Books on Natural Baby Care
The Continuum Concept: In Search of Happiness Lost
by Jean Liedloff
The Attachment Parenting Book: A Commonsense Guide to Understanding and Nurturing Your Baby
by William & Martha Sears
The Happiest Baby on the Block: The New Way to Calm Crying and Help Your Newborn Baby Sleep Longer
by Harvey Karp
The Happiest Baby on the Block is aimed primarily at parents and caretakers of babies under six months of age. Karp introduces the use of "The Five Ss," which are Swaddling, Shushing, Sucking, Swinging/Swaying, and Side/Stomach position, designed to imitate baby's experience in the uterus. As a proponent of attachment parenting, Karp discusses baby's first three months as being baby's "4th trimester." When done correctly and safely, the Five Ss activate baby's "calming reflex" and usually sooth baby within minutes. I also recommend the DVD, as it really makes it easier to understand Karp's techniques when you see them in action.
The No-Cry Sleep Solution: Gentle Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night
by Elizabeth Pantley
To new parents, The No Cry Sleep Solution is helpful in many ways, advocating the use of gentle techniques to avoid crying. Pantley’s list of sleep solutions both for new babies and for older babies give a variety of reliable ideas about how to get a baby to sleep. A primary focus within this book is on understanding why the baby is waking and solving those problems with routines, new associations, and gradual changes in patterns. Pantley is supportive of both breastfeeding and bed-sharing as well as bottle-feeding and crib sleeping, a theme that is often rare in many modern parenting books.
