Secrets of the Baby Whisperer: How to Calm, Connect, and Communicate with Your Baby
by TRACY HOGG MELINDA BLAU
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (30 January, 2001)
list price: $22.00 -- our price: $14.96
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Editorial Review

The last thing new parents can find time for is quiet reading, so manyhelpful books on infant care rely on bullet points and a "let's get to thepoint" writing style. Tracy Hogg, a neonatal nurse, teacher, and mother of two,uses these techniques to good effect in Secrets of the Baby Whisperer.Focusing on newborns and their parents, her simple programs are a blend ofintelligent intuition and methods based on years of experience. The first halfof the book is devoted to E.A.S.Y--her name for creating a structured dailyroutine for you and your baby that makes the most of your baby's awake times andalso leaves time just for you. These concepts aren't designed to force yourbundle of joy into not following her body's needs, but rather to create afeasible middle ground between total rigidity and on-demand food and sleep (andno time for mom to shower). If it still strikes you as too regimented, keepreading. The author makes room for differences in personal style and includesshort quizzes to determine whether you're a "planner" or a "winger", and whatlevel of daily structure you are likely to find helpful. In the same chapter,she identifies five general temperaments of infants, how to get an accurate feelfor yours, and what methods of care are likely to be the most effective for histemperament. Her statement that babies prefer routine is backed up by researchfrom the University of Denver. While most of the book relies on anecdotes to getthe points across, Hogg does find room to back up some of her statements withquotes from various researchers and institutions. Included at the end of thebook are assurances that E.A.S.Y. can be followed even with a colicky baby orone who's been ruling the roost for the first few months. Frustrated parentsmight like to read the last page first: "all the baby-whispering advice in theworld is useless unless you're having a good time being a parent" is anexcellent reminder to enjoy this time with all of its ups and downs. --JillLightner ... Read more

Reviews (349)

If you can't think for yourself, don't have a kid!
I really liked this book. It had some very good tips and useful
information. No book is 100% applicable to every person every time in every situation. Read the book and use your brain.
Ignore parts that don't apply to you or you don't agree with. But don't trash the whole book. The tables on reading baby
cries were helpful to me. The very flexible routine makes common
sense. I gave up on the routine when my son was born. However,
he's 3 months old now and I started to ease into the routine of not feeding right before he naps. After 2 days, he doesn't want to nurse to sleep - he fusses until I put him in his crib and he sucks his fingers to sleep. He's also sleeping 11 hours at night
when he doesn't nurse to sleep! I adjusted EASY to fit my baby and my life... sometimes (mornings) he's hungry after 2 hours, other times (afternoon) it's 4 hours until he's hungry. As with any book, you should read it with an open mind, adjust and apply the parts that you like and ignore the rest.

Good old fashioned common sense
This book has received a lot of good press, and once you've read it it's easy to see why. Tracy Hogg offers some good practical advice for new parents. The main message the author seems to be pushing in this book is really use your common sense. You might think that new parents don't need to be told this, but trust me - as a new parent - common sense can be one of the first things to go out the window in those first few sleep deprived months. I found the author's views about getting the baby to learn how to fall asleep on its own particularly useful. I had read so many other conflicting views about how to do this (from leaving the poor little mite to scream himself until he is blue in the face, to bringing the new addition into bed) and Tracey Hogg's advice has been, for me, by far the most reasonable.

I would definitely recommend that a new parent allocate a little of their precious spare time to reading this. It does help get things into perspective!

Not for us at all
Her style of parenting & recommendations are not what feels right for us. It is natural for a baby to be very needy and a schedule should not be forced on an infant. ... Read more

Isbn: 0345440757
Subjects:  1. Child rearing    2. Family & Relationships    3. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    4. Family/Marriage    5. Infants    6. Infants & Toddlers - Infants    7. Parent and infant    8. Parent-child relationship    9. Parenting - General    10. Family & Relationships / Parenting   

Super Baby Food
by Ruth Yaron
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (June, 1998)
list price: $19.95 -- our price: $13.96
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Editorial Review

Ruth Yaron cares deeply about what your baby is eating--so much so that her bestselling Super Baby Food is encyclopedic in both scope and size. Ounce for hefty ounce, this manual/cookbook/reference guide is worth its weight in formula, packed as it is with detailed information on homemade baby food, nutritional data, feeding schedules, cooking techniques, recipes, and other invaluable feeding tips. Yaron builds her compelling argument for making baby food at home on the simple premise that food profoundly impacts health, especially when an infant's developing digestive tract is involved. Parents will learn why babies should start out on rice porridge, bananas, avocados, and sweet potatoes before advancing to more difficult-to-digest foods such as wheat cereals and milk products. While Yaron's passionate stance and vegetarian bias may turn off some parents, others will be grateful for her strict attention to potentially harmful additives and chemicals. No matter what their eating philosophy, most parents will appreciate the economy and surprising ease of making baby food at home. This is not gourmet cooking; all you have to do is learn how to boil water and operate a blender. For veggies, simply steam some vegetable chunks and blend. For baby porridge, just grind some whole grains in a blender and boil. It's that simple. And when you're feeding your baby, simple is best. --Sumi Hahn ... Read more

Reviews (348)

An EXCELLENT guide to all aspects of feeding your baby !
The Super Baby Food Book is an invaluable resource in my library. It was my "bible" as I was figuring out how best to go about feeding my first born solids. I wanted to give him the very best nutritional start possible and Ruth Yaron's tips guided me through step-by-step. As my son approaches his 2nd birthday his diet easily still consists mostly of all the fruits & veggies and whole grain breads, pastas, etc. He actually prefers these! This book is set up as an easy reference book and is written in light-hearted, "real" language. The produce section helped me shop, store and prepare food for our family and I'm planning on using info in the "Fun Stuff" section to help plan a couple of upcoming parties. This is now my favorite baby and shower gift to give! I can't imagine feeding my kids without it. (I look forward to using it again with our second child who's on the way!) I hope you enjoy the Super Baby Food Book as much as our family has.

review from a doctor-mom
i have never written a book review before, but after spending the past several months with this book i have some strong opinions about it. for the record, i personally am a vegetarian but i do not have strong feelings about my child eating meat as he grows older. ultimately, i feel like this will be his decision, however, as an infant and toddler i do not believe that animal protein will add much more than cholesterol to his diet. as a vegetarian, the key to a healthy diet is protein from multiple complimentary sources including soy, dairy, legumes, etc so that "essential" amino acids and fatty acids (those not made by the human body.) this author purports just this: a diet made up of a healthy variety of building blocks minus preservatives, colorings, pesticides. so, in general, i really liked the book because it does provide very useful tips for the novice on how to buy, prepare, and store baby food. she really does make it surmountable-- even actually seem easy. and, most of all, it is adaptable to different households.

but, i would like to edit this book b/c i found it to be extremely disorganized and difficult to find specific information when in a hurry to prepare meals or introduce new foods. there is also a bit of inconsistency b/n chapters about when to introduce foods (i.e. dairy at one year, but milk yogurt is acceptable at 8 mos??)

also, i agree with previous writers that peanut protein should not be introduced before the age of 2 to avoid allergy-- 10 mos seems ridiculous. ultimately, it is very important to have your pediatrician review your basic plan for food introduction to make sure everything is ok and consistent with current recommendations by the american academy of pediatrics. but, in general, i found that our pediatrician was a-ok with the basic plan (except the peanuts!)

Additional Note on Microwaving
This is supplemental to a review already posted. The info presented doesn't reflect recent research on how microwaving destroys nutrients (see below), so when preparing or reheating food, try to avoid using the microwave; otherwise you might be better off using commercial organic baby food.

"PARIS, Oct 22 (AFP) - Cooking by microwave is the worst way to preserve a key nutrient in vegetables, while steaming is the best, according to a Spanish study reported in New Scientist.

Researchers from the national scientific research council CEBAS-CSIC measured antioxidants, a compound believed to protect cells from damaging reactive chemicals called free radicals, in broccoli that had been either steamed, pressure-cooked, boiled or microwaved.

Steaming the veggies left the antioxidants almost untouched, but microwaving virtually eliminated them, probably because this heated the broccoli from inside and generated too high a temperature." ... Read more

Isbn: 0965260313
Subjects:  1. Child Care    2. Child Care/Parenting    3. Family & Relationships    4. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    5. Health - Nutrition    6. Reference    7. Cookery (Baby foods)    8. Baby foods    9. Nutrition Of Infants And Children    10. Family    11. Children    12. Cookery (Natural foods)    13. Parenting    14. Infant foods    15. Childbirth   

The Nursing Mother's Companion
by Kathleen Huggins Harvard Common Press
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (15 July, 1999)
list price: $13.95 -- our price: $13.95
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Reviews (108)

Add this to your registry if you plan to breastfeed...
I'm a first time mom and went to a breastfeeding class which is how I learned about this book. I made the mistake of waiting until my son was 3 weeks before I made my husband buy it for me. It's supportive tone and easy to read format helped me a great deal. At first I did not find breastfeeding easy at all but this book encouraged and helped me out so many times that my son is 6 months already and I'm still at it (although he's supplementing now). And I'm glad I did. Also, it didn't make me afraid of supplementing-whatever others tell you, babies do not forget to breastfeed because breastmilk is sweeter than formula and they will always prefer it over the latter. I have read this book over and over and still refer to it from time to time. I wish I had asked for this in my registry because it would've been good to read it during the last weeks of my pregnancy. I agree breastfeeding is not for everyone and IT IS A LABOR OF LOVE but once you and your baby master it (read the book!) you'll be glad you did.

Good information, yet condescending and judgemental.
I grudgingly give this book two stars for its basic information in providing essential breastfeeding information. However, other, less condescending manuals provide this as well. A word of advice for mother's with ambiguous feelings regarding breastfeeding, mothers unable to breastfeed for whatever reason: difficult birth, C-section, adoptive parents, whatever... breastfeeding is not the only option. A mother is not a failure if she chooses not to have a child or two attached to her breast for months or years at a time. I was very offended at the judgemental tone and felt like a failure for weeks until I opened my eyes to how happy and healthy my baby was while being fed, gasp and sin, formula. DO NOT BEAT yourself up if breastfeeding does not work out or if it is simply unappealing. At a time when emotions run hot and cold at the best of times, piling additional guilt and feelings of inadequacy is ridiculous. You can still be a good mother, a great one, with a ! ! bottle in one hand and cuddling your baby. Yes, breast milk IS better and breastfeeding is a sweet time with a precious baby, but it is not so much better that you should to make yourself physically, mentally and emotionally miserable if you choose not to. It was milkbone city when our stupid lab ate the book.

We are blessed.
My husband and I wanted to breastfeed our first baby. One of our relative recommended this book and we bought and read it before my son was born. Emotionally and psychologically, it prepared us for the new experience.

During our 1st year of the breastfeeding, we continued to go back to the book for help. Our breastfeeding experience has been a blessing to our marriage and family. We are grateful. ... Read more

Isbn: 1558321527
Sales Rank: 2692
Subjects:  1. Breast feeding    2. Breastfeeding    3. Family & Relationships    4. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    5. Family/Marriage    6. Parenting - General    7. Nursing - Maternity, Perinatal, Women's Health   

Return to Pooh Corner
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (10 May, 1994)
list price: $13.98 -- our price: $9.99
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Editorial Review

The appeal of this album isn't limited to children--though the gentle repertoire and soft acoustic musical accompaniment will surely soothe little ones at the end of a long day, adults will find the silky-smooth vocals, beautiful harmonies, and creative production just as engaging. Parents will enjoy listening to the metamorphosis of Loggins's 1969 Top 40 hit "House on Pooh Corner" to the updated '90s version. And with titles like the traditional "All the Pretty Little Ponies" and "To-Ra-Loo-Ra" and covers of Paul Williams's "Rainbow Connection," Jimmy Webb's "The Last Unicorn," and John Lennon's "Love," Mom might find herself borrowing this CD from the nursery when it comes time to kick back and relax after the kids are asleep. --Deborah Moore ... Read more

Reviews (115)

Simply Magic for Children and Adults Alike
I realize from the large amount of reviews for this CD that everyone loves Return to Pooh Corner. It is wonderful to relax and unwind to. Babies, children, and adults love it. For the shopper who hasn't actually seen the CD cover, here are the songs listed on it:

1. All the Pretty Little Ponies (with background vocals from David Crosby and Graham Nash)

2. Neverland Medley: Somewhere Out There/Never Never Land/ Pure Imagination (Gene Wilder reprises his voice as Willy Wonka at the begining of Pure Imagination)

3. Return to Pooh Corner (Kenny originally wrote this song as a high school senior as a farewell to childhood. Now he rearranged it and added more lyrics)

4. Rainbow Connection (from the Muppet Movie)

5. St. Judy's Comet (written by Paul Simon)

6. The Last Unicorn

7. Cody's Song (Written by Kenny Loggins for his son Cody)

8. The Horses

9. Love (written by John Lennon)

10. To-Ra-Loo-Ra (a traditional Irish Lullaby)

I can't say enough about this CD. It gives me the warm Fuzzys. My 76 year-old mother also commented several times how much she liked this CD. This CD pampers the souls of young and old alike.

the perfect naptime music
I work in child care and therefore spend a section of each day watching sleeping children. We probably have 100 naptime cds with a variety of classical music and music for children and this is by far my favorite. I put it on repeat and listen to it for 2.5 hours without getting bored. It is a must have for any parents or teachers of young children!!!

I love it
I am a 16 year old, and return to pooh corner almost makes me cry when i listen to it because it is so touching and it makes me remember my childhood. You definately dont need to be a parent to love these songs. ... Read more

Asin: B0000029FW

Songs from Jim Henson's Bear in the Big Blue House
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (22 August, 2000)
list price: $12.98
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Editorial Review

Songs from Bear in the Big Blue House, which sends kids 2 and older an open invitation to a gigglefest, is bursting at the seams with simple melodies, goofy voices, and loopy, encouraging lyrics that linger. This 24-track is a testament to the late Jim Henson's genius for conjuring characters that bounce off one another with a just-right mix of confusion and harmony. An offshoot of the Disney Channel television show of the same name, Songs boasts the familiar Muppet-like housemates--caring and compassionate Bear; Tutter the high-strung mouse; orange Ojo, a junior bear; otters Pip and Pop; and Treelo the lemur. Bear's warm baritone finds its way onto every last track--he's clearly the head of the big blue household, though hardly its pluckiest resident--but each of the other characters comes clean about a kid-pertinent issue or two on these songs, too. Ojo, for example, relates the unfairness of getting spooked by big, scary monsters every time she goes to bed on "Go to Bed, Sleepy Head," and Tutter tackles his type-A tendencies on "Take Time to Smell the Cheese" and "Quiet Time." In contrast, some of these songs are pure, message-free fun: Pip and Pop momentarily become the Salt 'n' Pepa of the puppet kingdom on "Otter Love," a hip-hoppy ode to the warm fuzzies, and Bear and Treelo bust a toe-twitching move on "The Bear Cha-Cha-Cha." Fans of the show will know most songs and appreciate their accessibility and portability on disc or tape. Those who aren't already tuned in, on the other hand, will take a shining to this oddball crew given this smartly accessible musical introduction. --Tammy La Gorce ... Read more

Features

• Soundtrack

Reviews (36)

He got my son singing!!!...
This is a great cd!!! Out of all the children's characters there are today, this is the absolute best. I'm bilingual Canadian. Out of both English and French, it's the best.. The songs are clear and understandable for the young kids.. My son always loved music, but this one rocks... For the first time I got to see him not only dance to music he loved but sing to it too... his favorite is the goodbye song...To see the excitement in his eyes that he was saying all the right words at the same time as Bear was precious...I recommend this to any parent with young children... toddlers to be exact.

An Excellent CD - Bear or Not!
If your child (or you, for that matter) is a fan of The Big Blue House, this is a must-have. This CD does not contain every song from BitBBH (a nice idea for a box set!?), but it is a fair sample, and it's fun when one of the CD songs pops up in an episode. The songs are catchy and well-written, and acurately reflect the spirit of the show. What impressed me most was the quality of the production; this is not some thrown together, oh-it's-just-for-kids-so-who-cares-about-quality effort. The song structure and musicianship is outstanding, with different song styles and little flourishes of saxaphone and percussion here and there. These songs stand on their own in terms of quality, though they do not necessarily make much sense without knowing about the characters. My son loves this CD, and quiets down and listens intently when it plays at home or in the car. My wife and I enjoy it too!

THIS CD ROCKS! !!! PARENTS will LOVE this as much as kids
This is a great CD and we owned it a couple years prior to seeing the show. The songs have great lyrics and fab sounds. buy this for yourself and everyone you know. This is not your typical kids CD. My 4 year old loves this and now my 14 month old wants "Bear" when she is in the car. My husband even finds himself singing the songs in the house. Listening to "their music" will not be torture any longer..... ... Read more

Asin: B00004WK2N