[.ca] Infants and Mothers: Differences in Development (ISBN 0440506859)

The best one:
I bought this book years ago when my children were born. Five children and twenty five years later, it is my favorite baby gift especially for a first time mother. The book describes three different infants and their temperments so clearly that no matter what kind of a baby you have, you will find your child somewhere in the book. For a first time mother, when variations of childrens sleeping, eating, and temperments are so different, it is reassuring to know that the one in your crib is as healthy and normal as the rest.

Somewhat helpful, VERY out-of-date:
Although the descriptions of different babies' development & temperment were somewhat interesting, this book is completely out-of-date. The photos and some of the advice was so old-fashioned (i.e. letting babies sleep on their stomachs, feeding healthy babies "sugar water" to delay feedings) that it was distracting. This book needs a major overhaul to make it worth the $17 pricetag. I returned it.

Outdated in the extreme.:
Full of outdated advice such as putting baby to sleep on his stomach, scheduling feedings and leaving a newborn to "cry it out." Also focuses on the worst experiences of new mothers. It's important for struggling new mothers to know that they are not alone in their doubts, fears and resentments, but I found it very disheartening to read about these mothers (and fathers) who fantasize about escaping the demands of motherhood by "accidentally" dropping or drowning the baby and who resent, dislike and ignore (that is, neglect) their newborns. I recommend either The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby from Birth to Age Two / by William and Martha Sears or Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5 / by American Academy Of Pediatrics instead.

Learning the normal range of baby behavior:
My children are 9 & 6 now. I was extremely grateful to have this book when my first was born. I had very little experience with children beyond teenage babysitting and a degree in psychology (not as useful as one might think, though it sounds impressive.) It was great to know just how extreme the differences can be between perfectly normal babies.

Helps the first-time parent:
This book does what few childcare books do: reassures the parent that their child's natural developmental timing is OK. I used this book often to look at the great latitude in development at various ages. The descriptions of the babies and mothers' reactions to them are great.