First Time Parents

by Miriam Stoppard

Dr. Miriam Stoppard is one of Britain's best-known childcare and health experts, and the American edition of The New Parent is bound to please an eager readership. Like so many books from DK Publishing, this Essential Guide for All First-Time Mothers and Fathers is a delight to the eyes. A large but not unwieldy hardcover, it is simply much more elegantly designed than most books in the parenting genre. Color photographs and top-quality charts and diagrams set off text that has been grouped into useful, easily digestible chunks. Topics on every new parent's mind are featured in double-page spreads with titles such as "What Happens in Labor," "The First Day," "Breastfeeding," and "Emergency First Aid," accompanied by well laid-out information on a baby's physical, emotional, and cognitive development through the first year. At times, the text may be a little too simplistic, and there are heftier parenting titles that carry more detailed information. The publishers may also have underestimated the jarring effect of inserting American text into a British book as a means of creating the U.S. edition. Essential information--for example, on maternity rights--has of course been rewritten entirely for the U.S. audience, but some recommendations, such as when to start giving solid food, are sharply different from standard American practice. And besides, American strollers just don't look like that! Nonetheless, The New Parent is a useful introductory book for parents expecting their first baby. --Richard Farr

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published April 16, 1998

Reviews

[Madeline Cooper · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really useful at some times, super outdated and biased at others - take it with a grain of salt.

[Nikos Korexenidis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some useful information that you can read like a magazine but some outdated . Also biased and egalitarian , it tries to pass that mothers and fathers are exactly the same .

[J.M. Brister · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Review of:First-Time Parents: What Every New Parent Needs to Know

Author: Miriam Stoppard

Rating: Four Stars

Genre: How To/Parenting

Date Published: 1998

Series: N/A

First-Time Parents: What Every New Parent Needs to Knowby Miriam Stoppard is a general how-to for first time parents. The book contains color pictures and easy-to-read chapters that are straight to the point. The book covers topics that range from preparing for pregnancy right up to caring for a young baby.

Chapters include:
-Deciding on Parenthood
-Preparing for Parenthood
-Your New Baby, Your New Life
-Caring For Your Baby
-Adapting to Parenthood
-Your Baby's Development
-Going Back to Work


So, if you're thinking about reading this book, here are some things you might enjoy:
-Full color pictures of all sorts of baby-related how-tos
-Easy to read segments
-Good chapter organization

And here are the annoying things:
-Some pieces of information feel a little rushed
-Book does not go super "in-depth"

This book was given to me, and I will certainly add it to my growing collection of baby books. However, I'm not sure if I would have purchased it for myself. The best part about the book are the color pictures, but I am glad I have more than one baby book to refer to since the information isn't super in-depth.

http://jessicabrister.blogspot.com/

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book attracted me because it was full of pictures, something most of our other baby books have been lacking. These really have been worth a thousand words. The book has great descriptions of bathing, cleaning, etc but also has a very nice section on development which we are referring to regularly.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like the pictures (and the information too!)

[Monica]

Great book full of advice and easy to read columns for both parents. Definately re-reading this once the baby is born for extra tips on the first year.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This caught my attention because of its cuteness. We will see how informative it is :-)

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read/understand and helpful pictures for a complete noob like me! I checked it out from the library but I would love to have it for my personal library!

[Knotty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very helpful with lots of pictures!

[Amber Giffen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative and easy to understand. The pictures were really great as well!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book kinda help because of the pictures.