Every day is a chance to explore the world with your new baby. There are books and magazines in the parenting section of your local library that will help you learn more about the way that your new baby sees the world - and how you can help them experience all the wonders that the world has to offer.
The contented baby’s first year: The secret to a calm and contented baby
Gina Ford
A wonderful book for first time parents and parents who want to provide a good foundation for their babies development. Focused on making sure that you meet the needs of your baby, there is practical information about how to help your baby sleep better, how to stimulate brain development, and how to nurture the bond between baby and parents. A well laid out book that has lots of practical information and advice.
Reviewed by Erika
Move baby move: A New Zealand Guide to fostering your child's brain development through everyday activity Sophie Foster and Jerome Hartigan
Laid out in the form of questions and answers under four main sections, this book is packed with helpful and supportive advice. Covering different stages of child development, this book reassures about normal stages of development, while also encouraging parents to support their children becoming well developed physically and emotionally.
Reviewed by Erika
Baby moves
Marianne Hermsen-Van Wanrooy
This book takes an holistic approach to the development of motor skills in infants and young children. Focusing on natural development rather than pushing children towards milestones, this book is informative and well laid out with clear instructions and photographs.
Reviewed by Erika
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Positive discipline: The first three years
Jane Nelsen, Cheryl Erwin and Roslyn Duffy
Should I let my child watch television, should I let them sleep in bed with us? And what should I do if they bite, lie, have tantrums or hit other kids? This book contains information on learning, discipline and child development. It contains plenty of case studies and examples to keep it interesting. However, the information is fairly conservative, so take some of it with a grain of salt.
Reviewed by Lara
Ages and stages: a parent's guide to normal childhood development
Dr. Charles E. Schaefer and Theresa Foy DiGeronimo
Sometimes it is hard to say what is normal for your child. This book provides a general over view of what milestones children normally reach by certain ages. The information is well laid out and is based on scientific information from various American studies as well as practical observations of children. Although children all develop differently, this book helps you to decide what help you can give your child as well as warning signs of when it may be time to seek help from a professional. Highly recommended reading.
Reviewed by Erika
How to raise an amazing child: The Montessori way to bring up caring, confident children
Tim Seldin
This book provides the information that you need to raise your child in a way that reflects the work of Maria Montessori – a woman who’s work has seen the development of schools and preschools throughout the world. Focused on raising a child who is happy and emotionally happy, with clear boundaries, and well developed social skills. If you are looking for a way of raising your child that encourages them to develop good skills and respect for others, rather than just punishes them for misbehaving – then this is the book for you.
Reviewed by Erika
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Your new baby
Dr. Miriam Stoppard
This is a brilliant first introduction for new parents. Each section is well written and comes complete with colour photographs of what you can expect with your new baby. This is one of the Dorling Kindersley Healthcare series that covers a wide range of topics - including many topics that will help new parents. New fathers will also find this book helpful if they want to learn more about what their partners will be going through. A must read for all new parents.
Reviewed by Erika
Smart start for your baby
Penny Warner
Sometimes it is difficult to know what milestones you can expect your baby to reach as they grow, or what is normal for a baby during their first year. This book is a great introduction to what most babies will reach at various times during their first year. This book is a guide only though, as babies will develop at different rates and can be at a different stage than the book suggests. There is an unusual layout for this book and it takes some time to get used to - but it is a valuable tool for new parents.
Reviewed by Erika
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