The Baby Bond: The New Science Behind What's Really Important When Caring for Your Baby [Paperback]

Linda F. Palmer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2009

Meticulously researched and warmly presented, the most authoritative and persuasive guide to attachment parenting

When it comes to early parenting, scientific evidence points time and again to the bond between parent and child as a critical factor in a baby's health and wellbeing. Backed by more than 1,200 trusted sources, this breakthrough guide reveals the many little-known advantages that only a responsive, nurturing parenting style can provide:

• Surprising evidence on the benefits of breastfeeding
• How attentiveness and touch impacts permanent brain development in infants
• Under-reported facts about how to reduce colic, food allergies, and illness
• Why sharing sleep is both safe and natural
• How to reduce future teen-year stress by bonding with your young child early

At the forefront of a passionate, growing movement called "attachment parenting," this warmly presented guide is a rare overview of information too often missing from parenting circles, pediatric offices, and financially motivated product promotions.

Why Attachment Parenting?

• Cultures around the world that practice more natural forms of parenting have healthier infants who cry much less, toddlers who do not exhibit "terrible twos," generally respectful teenagers, and independent adults who participate in family matters.
• A well-controlled study found sleeping outside of the parents' room brought 10.5 times the risk of SIDS as sleeping in the parents' room.
• Studies have shown that infants who receive frequent physical affection have lower overall levels of stress.
• In the United States and other industrialized countries, the infant death rate for formula-fed infants is twice that of exclusively breastfed babies.

— Excerpt from The Baby Bond —

Most would agree that children probably do not consciously remember the way they were treated during early infancy. Many recount this observation as support or comfort for their ideas about ignoring babies' cries for attention and providing minimal stimulation. Yet, it can be shown that while the specifics may be lost, unconscious memories are developed on the neurological and biochemical level from birth—a baby's brain develops from day one according to its environment. Childhood, adolescence, and adulthood are all affected by this early programming. And, as far as the coveted independence goes, it has been shown that those who receive the most affection early on display the highest levels of independence as adults.

—Praise for The Baby Bond —

"Babies would tell you to buy this book!"
Jan Hunt, MSc | Author of The Natural Child: Parenting from the Heart

"An instant classic. A must-read for all parents. Dr. Palmer's book is the best book on the hard science behind attachment parenting that I've ever read. I wish I had read this book before I became a mother."
Katie Allison | Author of Attachment Parenting

"Well researched and hard hitting…unabashedly tells the truth about so many very important issues."
Denise Pickett-Bernard, PhD | RD, The Journal of Human Lactation

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

"If you're looking for "Baby Matters," you'll love "The Baby Bond." Extensively documented "Baby Matters" won a Silver IPPY award in 2008 and was picked up by the publisher, SourceBooks. It has been updated, revised, and embellished, and is now "The Baby Bond." You can read the many wonderful reviews for "Baby Matters" on its Amazon page in order to gain insight into "The Baby Bond."

If you already own "Baby Matters," a large bulk of the text is the same. If you have one of the earlier editions, I wouldn't purchase "The Baby Bond" unless you have a newborn or young infant with challenges you are going to turn to this book for. In this case, there are lots of small but important details that I've changed my mind a little on, or just written more about, as I've followed the research over the years. I've gone through the book with great detail to be certain that each idea is still current in the science and I've made changes where I found I could bring newer information. I've added informative preemie feeding tables that should help drive home the message about feeding term infants as well. I updated lots of the references for some of the same old words just to keep the reference section looking more current, as pretty much all the messages in my book (originally released in 2001, updated before in 2007) just get re-proven over and over.

About the Author

Dr. Linda Folden Palmer is a doctor of chiropractic, a science writer, a consultant and speaker on pediatric nutrition and natural parenting challenges, and a mother.

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc. (September 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402226578
• ISBN-13: 978-1402226571
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 1.1 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #378,423 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. Linda Folden Palmer is a doctor of chiropractic, a consultant and speaker on pediatric nutrition and natural parenting challenges, a science writer, and a mother. She left her chiropractic practice shortly after the birth of her son, when she was confronted with his serious health complications and astounded by the lack of accurate or helpful information from doctors or books. For her son's sake, she delved deeply into the scientific and medical literature to find answers, which led to further questions and some astonishing realizations.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars interesting, informative, and intelligent September 12, 2009

By EmmaJ

Format:Paperback

The Baby Bond is and extremely thorough book, focusing primarily on the care of infants and babies, but also addressing prenatal and early childhood care. The author advocates attachment-promoting parenting, and backs this up with well-researched science on human development, physiology, psychology, nutrition, and evolution.

The Baby Bond is footnoted throughout, so that you can look these studies up yourself. However, Palmer distills the information, so that you do not need to be a scientist yourself to make sense of what she writes about. This is not easy to do, and her clear, intelligent prose is refreshing. She doesn't over-simplify, but explains in plain language what scientists have learned, and makes the connections between research results and everyday parenting.

This book is not polemical, nor is it prescriptive- Palmer's practical recommendations are mostly quite simple (with the exception of some of the material on food allergies- in that identifying and dealing with those can be quite challenging). I don't think that we should make our parenting decisions based only on scientific studies, nor does Palmer. But she provides us the information to help parents set themselves up for success, because, as long as we avoid the "detached" parenting "techniques" often promoted by "experts", most of us already have the ability and knowledge to sensitively and effectively care for our babies.

some highlights from this book:
1) babies are biologically and psychologically dependent, and independence comes later. There is no advantage, and quite a few disadvantages, to attempting to make a helpless infant learn to be "independent".
2) human breastmilk is greatly superior to artificial milks (formula).
3) babies are safer, healthier and happier, and grow up to be smarter and more independent if they are cared for in a consistent, responsive way, physically close to their adult caregivers as much as possible.
4) all babies cry, but prolonged, regular crying is not normal. Unexplained crying and inability to be comforted is often a result of food intolerances, frequently to the proteins in cows milk (which can pass through mothers milk)

This is an excellent book and can be a resource for any parent of an infant, any expecting couple, and for healthcare professionals and caregivers who deal with infants and young children. This book certainly gives solid evidence to explain many behaviors and needs of babies (and their parents!), with practical suggestions throughout on how to meet them effectively and simply.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The science behind a mother's instinct October 1, 2009

By Conscious Health Group

Format:Paperback

When I started reading this book, I immediately thought "Thank you Dr. Palmer!" As a mother, I practiced attachment parenting not because it was something I read about, but because it was my natural instinct. This book is a fantastic compilation of the science behind this instinct, and how varying parenting practices affect babies on a physical as well as emotional level.

I now know why my attachment parenting practices (breastfeeding, cosleeping, nurturing) was beneficial for not only my daughter, but for my own health. As a clinical nutritionist myself, I know the nutritional and health benefits of breastfeeding vs. formula, but this was chock full of why it's beneficial on an emotional level. For example, when I breastfed my daughter for 3 years, I'd get warnings from many people that she was going to become "too attached" to her mom. In fact, it's just the opposite. Because of this book, I now realize the scientific reasons why my little one is well grounded and secure.

I have read many books that speak to the science behind various practices, but are too technical. Dr. Palmer does a fantastic job of presenting the science without making it too complicated, but at the same time, gives the references for those readers who like technical detail.

This is the type of book to have on hand and keep referring to as things come up. Read it through the first time, and then use it as a reference after the fact. I know I want to give this book to everyone I know who is about to have a baby.

While I believe each parent should do what they feel is best for their child, and their family (cosleeping versus crib, breastfeeding versus formula, responding versus cry it out, etc.), regardless of what path they choose, they should have all the facts first. This book presents the facts, so that parents can make informed decisions for their family. It would be a shame to not have this information, and to realize later that you wish you had read this first.

As a clinical nutritionist, I was thrilled to see the detailed and thorough research done in this book on creating the ultimate foundation for health. Too often I see parents come into my office with their children when they are older with certain health and behavioral issues, some which could be prevented with applying the information in this book. I wish all my clients would read this before having children, to give their kids the best chance for ultimate health.

Kudos Dr. Palmer!!!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't Miss This One April 13, 2010

By Mika Ono

Format:Paperback

When I was pregnant and a new mother I read parenting books voraciously, thinking I was doing myself and my new baby a favor. Looking back, my baby and I would have been better off without many them. The Baby Bond, however, is a book I wish I had had. Exhaustively researched yet written in accessible language, this book would have given me some reassurance that most of my instincts were just fine. It would have given me an important perspective about the whole contentious co-sleeping debate. And I would have identified my younger daughter's cow's milk allergy years earlier--without the chronic ear infections and sleepless nights that went with it. This book may challenge conventional wisdom in some places (such as on dairy), but that is part of what makes this book a must-read.