[.ca] Baby Matters : What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About ... (ISBN 0967605075)

Excellent review of evidence for AP (though not without bias:
Would give it 4.5 stars if I could. Palmer reviews the available evidence (from actual medical and psychology journals) for parenting decisions like breastfeeding, cosleeping, food choices, and the like. She also discusses why medically you should be very responsive to your baby and avoid following the current fad recommendation to cry-it-out. She reinforces why sleeping through the night, while a wonderful thing that all parents hope for, may NOT be the best thing for your baby. Evidence-based medicine in parenting books is a rare thing. For that alone, you should read Palmer's book. Her only drawback is that she definitely writes from her own biases, so you can't look at this as a systematic review of all the literature. Also, she occasionally goes a little too far with her conclusions (an association does not equal a cause, etc.) I highly recommend this book. a physician (non-pediatrician) in Virginia

A must read for parents, educators and pediatricians!:
This is a scholarly book that offers immense insight to setting baby off on the right foot, emotionally and physically. Blows apart myths and marketing with no holds barred. Objectively balances mothers magic milk with other feeding options available. Reveals much that is known but untold about food intolerance, vaccines, disease and root causes, based on empirical evidence. This is the first book I have read with 35 pages of footnotes leading to the research to back the doctors revelations. It takes the amazing amount of scholarly findings that have remained buried in esoteric scientific journals and delivers it in easy to read, factual story telling. Tells the real story behind formula, milk and pediatricians and the scandalous practices of marketing boards and pharmaceutical companies and their hidden agendum. Discusses the artificial freedom for women - disguised and sold as baby formula and the consequential slavery that has resulted. Very wise, revealing and informative. Best of all - empowering us all to make wise choices. Points the way to natural nurturing while documenting all the science behind it. Boiling down this book, to a sentence, its message is: Trust and inform yourself, follow your natural innate intelligence AND your heart to give your baby the very best start! This book should be available in every public library and be required reading for every new parent, educator and pediatrician. The bulk of our North American societal woes would diminish exponentially if we all acted intelligently upon the information presented.

A highly recommended reader for the new mother:
Baby Matters: What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Caring For Your Baby by natural childbirth educator Linda Folden Palmer provides a straightforward examination of many key issues new parents might be unfamiliar with, ranging from why cow's milk is not the best food for an infant, to preventing and treating food allergies, to the inside scoop on bonding. Dr. Palmer, is an instructor in pediatric nutrition (among other health fields), and writes in "reader friendly", down-to-earth terms especially accessible to non-specialist readers in general, and anxious mothers in particular. Baby Matters is an excellent and highly recommended reader for the new mother!

A Must-Read for parents:
I feel blessed to have found this book before my little girls got any older. It's a shame I didn't have it before they were born! The information on cow's milk and formula was especially eye-opening. The evidence to support attachment parenting and breastfeeding has made me that much more grateful that I have followed my instincts, and turned a deaf ear to the poor advice I have received time and again from various individuals. I already sent a copy to my sister, who is a new mother. I only wish I could get my pediatrician to read it too...

*************MY FREAKIN BIBLE******************:
WHOEVER YOU ARE, WHETHER YOU HAVE CHILDREN, ARE PLANNING ON HAVING THEM, OR ARE NOT; YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK! IT HAS INFORMATION EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THIS WORLD NEEDS TO READ, WHETHER YOU THINK IT PERTAINS TO YOU OR NOT. The best part is that the author offers phone and e-mail consultations. Go to http://www.babyreference.com