25 Things Every New Mother Should Know [Hardcover]

Martha Sears (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2, 1995

In this slim volume, Martha and William Sears distill the wisdom theyve gleaned from raising eight children and counseling thousands of parents into simple, reassuring advice: Stop trying to do it all. Forget about work for now. Trust yourself; youre the expert on your baby. Wear your baby, and stop wearing out your arms. Keep Dad involved and in love. Enjoy your baby! Omitting most of the trivial details that fill baby-care tomes, this book tells the new mother how to keep her focus on nurturing her baby and herself. It tells her how to develop her intuition, handle unwanted criticism, build a support network, and stay close to her baby after returning to work. It explains why breastfeeding and bed sharing are natural and healthful, and why parents mustnt fear spoiling a baby. An ideal gift for the new mother this book will help her adapt to the ever-changing demands of motherhood, so that she can maintain the empathy and wonder toward her child and some of the inner peace she knew when she first looked into her babys eyes.

Editorial Reviews

Review

" This book could serveas a friend to any new mother, whether it be for the first, second, or even third time. Even mothers beyond the newborn phase can find words of encouragement in their mothering journey." -- Welcome Home

"This book is about a natural and intuitive way of mothering: a rare gem in the 1990s." -- Journal of Human Lactation

From the Back Cover

Many new mothers embark on their journey with a shelfful of heavy volumes about childrearing. Fortunately, the most important book a new mother can read is concise and to-the-point. Busy moms will find refuge in this warm, heartfelt book by Americas foremost childcare experts.

This thoughtful, insightful, knowledgeable book grasps the essential ingredients of the role and joys of being a mother.-Marshall Klaus, M.D., and Phyllis Klaus, M.Ed., C.S.W., authors of The Amazing Newborn and Mothering the Mother

Start out on the right foot with the right book!-Marian Thompson, co-founder of La Leche League International

This is the book Ive been waiting for! A wonderful resource for committed parenting.-Janet Balaskas, author of Active Birth and Natural Pregnancy

Martha and Bill Sears reach out to give women the reassurance to make it through the first months of motherhood with as little anxiety and as much joy as possible.-Gale Pryor, co-author of Nursing Your Baby

Here is a practical, readable guide to the realities of parenting. I wish Id had this book when my children were born!-Linda Hughey Holt, M.D., author of the AMA Guide to Womancare --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Harvard Common Press (February 2, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558320687
• ISBN-13: 978-1558320680
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,941,705 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful shower gift or gift for new mom!, August 2, 2005

By 

HMH Moro (CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 25 Things Every New Mother Should Know (Hardcover)

A friend of mine gave me this cute little book shortly after I had my first baby, and I have really enjoyed dipping into it for short shots of gentle wisdom, inspiration, and advice. It's perfect for a new mom because the chapters are informative but really short--no huge time commitment required. There are 25 chapters--each with a title that's a "thing" that's helpful for moms to realize, like "You can solve breastfeeding problems," "You really do have intuition," "You don't have to be perfect," and "If you go back to work, you'll still be the person most important to your baby." Then the chapter has some information and practical advice related to that topic. For example, the chapter on going back to work includes the great idea of starting back to work on a Thursday instead of a Monday, so your first "week" is very short and easier for both mom and baby to deal with.

One more thing: the book is small and lightweight, so moms can read it while breastfeeding. Being a chronic multitasker, I loved this aspect!

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fabulous Shower or New Baby Gift!!, February 28, 2005

By 

Lisa Manske "natural mamma" (Wauwatosa, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 25 Things Every New Mother Should Know (Hardcover)

This book is wonderful for the new mother--whether pregnant or having recently given birth. It is consise and a quick read. It is so reassuring--written by a mother of 8, who is herself an R.N. and lactation consultant, married to a pediatrician. Martha Sears describes how her years as a nurse did little to prepare her for her "very own baby." Nothing but time spent with your own newborn will do that! But, the reassurance of a mother "who's been there" eight times over is a wonderful thing. Martha Sears gives new mothers the permission to follow their intuition and spend time loving their new babies. She gives them leave to ask for help with household tasks and spend a honeymoon with their newborns. She describes the myriad of emotions new mothers experience. She presents some cutting-edge research the supports what many mothers have known all along.

A fabulous book! I highly recommend it!

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely book by a loving, experienced mother of 8, August 19, 2005

By 

J. A. Fordice "book-loving mom" (Northwest USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 25 Things Every New Mother Should Know (Hardcover)

I love this book--I just read it, and I have three children. In this sweet little book, Martha Sears explains in easy-to-read terms the basic ways mothers of infants go about establishing a natural, loving relationship where both individuals' needs are met without creating a tug-of-war environment (which is common these days). Throughout the book, she and her husband, "Dr. Bill," encourage moms (and dads) to enjoy their baby, respect that their children are people with physical AND emotional needs from the day they are born, and lend support to the emotional needs and changes that a mother goes through after having a new baby. There are practical applications throughout, and it's a nice introduction to helping mothers set a firm foundation for the new relationship that is taking shape.

I have been reading for two years on the science and scientific research behind a secure, heathy bond/attachment between parents and children. The Sears' books are valuable assets for families who desire to establish a healthy attachment with their children. Not only are they both medically trained (William is a Pediatrician with years and years of experience; Martha is a trained RN & Lacation Consultant), but they have raised 8 children, 1 of which is a special needs child and another was adopted. Their advice stems from real scientific research as well as their own experience (mothers really DO have instincts!) One reviewer stated that the Sears claim they are the TOP experts on child care in order to make more $, but that statement needs to be qualified. They are "America's #1 Child Care Experts," (maybe because people like their realistic attitudes toward child care), but they say over and over again in their books that parents are the ONLY EXPERTS for their children, and to steer clear of child care "experts" that try to lead you to go against your intuition as a parent. They never claim that by creating a loving bond with their children that parents who practice attachment parenting (AP) will never experience discipline issues--in fact, they have a whole book about discipline ("The Discipline Book"). They do, however, describe clearly that children who have a strong, loving bond (attachment) with their parents from the time of their infancy, are more secure in this relationship, and typically respond more sensitively to correction than children who are not raised in a sensitive, loving atmosphere. These aren't just ideas or philosophies--they have been researched thoroughly over time (beginning in the 1930s), and there are many books (by various doctors, psychologists, and authors) that describe in detail the scientific study that has been done which proves, in no uncertain terms, the relevance of the mother/baby bond and how the quality of this bond affects a person throughout their entire life.

As others have said, this book makes a great gift...It's beautifully illustrated and will bless anyone with a new baby (even if they have older children!)...And I would even suggest that you pair it with "The Baby Book" or "The Complete Book of Christian Parenting and Child Care" by the same authors (so they will have access to more comprehensive guidelines in infant care in addition to the encouragment and simplicity of the "25 Things..." book.)