What Kind Of Baby Book Should You Look For?
When you found out that a baby is coming, the first thing you want to do is to be as ready as possible before the baby arrives. Suddenly you realize through your search that there’s hundreds of baby books out there in different varieties.
Certainly, you can purchase all the baby books available in the world, and read through all of them. However, that will be a big waste of time, effort, and money. Not to mention, you most likely have other businesses to attend to.
You should narrow your search and find the ideal baby book that’s:
- Easy to understand
- Rich with information
- Has genuinely reliable sources
- Not filled with common sense that you can figure out on your own
- Specific and to the point
- Updated with the latest research
This is the Ideal Baby Book
When it comes to taking care of babies medical language, and knowledge is unavoidable. Most parents would probably have to go through a learning curve to learn some vocabulary in order to take care of their baby. For example, what’s eczema?
If you are some kind of scholar, or know someone that has this skin condition then that’s fine, but if you are a regular person like me, then that word could be rather intimidating and scary.
Fortunately, this book is designed in a way so that everybody can understand it, no matter how knowledgeable they are. This is amazing even though this book is jam packed with medical knowledge and information.
Most mothers find it to be a very good reference even though it’s filled with a lot of technical information. This is what you want. You are already stressed out with a lot of things. You don’t need another book to attack your brain for whatever reason.
The contents itself is very easy to skim through, because it’s not in a lecture format. It’s in a nice question and answer format. The author also has a bit of humor so it’s not boring.
It’s Rich with Information
This book has so much information, it takes a lot of little worries away and prepares you way ahead of time so that you know almost everything you need to do after your baby is born.
However, no matter what baby book you read, there will be times that the book doesn’t cover your specific issue. For example, let’s say that your three month old baby can suddenly talk like he’s the president all of a sudden. You will probably have to call your pediatrician to see what’s wrong.
One thing is for sure, Baby 411 will make you much less likely to contact your pediatrician.
What does it cover?
- Umbilical cord problems
- Baby poop problems (including meconium of course)
- Irregular things like yellowish skin problems (jaundice)
- Normal eating and poop schedule
- Pre mature babies issues
- Twin babies issues
- Choosing a pediatrician, and critical situations that requires you to see one
- Balancing work and parenting
- Taking care of baby private parts
- Rash problems
- Bathing your baby (probably one of new parents’ biggest fears)
- Diaper changing (another biggest fear)
- The types of supplements your baby needs (vitamins, minerals,etc)
- breastfeeding (very thoroughly covered)
- Solid food introduction, and allergies
- Sleep issues
- Vomitting issues
- Way way more
There’s a reason why this book is full of information which would probably require months of research all over the internet.
However, it’s much more reliable than researching online, because you don’t have to sort out all the good information from the bad information from scratch. The reason is because the material is backed by the team effort of many medical professionals and experienced parents.
That team includes:
- pediatric dentists
- ENT (ear nose throat) medicine specialist
- pediatric urologist (pee pee part problems, and related private part problems)
- lactation consultant (breast milk expert)
- pediatric nurse (hands on experience with newborn babies)
- orthodontist and cosmestic dentist (important when your child needs teeth braces in the future)
- allergist and pulmonologist
- speech language pathologist
- pharmacist (expert on medicines)
- gastroenterologist (expert on stomach and intestinal problems)
- professional mother (daily care issues that a mother face)
There’s No “Common Sense” Information
Nowadays, we can figure out a lot of things with common sense and an educated guess. However, this book has almost none of that. Unlike a lot of other baby books out there, this book is only filled with information that is straightforward, to the point, and heavily researched.
For example, a common sense piece of information would sound something like this:
If you want your child to be healthy, you should change her diapers often.
That is obviously common sense. Who in the world couldn’t figure that out? Nobody wants pee and poop to stick their own butts all day, not to mention their cute little ones.
An example of a heavily researched piece of information extracted from the book itself:
Your baby’s doctor will look for dimples or tufts of hair near the buttocks. Abnormalities on the skin can be a clue to a spine abnormality underneath the skin.
If you say that you can figure that out with common sense, you are either lying or you are some kind experienced medical professional. This book is full of information like this that educates you on everything you need to know about your child. You should get it now and start reading.
How Do Other People Review It
Here’s what one person has to say on amazon:
Problems With Baby 411
Just like every other baby book in the world, no matter how perfect it is, there’s bound to be a flaw here or there. Baby 411 is no exception.
Even though this book is jam packed with information and is very user friendly, it’s slightly biased in some parts of the book.
Here’s what one reviewer on amazon has to say about this:
Like this review mentioned, if you find issues related to cirucumcision, and vaccinations offensive, then simply ignore them. The rest of the book pretty much covers everything you need to know about your little one and how to take care of her. Every baby book has some kind of strong opinion that will be a little offensive, and this book is no exception.
How Do Knowledgeable People Feel About This Book?
You think only regular mothers are impressed by this book. Here’s what a medically knowledgeable person said on amazon:
If you are ready to start learning all the important information on your baby then click here and get yourself a copy now. If you have any questions then please leave it in the content section below.
Wow thank you for this, me and my girlfriend are expecting our first born in October and I’m petrified! I’ve been looking for a book like this to help but didn’t have a clue what to buy as there are loads! This book sounds ideal I’ll definatley try it out thank you :). By the way, does this book mention anything about breast feeding?
Hey congratulations. This book will be very helpful. It will be a handy reference. As for breastfeeding, there’s a lot of information about it. Maybe even a little too much lol.
If I had a baby book like this back then, my life would’ve been so much easier. The part about this book which really impresses me is the fact that a whole bunch of different doctors from different fields join hands to create a reference source for confused parents. It’s definitely worth every dollar to get your hands on a copy. I know someone who is already a parent. Do you think I can get them a copy as a gift?
It is certainly a wonderful gift even to parents who are already veterans in parent hood. This book has the latest information and research so there’s bound to be something they don’t know.
Baby 411 seems to be a pretty good book for new parents. I think many pediatricans actually recommend it. I didn’t understand why until you explained it. Personally, I don’t need a book like this anymore but my children will probably appreciate it as a baby shower gift. By the way, does it cover anything on sleeping?
Your children will love this book and really appreciate the information. It definitely does cover sleeping issues. We all that’s a headache since babies tend to wake people up at night. This book is a good reference for that too.
This book seems to have it all. Too bad it wasn’t around when I had my kids, I would have made great use of it. However, I can always recommend and/or gift it to someone who is expecting or just bacame a parent. I especially liked the part where you mentioned different kinds of baby problems. This book is definitely very thorough. Thanks for such theral outline of the book. Just curious, does this book cover allergies?
Too bad you can’t use this book. Hey you never know, you might expect again. I highly recommend it to your friends also. It’s really good and thorough. As for allergies, yes it does cover allergies.
Great book review and very timely for me. My daughter is expecting her first baby in December (a Christmas baby!) and I’m going to purchase this book for her and her husband. Being a mom for the first time can be overwhelming and daunting but I think this book will bring some calmness to both of them. They both don’t have any experience at all. This book will be very practical and useful since it has thorough and straightforward information that anybody can understand. Do you think I should get them th book now or should I wait for my daughter’s baby shower?
Congratulations to you and your daughter. If you are asking when to get the book then I highly recommend you give it to her right away. The book has great pointers that helps her understand her role and duties as a mother very quickly.
It would have been great if I have access to this book then. I remember spending much time to search for a good baby book in a bookstore, without many choices. There wasn’t one that contains full information as what you are recommending here. I ended up buying a couple (cannot remember exactly how many).
I will share this with those in need. Thank you for your sharing. Where exactly can I purchase this book? I am not quite good with the internet
If you want the book to be delivered to your door then click here It’s an amazingly comprehensive book. I hope your buddies find it helpful.
Awesome, this book seems to cover all a new parent would like to learn before the arrival of their first little ones. However, since you only talked of the breast milk expert, does it also covers on formula milk ?
And as an expectant parent, i am struggling to save up for the arrival of my baby, Did this book says anything about preparing for a baby financially?
Yes, it does cover formula milk. It doesn’t cover anything about financial issues. It does cover everything about baby care, and checkups.
This is perfect!! My close friend is having a baby (kind of a rough situation how it all happened), but the important thing is that she is going through with it. Her parents aren’t around, so she’s really on her own for a lot of this… but I feel bad, because I don’t have kids – so I’m not sure what to tell her!
I would love to get her a book like this – to ease some of the stresses. The baby isn’t due for another 5 months… but I think reading ahead and trying to ease her mind will be good.
You’re right – researching every little detail on the interent takes too much time – so this is great!
Thanks!
Even though her baby isn’t due for another five months, this book is a great read to get her prepared ahead of time. It does save her a lot of time to research. Good luck to her and the baby.
Thanks for the info on Baby411. It sounds like a great book! With the information contributed by so many doctors in so many different fields, you can’t go wrong. I wish I had known about this book when I had my first baby; it would have been very helpful! However it will make a great baby shower gift. Now I know what to get my friends who are expecting. It seems like a very valuable resource! Is the book long?
This book is a great baby shower gift. It’s around six hundred pages but you don’t have to read it from cover to cover. If reading is intimidating, just jump to the sections that you want to read. The sections are labeled in clear logical order. The index is super helpful too if you can’t seem to locate your information in the table of contents.
Wow, great book for new parents! I have a friend who is having her first baby, and this just might be a great gift to give with the normal baby clothes, etc. This will be my baby shower gift to her. I know when I was a first time mother, this information was great to have and I had a bunch of baby books myself. I am so glad you shared! I look forward to purchasing this for my friend. My friend is more like a tablet person. Can she read this on her phone?
There is a Kindle version of this book. She can get the Kindle reader to read it. Have fun at the baby shower by the way.
You really made me realize I need to have it… The part that hooked me the most was about the common sense, I’m so tired to read texts that are intuitive understandings of any mother and could be said in one sentence. This book sounds awesome and important. It is backed by the latest research which is pretty important to me because more false myths are revealed. I want also give a copy to my friend as a gift because he believes that having a baby is the scariest thing in the world. Since this book is so comprehensive, hopefully it can reassure him that it’s not such a bad experience. It’s actually a lot of fun. Is this book boring to read?
Actually this book is a lot of fun to read. There is actually a very funny person. Sometimes the humor is a little twisted but I’m sure it will help you remember the facts in the book better.
Brilliant! You saved me the time from having to go research any further. I also love that you pointed out the downfall and didn’t skirt around the book’s areas that weren’t a strength. The author might seem a little offensive on certain controversial topics, but like you said I will pay it no mind and just learn from the rest of the book. Maybe the offensive nature is what makes this book funny. I am no longer a mother,but this book makes a great baby shower gift. I wish I would have know about this book when I was a nervous first time mom, but now I will have to go purchase it and stash it for my soon-to-be mommy friend! By the way you mentioned in another comment that there’s a kindle version of this book. What if I don’t have a kindle reader?
It makes a great baby shower gift. If your friend doesn’t have a kindle reader, don’t worry. App stores usually have some kind of kindle reading app your friend can get for free. You just have to pay for the book. Enjoy the read.
The first baby is the trail and error kid isn’t it. The last thing a new mum should worry about is whether baby is the right weight or the right length. Baby 411 sounds like a great down to earth read for every new mum. The first baby is the hardest for any mum. Once the second one comes along you know crying is OK mum can have a much more relaxed relationship with baby. Baby 411 has a lot of easy to follow information and will put any new mum’s mind at rest. I am attending a baby shower in a couple of months. This book will be my gift. I want to also give baby diapers too. Is there anything you recommend?
Like many people already mentioned, this book makes a great baby shower gift. It is packed with a lot of useful information. As for diapers,I highly recommend panpers Get the size 2. Babies grow out of size N and size 1 very quickly so give size 2.
I bought several baby books back in the days as a new parent. None of them had all the information that you have outlined here. That’s why I kept buying baby books in the search for information when I needed help to deal with a problem. This book seems to have it all. I wouldn’t researching anywhere else for Baby books now. Now I will be buying this book as a gift for family and friends who are looking forward to being new parents. How many editions of this book has come out so far?
Yep, this book is very comprehensive. It’s probably pretty hard to find a better baby book than this one. The latest edition is the seventh edition is published around year 2015.
I wish I’d found this review sooner!! I’ve wasted a lot of money on fluffy baby books which seem to be way behind Baby 411 in terms of credibility. There are lots of topics baby rearing wise I could get more guidance on, especially on sleep, does it provide any guidance on sleep routines?
It certainly covers a lot about sleeping. Maybe it won’t cover everything you will encounter when it comes to sleep because every baby is unique but it should help almost all the time.
Hey there, thanks for the tips and congratulations. According to your “about me”, your daughter is about one year old now right? I am a father of 5 children and I know from experience that every baby is different. Just when you believe that you already have the deep understanding of parenting, something new pops up and you are forced to unlearn certain things and start over from scratch.This could be a great gift to give to family or friends that are expecting soon. The fears of not knowing as a new parent are scary, a little insight is always helpful. I realized that this book also gives advice from actual parents which is awesome. Medical advice is important which this book has plenty but first hand experience is just as significant. Is book difficult to read by the way?
As I mentioned before responding to other comments, this book is very easy to read. They cover medical terms in their glossary if there’s something you don’t understand. Hope that helps.
Hello there!
My brother just had his first baby, and boy has it been a wake up call for him! I myself am not a parent so I can not provide much advice to help him. I began researching all around and found your recommendation. The book Baby 411 is very professional yet the advice is straightforward and easy to understand despite all the medical stuff that’s jam packed inside. This is the prefect choice for my brother. This should ease his nerves and prove to him that babies are blessings not nightmares.By the way, is this book for moms or dads?
This book can be read and understood by both moms and dads. It doesn’t lean towards any perspective.
Win Bill, thank you for exposing this book. If I had this book back then when I had my firstborn, things for me would be much easier. Now my baby (I still call him baby) already in elementary school. After reading through your description of Baby 411, I hit myself in head and wonder why I didn’t get this book back then. I actually saw the exact same book at the book stores. Whatever. What’s done is done. I could’ve easily had a handy reference in the house rather than calling my pediatrician every single time there’s a minor issue.Like other people mentioned, it still makes a great baby shower gift. Is the book expensive?
The price is pretty decent for the volume of information and usefulness it provides. The cheapest place to get it would be on Amazon. Paperback is $12 and kindle edition is $9.
Wow, to think people would rather search the internet for hours and hours instead of having a nice informational book on hand! I wish I had this book when I was a new parent back then. I don’t plan on having any more babies yet, but you never know. Our children can use some more siblings. I have a few expecting friends that could really benefit from this! It’s name is pretty catchy, so it really draws people in to read it. I don’t know about anybody else but handy reference books like these are essential when you’re a new or expecting parent! I will surprise them by sending them this book as a gift.
Baby 411 certainly sounds like a very catchy name. The author really knows how to make the title stick to people’s heads. The contents are also very informational. Your friends won’t be disappointed especially if this is their first child. They can also use the reference even if it’s their second or third child, because sometimes people forget. Not to mention that every child is different. That’s why you should get a copy for yourself too.
I am so grateful for your recommendation. My wife is expecting and she is going to deliver soon. I am so nervous and wondering how I can be more immersed in the topic of parenting. There’s so many things I don’t know like how to bath the baby, how to change her diapers, when to change her from milk to solid foods. Not to mention I don’t have a single clue about medical terminology. Baby 411 seems to cover all of that. It’s also not expensive according to your response to another comment. I am grabbing a copy.
This handy reference certainly covers all the things you mentioned like diaper changing. It covers a lot more like different diseases, and sleep routines you can use for your child. Good luck with the baby.
Wow — I am so glad I found this post! This book, Baby 411, is amazing, and will come in so handy after my baby is born! I specifically love the fact that there is info in there about how to choose a pediatrician. I am so nervous about that and glad that this will serve to explain the process. Can’t wait to read this…! I never know which doctor can be trusted or not. This should point me in the right direction.
This book is the written effort of a team of medical professionals so it will definitely point you in the right direction. Good luck when the baby is born. It will be a lot of fun.
I’m expecting my first baby in November and it’s true there are soo many books out there about parenting that it can be overwhelming to sort through them! I like the sound of this book and that it’s a straighforward book that you’ll need to identify any issues with your baby or to know if your baby it happy and healthy. I will definitely put this book at the top of my reading list before the baby comes! Is this book long? I am not sure I can finish it on time before my baby comes.
Congratulations. You have about three months left. You don’t need to be too nervous about the baby. The nurse will give you a lot of good advice. Baby 411 should also set your mind at ease because it is packed with practical advice. This book is 600 pages long so if you jump to the sections you need, then you should be able to grasp the idea of parenting in no time. If another question come up later, then simply come back to the book as a reference. You don’t have to rush read it.
When I had my eldest son, my parents also gave me a trusted reference books on babies. The funny thing is that the cover was missing, and that’s where the title is. It was a very old and yellowish book. Now that I think about it, I should’ve bought myself an updated reference like Baby 411. It is more comprehensive. Thank god nothing happened while I was taking care of my little one. Now, I don’t have children anymore, but I have a few friends who are expecting. I hope they can benefit from it. Does this book include any interactive cds?
I guess the baby reference book you relied on was some kind of “classic”. I am sure your parent played a role when it comes to taking care of your first son. This book is pretty handy. You would’ve greatly appreciated it back then. Get your friend a copy and I am sure they will love you for it.
When I had my first child Amazon wasn’t available and I didn’t read a book to prepare myself. I just relied on instincts and my mom’s guidance.This book provides a lot of useful insight like bathing your baby and rashes. I bought rash cream before my son was born to prepare. Now, my son is big (5 years old) so now there are other things to watch out for. This book isn’t expensive and it’s a nice past time read in case I expect another little life in the future. One thing that caught my attention are the supplements. I want some answers backed by some authority. Since this book is written with advice from many medical professionals, it’s perfect.
This book will help even if your kid is no longer 1 year or younger. Nutrition and supplementation still applies. I hope that helps. Like you mentioned, you might get another one. 🙂
I must remember to note this book title down. A baby book is essential, I had one and read it so often! Pity this one wasn’t around when I had my son. Back then I have a lot of problems too like latching onto the breast and different kinds of diaper rashes. Not to mention that my son was very prone to having colics. He’s very sweet when he wants but when he has a problem he can be a total nightmare. I probably won’t be having a baby until next year. Well, that’s at least what we were planning on doing. I know many people mentioned this already, but this book will be a great reference nevertheless. I know every baby is different and I want everything to be nice and smooth this time if I have another one.
An all-in-one book full of insights about baby care. I would have really appreciate this book if I got it at least 10 years ago . My babies are now all grown-up. However, taking care of them was full of surprises and difficulties back then. Just like some other parents out there, I call my pediatrician at least 3 to 4 times a week. With my experience with parenting now, it’s no longer a big deal. However, there’s a lot of new things that keeps coming out. This book sounds like a good manual to have at hand. My husband and I are thinking of having another one so this book would be a good back up reference. The problem with me is that I am a very paranoid person. If there is a slight problem I will go through hours and hours of Internet research to find my answer. It is exhausting and you never know what kind of answer you can find on Internet. This book should be able to put my mind at peace in case of emergencies. Is there a Kindle versions of this book? I don’t really want to carry a physical copy of a book around.