Customer Reviews

Your Newborn: Head to Toe: Everything You Want to Know About Your Baby's Health through The First Year

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I keep both Newborn Head to Toe and Toddler Head to Toe on my nightstand to refer to questions I have about my 2yr old and 10mos. old. This book discusses a lot of common problems that your kids may have in a very matter of fact, non-alarmist, informative way. I have some of the other books that people have discussed in earlier reviews but, they are so bulky and dense, it takes a while to find the answer you need. This one is great for a quick reference and has been helpful for when I should call the Dr. and what questions to ask. Absolutely indispensible!

I found this to be a great compliment to my list of reliable resources. If my kids aren't bleeding or have a raging fever, I consult this book before I call the doctor's office with minor concerns. It has helped me get "smart" on infant conditions and what I can do about them. But although I like this book I woulld NEVER substitite it for a call to the doctor if I had doubts or questions.

Although a small part of the book, her sections on breastfeeding are misleading and inaccurate at best. You can tell that she is strugling to make it sound like she thinks the breast is best, but is really not convinced of it herself. She makes many suggestions that can be actually detrimental to the establishment of a breastfeeding relationship, including just about any excuse to supplement with formula and sugar water. She also seriously neglects to state the advantages of breastmilk.

In the section on circumcision, she is also out of date. She suggests that circumcisions are not painful to infants less than 1 month and do not require anesthesia. This has been proven false in several studies. She also understates the risk factors and complications of circumcisions, while overstating the complications of leaving the child intact.

If you are looking for a book to repeat all the same information you have been hearing about babies for the last 20 years, this is your book. If you are looking for an accurate, upto date book on children, look elsewhere.

This is a straightforward guide that provides information on a vast array of topics. Written by a doctor it covers mainly practical medical facts (the kinds of things that new parents call the pediatrician about, and it actually tells you when you should be calling your doctor or not.) Also helps you figure out the basics of baby care. Includes website references too. I'd recommend a companion to this one called Gentle Baby Care by Pantley (the baby sleep guru) which covers many of the same topics in an A to Z format.

It's odd that the information in this book wasn't fact-checked against the medical literature or even with the pediatrician author's own professional organization, the American Academy of Pediatrics. As another reviewer noted, this book provides limited information on the biggest decision parents make regarding their baby's health, that of how to feed him or her. Unfortunately, Dr. Natterson does vulnerable new parents a disservice by presenting some outdated, inaccurate infant feeding information that serves to contradict and undermine the recommendations of both the AAP and the World Health Organization.

Infant feeding is just one aspect of the book, but because it's such a very important one, the author loses credibility.

Better baby "manuals" that are based on the scientific literature and on a baby's developmental needs (and that are also written by pediatricians, incidentally) are "The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby from Birth to Age Two (Revised and Updated Edition)" and "Listening to Your Baby: A New Approach to Parenting Your Newborn."

This book was profiled on the Today Show during World Breastfeeding Week and an excerpt was found at msnbc.com.

Dr. Natterson appears to mean well, but her information is inaccurate and her tone is often misleading. She identifies problems and fails to identify solutions. She has made several factual errors.

There are numerous solid reliable baby care handbooks available that do not suffer from these problems. I recommend consulting one of those. (The Baby Book by Sears, The AAP Guide, etc.)

I have been waiting for a baby book like this!!! I have looked at ALL the others "out there", and NOTHING compares to this one! I HIGHLY recommend this book for anyone who wishes to know anything about babies!!! Dr. Natterson has organized the book in a format that makes it SO easy to find the information you need! Every chapter covers one part of your baby. There are also question-and-answer sections where she specifically explains to the reader WHAT is happening to your baby, WHY it's happening, what YOU, the Parent, can do, and WHEN to involve your doctor! Dr. Natterson even includes Websites at the end of each item for any additional information you might want! I pick this book up frequently and can turn to any page to learn something new. It's an enjoyable book to read! It's also easy to understand! If you own just ONE "baby book" on your shelf, this is it!!! Dr. Natterson knows what she's talking about and clearly has the educational and medical credentials to back it up! HIGH RECOMMENDATION!!!

Great, lively, well-organized and elegantly structured introduction to fertility, pregnancy and the first year of life. More prescriptive and intuitive than "What To Expect"--less of the kitchen sink and more of the key issues, plus how to deal with them and what to look out for. Author has a stronger feel for the fears and anxieties of new parents. My other favorite baby book is "I Sleep At Red Lights: A True Story of Life After Triplets," by Bruce Stockler, an incredibly fresh, provacative and honest look inside a man's soul when he decides his kids are more important than his career. Hilarious and touching and insightful.

This book is better than any of the other baby books on the market. If you have a question, concern or issue regarding your baby's health, don't panic. This book can help you understand what is going on and what to do about it. It is a must for first time mothers, and a great resource for mothers of toddlers. A perfect gift for all new parents.

Although seemingly comprehensive from a glance at the contents, "Your Newborn Head to Toe" presents just the very basics. For example, a discussion of breast- versus bottle-feeding (one of the most critical and controversial questions parents face) uses less than 200 words.

Still, I would recommend the book for those who have neither the time nor the patience to sift through more thorough sources, as Dr. Natterson does give enough information to make quick decisions about paths of action or when to call a physician. Parents who like to feel as informed as possible may wish to turn to another source.