversial topic is that of “sleep training” that was dealt with good detail here. I call it controversial because it is especially so from an Indian context where having babies sleep in a different room and giving parents a peaceful night of sleep is widely considered taboo. But in the West, it appears that it is common that parents and babies sleep in separate rooms. So this “sleep training”, an act of purposefully ignoring a crying baby for a fixed amount of time so that they go back to the sleep on their own, is not only interesting to me from a scientific viewpoint but also a cultural perspective. Nevertheless, my wife has a very low tolerance for a crying baby so unfortunately, we won’t be able to try this fascinating technique of “sleep training”. Basically, now we’re looking at 3 years of sleepless nights with a clingy baby. Such is life.

There were many other things that I can’t mention here in the interest of brevity. And obviously, I didn’t read this book from cover to cover, as there were many sections that were not relevant. But this book is like a holy book that you come back to time and again as and when needed. And with this book by my side, I feel confident that I know all that I need to know. For the first year at least.

Final Verdict : Don’t be an overconfident jackass and assume that you’ll figure out parenting and baby-rearing on the way. Read a goddamn book or two. Start with this one. And let me know if you find any other.

Full disclosure, I didn’t finish this book, which is why I’m giving it 2 stars because I assume there’s some good info somewhere in there. Within three pages this book weirdly fat shames literal babies by saying that breastfed babies are “less likely to be too chubby” and tells you that breastfeeding can “help you shed those leftover pregnancy pounds faster”. It’s not 1990 anymore, Heidi. We’re done body shaming people.

Reading "What to Expect the First Year" while pregnant is kind of like drinking from a firehose. There is just so much information, and all of it makes so much sense that it's hard to absorb it all. It's probably my fault for trying to read this before the baby comes, but I was thinking that once I'm a milk-feeding, sleep-deprived zombie, I wouldn't have time to read it.

With all that said, I do feel like there's a lot of great information in here, and I have bookmarked entire sections as reference for the future.

One thing I will also say is that I'm happy that a lot of the information is aligned with what I've been reading in other books. I think I'm finally learning what I need ... or at least, getting all the theory ingrained into my brain.... now for the practical hands on... *sweat*

A great "User's manual" for parents!

I found this book really helpful when I read it month by month. It helped give an overview of what milestones can be expected when and what to look for each month. It does have a lot of information and can be overwhelming, but that also can be helpful if you use the index to look up a specific concern. As a first time parent, I really appreciated it!

I think like a lot of people who loved "What to Expect when you're Expecting' I have mixed feelings about this book.



It was helpful and had a lot of useful information organized by age. But I think the first year is more about time ranges for things to happen and some specific issues just occupy more of your time. I spent half my time trying to figure out nutrition for the baby (breastfeeding and then solids) and then dealing with teething. Colic wasn't much fun either. The development stuff was obviously a pre-occupation too, but the book just helped me with the outline only.



So, basically - it helps you deal with your first stage questions on everything from feeding, teething, sleeping, growing, crawling, walking, talking and other milestones, but if you have more time and based on the personality of your child, you are really going to need more in-depth books on those specific topics.

A perfect source of information about the first year (and beyond) of parenthood.

Some information (especially the parts about weaning) feels old, and some articles are too long.

However, if read with those in the back of your head, you can take a lot of positives out of this book.

The only thing truly helpful in this for me was the list of milestones. Otherwise, the writing felt a little overly judgmental. Parents have it hard enough with hearing conflicting recommendations on how to raise their child. The advice in this book is a bit over the top in terms of its ability to be realistic for the average parent. Instead, it seems to just add stress by insinuating that those who don't make efforts to follow all of the "guidelines" in the book are doing their little ones a disservice. I honestly expected better from the person who wrote "What to Expect While You're Expecting". I expected to read a bit more of an open-minded and comforting dialogue.

I read this because I liked What to Expect When You're Expecting. I liked this one even better. It's packed with facts and practical advice. As a first-time dad, I found it especially useful.

The chapters on illness and first aid are overwhelming; I quickly gave up on trying to take notes. I skimmed the chapters to become aware of what could happen, but I'd rather rely on advice from the pediatrician or medical staff in the event of serious sickness or injury.

I found the section on baby sign language interesting because someone recently told me how she used sign language with her daughter, and it made communicating much less frustrating.

Notes

Feeding
Bottles
• Introduce bottle around 5 weeks, after breastfeeding is established. Introduce 1st bottle 1-2 hrs after breastfeeding and gradually build up by swapping bottle for breastfeeding.
• 1st bottle shouldn’t be offered by mother.
• Feed until baby stops eating.
• Start with 1-2 oz formula at each feeding and gradually increase.
• Start with 1 bottle feeding per day for 1 week before switching to 2/day.
• Boil bottles and nipples before 1st use. After that, dishwasher or hand-washing is sufficient.
• Discard milk or formula remaining in bottle after feeding.
• Start weaning from bottle at 8-11 mos; may take 1-2 mos. Finish by 1 yr.

Storing breast milk
• Refrigerate as soon as possible.
• Room temperature up to 6 hrs.
• Refrigerate up to 48 hrs.
• Chill for 30 mins, then freeze 1-2 weeks in single-door refrigerator (3-6 months for models that freeze foods solid).
• Thaw in fridge and use within 24 hrs, or thaw under lukewarm tap water and use within 30 mins.

Solid foods
• Introduce solids at 4-6 mos, depending on doctor’s orders.
• Introduce foods 1 at a time, 3-5 days apart.
• Iron-enriched cereal is the easiest source of iron for non-formula-fed babies.
• You can freeze homemade baby food in ice cube trays.

Early foods
• 4-6 mos: rice cereal.
• 6 mo: barley cereal, oat cereal, applesauce, bananas, pears, peaches, peas, carrots, green beans, sweet potato, squash.
• 7-8 mos: chicken, turkey, lamb, beef, avocado, egg yolk.
• 9 mo: yogurt (whole milk), cheese (Swiss, Cheddar), pasta, beans, tofu

Cups
• Start teaching to use cup at 5 mo.
• To motivate switch from bottle to cup, use bottle only for water, and cup for other drinks.
• Sippy cups have many negatives, so avoid if possible. Start with spoutless cup and use sippy later if necessary, but limit sipping to meals and snack times.

Miscellaneous feeding notes
• Powder formula is least expensive.
• By 4 mo, babies don’t need to eat during night.
• No nuts or honey until doctor okays, around 1 yr.
• It’s OK to let baby eat food dropped on house’s floor.
• Try to hold off on sweets for at least 1st year.
• Limit sugar and salt.
• Don’t forbid foods; allow occasional treats when child understands the concept of rare treats.
• When doctor okays cow’s milk (around 1 yr), give only whole milk until age 2.
• Don’t push food on baby. If she likes only one food for a week or more, let her eat it. However, try to sneak other foods into or onto it.
• Don’t laugh at or scold high chair antics, or baby will be encouraged. Don’t comment on manners except for praising good behavior.
• Brush and wipe baby teeth with washcloth after meals and at bedtime.
• Don’t use fluoridated paste.

Sleeping
• Don’t try to implement a sleep schedule until baby is several months old.
• Breastfed babies don’t usually sleep through night until 3-6 months.
• You won’t spoil a baby by consistently responding to crying within a couple minutes. Studies show these babies cry less as toddlers. But, if you’ve met baby’s needs, it’s OK to let her cry for 10-15 mins.
• By 6 mos, OK to let baby cry it out at night.
• Feed baby a while before intended nap or sleep time so she doesn’t fall asleep during feeding. Put to bed when drowsy.
• Teach baby to fall asleep without breast or bottle at 6-9 mos, but you can try earlier. Put to bed when drowsy.

Schedule
• By 3 months, some babies have a regular rhythm, but many don’t.
• Don’t try to use a schedule before 2-3 mos; let baby eat and sleep on demand.

Playing
• Limit baby swing to 30 mins, twice daily. Move her to crib before she falls asleep.
• Children don’t understand that items can belong to someone else until 2.5 yrs, and don’t understand sharing until 3.

Talking to baby
• Avoid pronouns; say “mommy”, “daddy”, and baby’s name.
• Use simple words some of the time.
• Talk about here and now.
• Imitate baby’s sounds.
• Raise your pitch; babies prefer high pitches.
• Start pronouns around age 1.
• If teaching a 2nd language, start at 2.5-3 yrs.

Baby sign language
• Baby sign language doesn’t impede spoken language skills.
• Begin as soon as baby shows active interest in communicating, by 8 mo or earlier. Most babies sign back by 10-14 mos.
• Develop your own signs by using simple gestures for words or phrases.
• Speak and sign simultaneously.
• Encourage others who spend time with baby to sign.
• Use signs that baby invents.

Discipline
• With each “no”, try offering a “yes” in the form of an alternative, to avoid frustrating baby.
• Correction and reward work better than punishment.
• Your anger triggers baby’s anger; avoid angry outbursts.
• Research shows spanking promotes violence, aggression, and antisocial behavior. It also teaches to settle disputes with force.
• Alternatives to spanking: consequences such as time-outs, and positive reinforcement.
• A spanking or hand smack may be warranted when a child who’s too young to understand words does something dangerous.

Walking
• Children may first walk at 9 mo, or after 15 mo.
• Walking barefoot helps baby learn best. When she walks outside, choose shoes that are closest to bare feet (simple and flexible).

Medical care
• Keep baby calm for 30 mins before taking temperature so crying doesn’t elevate temp.
• Call doctor if baby under 2 mo has rectal temp over 100.2° (105° for over 2 mo).
• Don’t give aspirin to children. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is OK under 6 mo; acetaminophen or ibuprofen (Advil) OK over 6 mo.

Miscellaneous notes
• Pair short last names with long first names (and vice versa). 2-syllable first complement 2-syllable lasts.
• Keep nursery above 72° in summer, 68-72° winter days, and 68° winter nights.
• Wean from pacifier between 3 and 6 mos.
• You don’t need to wash baby’s clothes separately or with different detergent.
• Most experts agree that there’s no evidence that intense early learning (such as Baby Einstein) provides a long-term advantage.
• It’s OK for baby to suck fingers until age 5.
• A woman’s body takes at least 1 yr to fully recover from pregnancy and childbirth. Ideally, wait that long to conceive again.

An incredibly helpful reference guide. I will keep it on hand to consult as needed!

There's little to say about this classic and informative book that hasn't been said many times before. This is a definitive work on raising a baby through its first birthday. It may not answer every question you may have, but it certainly tries. This is the first place you should go if you have questions or concerns about your baby, and reading it through gives you a solid grasp of your baby's development and possible problems and solutions. You probably don't have to do what I did and read every word; reading the first section of each chapter—which is general information about that month's development—and then skimming the headlines in the "What You May Be Wondering About" sections, and only reading about those potential problems which interest you is probably sufficient.

One caveat, however. Like many informational books, some of the best stuff is at the end. If you plan to only read about each month as you reach it, don't wait until your baby is a year old to read over the last few chapters, especially the First Aid section, which has lots of good information you will not want to wait until you need it to read for the first time.

Unsurprisingly, the book is geared to be read by mothers, not fathers, but it's not too grating if you're a father reading it. If it bothers you, I recommend The New Father, which covers the same subject from a dad's perspective. Frankly I recommend reading both; there's surprisingly little overlap, given the identical subject matter.

Found it good for basic information, but not nearly as information as "The Baby Book" by Dr. Sears.