Seattle's Child

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Top 10 Reads for New Parents

We turned to the experts – 50 Seattle parents who have become first-time parents – and asked them to share their favorite parenting books.

Photo: Theodore Scott/Flickr

 

Sidle up to the "Parenting" section in your local bookstore, and it's easy to feel a little intimidated, especially if you are brand-spanking-new to this parenting business. That's why we turned to the experts – 50 Seattle moms and dads who have become first-time parents within the past two years – and asked them to share their favorite books on parenting through the first year. Here are their picks:

 

The Happiest Baby on the Block

Harvey Karp, M.D.

The celebrity pediatrician's five S's to a calm a fussy baby really, really actually work.

 

Super Baby Food 

Ruth Yaron

Confused about when to start solids? What foods to avoid? This is the book Seattle parents turn to for all the answers.

 

What to Expect the First Year

Heidi Murkoff, Arlene Eisenberg and Sandee Hathaway

 "I liked this book because it's more of a reference guide, than a full on read. The way that it was broken down by months was really helpful – it was a good check-in during the month we were in," says Christine Godlewski, a Seattle designer and mother of 17-month-old Olivia.

 

Secrets of the Baby Whisperer: How to Calm, Connect, and Communicate with Your Baby

Tracy Hogg and Melinda Blau

Put simply, this is a book that changes lives, according to Seattle parents.

 

What's Going on in There? How the Brain and Mind Develop in the First Five Years of Life

Lise Eliot

Amazon.com book reviewer Audrey said best what Seattle parents feel about Eliot's tome: "This is one of those books you should write in – underline, highlight, take notes … you will be referring to it often."

 

Bright from the Start: The Simple, Science-Backed Way to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind from Birth to Age 3

Jill Stamm

"It's just a really interesting book about baby's brain development, and it suggests activities that you can do with your baby to help stimulate them at each stage of development," says Capitol Hill mom Mindy Huffman, whose son, Lionel, is 6 months old.

 

One Year to an Organized Life with Baby: From Pregnancy to Parenthood, the Week-by-Week Guide to Getting Ready for Baby and Keeping Your Family Organized 

Regina Leeds and Meagan Francis

 

The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby from Birth to Age Two 

William Sears, Martha Sears, Robert Sears and James Sears

 

Baby Signs: How to Talk with Your Baby Before Your Baby Can Talk, Third Edition

Linda Acredolo, Susan Goodwyn and Doug Abrams

Guess what? Babies know what they want and need and they can tell you!

 

5 Days to a Perfect Night's Sleep for Your Child: The Secrets to Making Bedtime a Dream

Eduard Estivill, Mara Faye Lethem and Rachel Anderson

"Our son wasn't self-soothing and, after being a ‘good sleeper' for the first six months of his life, he spent the next six months of his life cradled in my arms from 1 to 4 a.m.," says Seattle's Ben Silverman, father of 17-month-old Caleb. "I read this book, applied the basic technique and within two nights there was a demonstrable difference, and, by the end of the fourth night there had been a 180-degree turn in sleep behavior."


Editor's note: This article was originally published in March of 2012.

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Seattle's Child Staff