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Dr. Spock's Baby and Child Care: A Handbook for Parents of the Developing Child from Birth through Adolescence
Updated to include the changes and challenges of the next century, this sourcebook is the most authoritative and reliable guide for parents. It contains new material that covers all phases of child development from birth through adolescence. Line drawings throughout.
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1946
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About the author
Benjamin Spock
74 books142 followersBenjamin McLane Spock was an American pediatrician whose book Baby and Child Care, published in 1946, is one of the biggest best-sellers of all time. Its revolutionary message to mothers was that "you know more than you think you do." Spock was the first pediatrician to study psychoanalysis to try to understand children's needs and family dynamics.
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January 16, 2011Another book I am reading for the book I am writing. One of my favorite outtakes thus far from this book updated in 1962:
"[A father:] might make the formula on Sunday. If the baby is on a 2 A.M. bottle in the early weeks, when the mother is still pretty tired, this is a good feeding for the father to take over. It's nice for him, if he can, to go along to the doctor's office for the baby's regular visits. It gives him a chance to bring up those questions that are bothering him and that he doesn't think his wife understands the importance of. It pleases the doctor too."
"[A father:] might make the formula on Sunday. If the baby is on a 2 A.M. bottle in the early weeks, when the mother is still pretty tired, this is a good feeding for the father to take over. It's nice for him, if he can, to go along to the doctor's office for the baby's regular visits. It gives him a chance to bring up those questions that are bothering him and that he doesn't think his wife understands the importance of. It pleases the doctor too."
January 6, 2018
I blog about Postwar America and bought a copy of the first edition (1946) on eBay in order to read the version my mother relied on. A classic. A couple of brief comments:
1) The conservative preacher Norman Vincent Peale, in an oft-quoted sermon, blamed Spock's "instant gratification, don't let them cry" approach for the violent demonstrations that occurred during that era. More immoderate commentators went even further, demonizing Spock as being more or less single-handedly responsible for the decline and fall of Western Civilization. This accusation (always strongly rejected by Spock himself), is simply not supported by the book, which can be considered permissive only in contrast with the draconian advice then being offered by contemporary experts to adhere to a regular schedule of sleep and feeding, even if it meant leaving an infant sobbing for hours; and to avoid picking up and comforting babies, which would only teach them to cry more. Dr. Spock expects youngsters to be assigned duties, to put things away, to come to the table when dinner is ready, and to be polite to others. He warns against asking “Do you want to...?” or offering too many reasons when requiring the child to do something. The best description is perhaps the one Spock himself chose for the title of the first edition of his book, “common sense.” “Trust yourself,” he told young parents, "you know more than you think you do."
2) His (first) wife, Jane, whom he divorced after 48 years of marriage, was inadequately recognized and poorly rewarded for her extensive contribution to the book. At what point does transcribing, performing background research, fact-checking, recipe-testing, editing, consulting experts, rewriting, and more cross the blurry line from an acknowledgment, even (belatedly) a generous acknowledgment, into full-fledged co-authorship? Jane always felt she'd been shortchanged, and a good case could be made for her claim.
For a more extensive discussion of these and other issues, please check out my blog post:
http://www.projectdiana-eme.com/to-th...
1) The conservative preacher Norman Vincent Peale, in an oft-quoted sermon, blamed Spock's "instant gratification, don't let them cry" approach for the violent demonstrations that occurred during that era. More immoderate commentators went even further, demonizing Spock as being more or less single-handedly responsible for the decline and fall of Western Civilization. This accusation (always strongly rejected by Spock himself), is simply not supported by the book, which can be considered permissive only in contrast with the draconian advice then being offered by contemporary experts to adhere to a regular schedule of sleep and feeding, even if it meant leaving an infant sobbing for hours; and to avoid picking up and comforting babies, which would only teach them to cry more. Dr. Spock expects youngsters to be assigned duties, to put things away, to come to the table when dinner is ready, and to be polite to others. He warns against asking “Do you want to...?” or offering too many reasons when requiring the child to do something. The best description is perhaps the one Spock himself chose for the title of the first edition of his book, “common sense.” “Trust yourself,” he told young parents, "you know more than you think you do."
2) His (first) wife, Jane, whom he divorced after 48 years of marriage, was inadequately recognized and poorly rewarded for her extensive contribution to the book. At what point does transcribing, performing background research, fact-checking, recipe-testing, editing, consulting experts, rewriting, and more cross the blurry line from an acknowledgment, even (belatedly) a generous acknowledgment, into full-fledged co-authorship? Jane always felt she'd been shortchanged, and a good case could be made for her claim.
For a more extensive discussion of these and other issues, please check out my blog post:
http://www.projectdiana-eme.com/to-th...
September 16, 2020
Probably the most important book in my library for the first 10 years of my kids' lives (1981 - 1995). It was the book to turn to when they had spots or fevers or just would not go to sleep.... Dr. Spock always gave common sense advice. The reference guide to symptoms in the back was invaluable more than once in answering the huge question every new parent has -- it is 2:00 in the morning - "should I call the doctor for this, or can it wait until morning?"
July 20, 2018
وأخيرااااً :D
مرجع رائع وشامل لكل ما قد يحتاجه الطفل من عناية نفسية وبدنية منذ الولادة وحتى المراهقة ، معلومات قيمة ومحدثة مع كل طبعة ، لا غنى عنه ويغني عن قراءة الكتب التي تتناول نفس الموضوعات برأيي.
برأيي أيضاً ان قراءته مهمه قبل اتخاذه كمرجع في المكتبة لأن المعلومات فيه خصبة جدا وسيساعد جدا تحديد النقاط المهمه بحيث يسهل الرجوع اليها بسرعه وهو ما فعلته طيلة هذه الصفحات الكثيرة جداً :D
مرجع رائع وشامل لكل ما قد يحتاجه الطفل من عناية نفسية وبدنية منذ الولادة وحتى المراهقة ، معلومات قيمة ومحدثة مع كل طبعة ، لا غنى عنه ويغني عن قراءة الكتب التي تتناول نفس الموضوعات برأيي.
برأيي أيضاً ان قراءته مهمه قبل اتخاذه كمرجع في المكتبة لأن المعلومات فيه خصبة جدا وسيساعد جدا تحديد النقاط المهمه بحيث يسهل الرجوع اليها بسرعه وهو ما فعلته طيلة هذه الصفحات الكثيرة جداً :D
February 9, 2013
This is a wonderful book for ALL parents to read. Actually, it's a wonderful book for ANYONE to read, even children. It discusses human development in a way that is useful for those who are guiding a child's development and those interested in their own development - which should be everyone. Most importantly the book is written to educate and encourage, rather than to preach and frighten. It helps the parent approach every situation with the basic knowledge needed. It also gives great resources for further information on specific needs, including children's books that might help at certain moments.
Since the book covers all stages of childhood and all types of children, certain portions may never apply to any one child or family. My strategy was to read the whole book so that I have been exposed to the whole gamut of parenting questions. I certainly won't remember all of the advice, but the general approaches will stick with me and I can go back and understand more quickly as certain situations arise. Besides, I'm sure picking colleges will be here before we know it. And with every question, now I have at least some knowledge so that when questions come, especially when they come from our child, I won't be struck entirely dumb.
Since the book covers all stages of childhood and all types of children, certain portions may never apply to any one child or family. My strategy was to read the whole book so that I have been exposed to the whole gamut of parenting questions. I certainly won't remember all of the advice, but the general approaches will stick with me and I can go back and understand more quickly as certain situations arise. Besides, I'm sure picking colleges will be here before we know it. And with every question, now I have at least some knowledge so that when questions come, especially when they come from our child, I won't be struck entirely dumb.
June 10, 2012
My mother gave all her daughters, daughter-in-laws, many nieces, then started with granddaughters as they made her a great-grandma, a copy of Dr. Spock's Baby and Childcare. My copy was a much earlier edition than this one.
I referred back to the book many times as my babies matured into toddlers, and so on. I say it was okay, because I never read it cover to cover ~ it got boring.
Many of my peers felt intimidated by the book's advice, fearing they would do something wrong. I do not recall exactly as Dr. Spock said it, but it was what I most remembered and adhered to ~ if we could not remember what to do in an emergency or for illness, to do the first thing we thought of doing ~ which would usually be correct.
That worked for me ~ often I would refer to the book after the fact and learn I had handled things in manner Spock prescribed.
I referred back to the book many times as my babies matured into toddlers, and so on. I say it was okay, because I never read it cover to cover ~ it got boring.
Many of my peers felt intimidated by the book's advice, fearing they would do something wrong. I do not recall exactly as Dr. Spock said it, but it was what I most remembered and adhered to ~ if we could not remember what to do in an emergency or for illness, to do the first thing we thought of doing ~ which would usually be correct.
That worked for me ~ often I would refer to the book after the fact and learn I had handled things in manner Spock prescribed.
July 30, 2014
Benjamin Spock Robert Needlman – Baby and Childcare
When my baby daughter arrived, advice, much of it unasked for, poured in from friends and relatives. Buy a pillow for her. Put honey on her pacifier to help her through teething. Give her orange juice. Put her to bed with a bottle full of milk so she doesn’t need to get up in the middle of the night to be fed.
All of which, thanks to Dr Spock’s Baby & Childcare (9th Edition, with Dr Robert Needlman), I managed to discover – well in time – to be bad for baby (the honey on the pacifier and the milk through the night are surefire ways of causing tooth decay, even before baby’s teeth are out; the pillow can be the cause of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome; and orange juice is not recommended for children below a year of age).
This parenting book, first published in 1945, has been the more-or-less definitive baby and childcare book for so many decades, it’s become almost iconic. My mother bought her copy back in 1967 when my sister was born, and swears by it. So, when a friend gifted this to me in preparation for my baby, I read through it, cover to cover. Of course, it’s basically a reference book – you can dip into it at short notice to see what to do if baby suddenly starts hiccupping, or falls from the bed, or doesn’t want to feed… and a million other things.
While people who haven’t read the book may think it’s basically a baby care book, Dr Spock’s Baby & Childcare is actually much, much more. This edition, vastly revised and updated by Dr Robert Needlman, covers everything from pregnancy to starting college – basically, the entire journey from womb to leaving the nest.
The book is divided into six sections: Your Child, Age by Age contains detailed information about how the physical, emotional, and mental development of children, touching on everything from diapering to toilet training, sleep issues to puberty to strategies for dealing with teens. Feeding and Nutrition is the second section. The title is self-explanatory, as is that of section III, Health and Safety, and section IV, Raising Mentally Healthy Children. Section V, Common Developmental and Behavioral Challenges discusses everything from sibling rivalry to depression, tantrums, feeding disorders, and children with special needs. The last section, Learning and School, starts with an explanation of how the brain works and goes all the way to how to go about finding the right college for your offspring.
The book, therefore, covers the gamut of parenting, whether it’s the physical and mental aspects, the emotional, or the social. There’s just about everything here (including a very helpful resource guide with listings of online sources for further guidance and support) you could need to at least get an idea about how to go about being a good parent to your child.
That said, it’s not as if Dr Spock’s Baby & Childcare is the only book you’ll need. I, for instance, ended up finding out how to exercise a baby or massage a baby to relieve constipation from other sources on the net. Also, since the book is very US-centric, some of the contents (the resources listed, for example) are not much use to people in countries very different from the US.
Still, all in all, a dependable book to have on your shelf if you have a kid or are about to have one.
When my baby daughter arrived, advice, much of it unasked for, poured in from friends and relatives. Buy a pillow for her. Put honey on her pacifier to help her through teething. Give her orange juice. Put her to bed with a bottle full of milk so she doesn’t need to get up in the middle of the night to be fed.
All of which, thanks to Dr Spock’s Baby & Childcare (9th Edition, with Dr Robert Needlman), I managed to discover – well in time – to be bad for baby (the honey on the pacifier and the milk through the night are surefire ways of causing tooth decay, even before baby’s teeth are out; the pillow can be the cause of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome; and orange juice is not recommended for children below a year of age).
This parenting book, first published in 1945, has been the more-or-less definitive baby and childcare book for so many decades, it’s become almost iconic. My mother bought her copy back in 1967 when my sister was born, and swears by it. So, when a friend gifted this to me in preparation for my baby, I read through it, cover to cover. Of course, it’s basically a reference book – you can dip into it at short notice to see what to do if baby suddenly starts hiccupping, or falls from the bed, or doesn’t want to feed… and a million other things.
While people who haven’t read the book may think it’s basically a baby care book, Dr Spock’s Baby & Childcare is actually much, much more. This edition, vastly revised and updated by Dr Robert Needlman, covers everything from pregnancy to starting college – basically, the entire journey from womb to leaving the nest.
The book is divided into six sections: Your Child, Age by Age contains detailed information about how the physical, emotional, and mental development of children, touching on everything from diapering to toilet training, sleep issues to puberty to strategies for dealing with teens. Feeding and Nutrition is the second section. The title is self-explanatory, as is that of section III, Health and Safety, and section IV, Raising Mentally Healthy Children. Section V, Common Developmental and Behavioral Challenges discusses everything from sibling rivalry to depression, tantrums, feeding disorders, and children with special needs. The last section, Learning and School, starts with an explanation of how the brain works and goes all the way to how to go about finding the right college for your offspring.
The book, therefore, covers the gamut of parenting, whether it’s the physical and mental aspects, the emotional, or the social. There’s just about everything here (including a very helpful resource guide with listings of online sources for further guidance and support) you could need to at least get an idea about how to go about being a good parent to your child.
That said, it’s not as if Dr Spock’s Baby & Childcare is the only book you’ll need. I, for instance, ended up finding out how to exercise a baby or massage a baby to relieve constipation from other sources on the net. Also, since the book is very US-centric, some of the contents (the resources listed, for example) are not much use to people in countries very different from the US.
Still, all in all, a dependable book to have on your shelf if you have a kid or are about to have one.
September 3, 2017
This handbook is meant as a reference so I focused only on a few topics that might help me learn how adult personalities/habits/behaviors are shaped by childhood influences.
Best learning happens when babies are presented with a relaxed, supportive, nurturing environment, not by cold, forced, unwanted, unnatural facts (like flashcards).
Downside of overacademic approach: interferes with play (way they learn, develop social skills, spark creativity).
When they love what they learn, they remember it longer.
Thinking develops in stages; don't rush the process by skipping phases.
Read to babies. They enjoy the sound and feeling of being held.
Foster love for stories by reading them aloud, and talk about them to spark interest. Pay attention to everyday signs and labels that are interesting and important.
In a good preschool, there are different areas for children to explore different interests.
School teaches skills to kids and how to get along in the world. Various subjects are means to an end.
Mental capacity is one aspect of a person. Balance it with empathy, compassion, common sense, respect for others.
No use in learning a lot if you're not happy, can't get along with people, etc.
One way that children learn independence is by taking risks: fosters skills, self-esteem, and judgment.
Sports: teach sportsmanship, teamwork, tolerance.
Sex awareness starts when children see how parents get along with and take care of each other (how kind/helpful/respectful), attitude about different genders.
Best learning happens when babies are presented with a relaxed, supportive, nurturing environment, not by cold, forced, unwanted, unnatural facts (like flashcards).
Downside of overacademic approach: interferes with play (way they learn, develop social skills, spark creativity).
When they love what they learn, they remember it longer.
Thinking develops in stages; don't rush the process by skipping phases.
Read to babies. They enjoy the sound and feeling of being held.
Foster love for stories by reading them aloud, and talk about them to spark interest. Pay attention to everyday signs and labels that are interesting and important.
In a good preschool, there are different areas for children to explore different interests.
School teaches skills to kids and how to get along in the world. Various subjects are means to an end.
Mental capacity is one aspect of a person. Balance it with empathy, compassion, common sense, respect for others.
No use in learning a lot if you're not happy, can't get along with people, etc.
One way that children learn independence is by taking risks: fosters skills, self-esteem, and judgment.
Sports: teach sportsmanship, teamwork, tolerance.
Sex awareness starts when children see how parents get along with and take care of each other (how kind/helpful/respectful), attitude about different genders.
August 31, 2021
Read most of it. There are a few bits I skipped that were less applicable in my current life (i.e. divorce, adoption...). It is a great, big, practical book, with heaps of information, and the wonderful thing about it is none of it feels like empty filler. I'll 100% be consulting it again and again if and when.
I was honestly fascinated by the whole read. I find the subject of how we create a human and how a child experiences this world fascinating, magical, and somewhat unbelievable. I think Gibran captures the essence of what this book says (beyond the practical), in his beautiful poetic way...
"Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you, yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts.
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls, for their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backwards nor tarries with yesterday."
I was honestly fascinated by the whole read. I find the subject of how we create a human and how a child experiences this world fascinating, magical, and somewhat unbelievable. I think Gibran captures the essence of what this book says (beyond the practical), in his beautiful poetic way...
"Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you, yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts.
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls, for their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backwards nor tarries with yesterday."
August 16, 2010
This is a book that I read the sections I need when I want to know, rather than reading cover to cover. Unlike some guides, it's arranged topically rather than by age, so skipping around is really a necessity. It gives some great advice and gives a lot of the "whys" of childcare - why shouldn't you save the extra food from the baby jar? Body fluids are sterile to the body they came out of... so what if saliva gets into the rest of the food? Turns out that (here's a reminder from 4th grade science) that saliva breaks down some foods, which when not consumed, causes them to decay faster. Oh, okay - I can accept that. Hearing it from other places just makes those people sound paranoid or that they just want you to spend more money on baby food. So far so good. :) And this book doesn't make you feel slow, stupid, or paranoid. I like that in a parenting guide! :D
December 16, 2019
Well what can I say about this? There are some very useful sections which are still relevant to modern day parenting and the sections on first aid were quite useful.
However, there are some sections I cringed at and I KNOW that it's because it's a product of its time but it said multiple times about a father wanting to come in from work and reading the paper, and the role of men and women being so very different. The final indication to how old this book is, was the small section on 'mongolism. A disturbance characterised by a child with upward slanted eyes like an oriental'
An honest to God shudder-making quote.
Glad I read this, it was a bit of fun seeing how people viewed the world in the 60s.
However, there are some sections I cringed at and I KNOW that it's because it's a product of its time but it said multiple times about a father wanting to come in from work and reading the paper, and the role of men and women being so very different. The final indication to how old this book is, was the small section on 'mongolism. A disturbance characterised by a child with upward slanted eyes like an oriental'
An honest to God shudder-making quote.
Glad I read this, it was a bit of fun seeing how people viewed the world in the 60s.
October 13, 2018
A good general overview without much depth. For example, there is a page on soothing a newborn, whereas The Happiest Baby on the Block is an entire book about soothing a newborn. There's also a few paragraphs about sleep at the various ages, whereas entire other books are written about the nuances of helping your children sleep well.
This book covers so many topics that it can only say a few words on each. That's okay. However, many of the more challenging and intriguing nuances of parenting aren't in here.
This book covers so many topics that it can only say a few words on each. That's okay. However, many of the more challenging and intriguing nuances of parenting aren't in here.
September 14, 2008
Excellent Resource for quick infant/child health info.
December 19, 2010
We've read though the chapters on pregnancy. Now I guess it is almost time for the infant section. Yikes!!
February 24, 2017
საკმაოდ კარგი რჩევებია. გუგლი რომ არ არსებობდა, იმ პერიოდში ბრწყინვალე საშუალება იქნებოდა. ყველა საკითხი ერთადაა თავმოქუჩული.
February 20, 2022
Наврядчи можна назвати "настільною" для сучасних батьків книгу, написану в 1957 році.
Але ж і наробила вона шуму у свій час! Фундаментальна праця, на якій виховували десятки поколінь, і мене в тому числі🙈
Ця книга огорнута полярними думками: одні визнають цю методику архаїчною та такою, що калічить психіку та здоров'я дітей, інші ж вважають тією єдиною книгою, яку треба прочитати кожній парі батьків.
А по факту?
По факту ж тут 764 блоки різних питань, серед яких є різні, зокрема думки про те, що
✅️всі діти розвиваються по-різному
✅️Що не треба "сюсюкатись" з дітьми, а нормально розмовляти
✅️Про організацію безпечного простору для дитини і те, що не треба сварити малюка, якщо він забруднився під час прогулянки
Але разом з тим вистачає і сумнівних порад про:
✅️Коров'яче молоко з цукром для немовлят
✅️Прикорм з 2-х місяців
✅️Норма фізичних покарань:
"Шлепнув малыша, вы отведёте душу и все встанет на свои места"
Це лише мізерна частинка написаного.
Можна виділити і кілька глобальних ідей в написаному. І про те, що не треба віддавати себе в жертву дітям, підпорядковуючи все своє життя лише вихованню, і про те, що не треба "консервувати" дітей в чотирьох стінах, а відкривати для них світ.
Для мене ця книга — найсуперечливіша з усього, що я встигла на цю тему прочитати. Але я не відчуваю до неї різкого негативу, це просто книга. Застаріла, місцями неактуальна, але з великою кількістю світлих посилів книга, яка стала революційною у свій час.
Але ж і наробила вона шуму у свій час! Фундаментальна праця, на якій виховували десятки поколінь, і мене в тому числі🙈
Ця книга огорнута полярними думками: одні визнають цю методику архаїчною та такою, що калічить психіку та здоров'я дітей, інші ж вважають тією єдиною книгою, яку треба прочитати кожній парі батьків.
А по факту?
По факту ж тут 764 блоки різних питань, серед яких є різні, зокрема думки про те, що
✅️всі діти розвиваються по-різному
✅️Що не треба "сюсюкатись" з дітьми, а нормально розмовляти
✅️Про організацію безпечного простору для дитини і те, що не треба сварити малюка, якщо він забруднився під час прогулянки
Але разом з тим вистачає і сумнівних порад про:
✅️Коров'яче молоко з цукром для немовлят
✅️Прикорм з 2-х місяців
✅️Норма фізичних покарань:
"Шлепнув малыша, вы отведёте душу и все встанет на свои места"
Це лише мізерна частинка написаного.
Можна виділити і кілька глобальних ідей в написаному. І про те, що не треба віддавати себе в жертву дітям, підпорядковуючи все своє життя лише вихованню, і про те, що не треба "консервувати" дітей в чотирьох стінах, а відкривати для них світ.
Для мене ця книга — найсуперечливіша з усього, що я встигла на цю тему прочитати. Але я не відчуваю до неї різкого негативу, це просто книга. Застаріла, місцями неактуальна, але з великою кількістю світлих посилів книга, яка стала революційною у свій час.
May 26, 2020
Na een bladzijde of 100 gestopt, wat een achterhaald boek (ondanks de "complete revisie" en "volledige aansluiting op de Nederlandse maatschappij" in 2015!). Met het continu gebruik van woorden als 'vroedvrouw' en 'vrouwenarts' kon ik nog leven, maar toen 'de vader als ouder' op maar liefst 1 pagina aan bod kwam, ik langs de kruisvereniging moest voor zwangerschapsgymnastiek en ik ook de babykleertjes zelf blijk te moeten gaan breien (van synthetische wol, uiteraard), heb ik het boek bij het oud papier gegooid. Ik ga weer verder met mijn leven in de 21ste eeuw.
June 2, 2018
Awesome Book. Learned A Lot of Stuff I Didn't Know. Great Book For Any Mom.
August 8, 2022
A must have for any new parent, referred to this book for all my children, it is the best friend any new mother can have. Good baby shower gift to include in a gift basket. Spock was the best!
August 2, 2014
Sometimes there's reviewing a single book on its own (like with a novel), but other times you have to review a book in the context of other books out there (like with a parenting advice book). Dr Spock's classic baby and child care book is definitely a case of the latter category. Reading it now, after having read many more detailed books, I can't help but wish that this was the only book on the subject I ever read. I like to imagine myself as a low-stress mother who only felt the need to consult an expert guide for the occasional difficulty. If that was truly me, this book would have provided everything I need. Having read several million books, I can say that too much information is definitely too much. I like that half a page on, for example, apparent low milk supply is all that there is here. Why dwell on it obsessively? On the other hand, advice like "plan to sleep more during the day" when dealing with endless night feedings would NOT have done the job for me when I was dealing with that problem. In retrospect though... why make life difficult? If something isn't working, change it (etc). (That said, if you are dealing with low milk supply Diane West's Breasting Mother's Guide to Making More Milk is a useful book, if you want to read a book and then try different, sometimes labour intensive, solutions at exactly at the moment when you are most overwhelmed.)
Breastfeeding is just one thing covered in Dr Spock's book. This is a great, easy reference when for situations when you are are wondering about, for example, ear infections, eczema or constipation. There's also information about more serious problems (such as fractures). Lucky for us, we haven't had to consult those sections so far. I've done some reading ahead to issues that pertain to older children, and I like the moderate, matter of fact advice -- but I haven't had to put it in to practice yet.
One example of practical advice that worked well for us -- Dr. Spock says that it's often good for young babies to be kept nearby their parents without being the centre of attention. In my son's case, from an early age he was happy being laid on a soft blanket on the floor where he could practice kicking his legs and wiggling. At the time, I worried that I should be doing something more labor intensive and interactive (reading to him? playing games?). In retrospect, I think that all that time helped him develop some independence and gave him the chance to work on his muscle strength and coordination. This low-stress, low-demand parenting advice ended up working out best for us, at least in that case -- which was a major relief.
Breastfeeding is just one thing covered in Dr Spock's book. This is a great, easy reference when for situations when you are are wondering about, for example, ear infections, eczema or constipation. There's also information about more serious problems (such as fractures). Lucky for us, we haven't had to consult those sections so far. I've done some reading ahead to issues that pertain to older children, and I like the moderate, matter of fact advice -- but I haven't had to put it in to practice yet.
One example of practical advice that worked well for us -- Dr. Spock says that it's often good for young babies to be kept nearby their parents without being the centre of attention. In my son's case, from an early age he was happy being laid on a soft blanket on the floor where he could practice kicking his legs and wiggling. At the time, I worried that I should be doing something more labor intensive and interactive (reading to him? playing games?). In retrospect, I think that all that time helped him develop some independence and gave him the chance to work on his muscle strength and coordination. This low-stress, low-demand parenting advice ended up working out best for us, at least in that case -- which was a major relief.
July 15, 2019
1.5 stars**
Knowing this was a classic book on, as the title suggests, caring for and raising a child, I picked this up for a few cents at a sale a year or two ago and finally decided to give this brick of a book a chance. The first thing that came to mind was how dated in its ideas of gender it is. Although is is said that parents shouldn't fret if a boy decides to play with his sisters dolls (which was certainly progressive at the time it was written), the ideas of what a boy or a girl’s ideal activities should be seems quite clear. We are told about maternal instinct in a little girl several times, while there is more discussions of helping a small boy feel more manly etc.. The idea of what women should be like as mothers is also very present, although concealed in parts. for example, there is a chapter on mothers who work but it is also said that babies should spend about 3 hours a day outside if the weather permits (who in the world has time for 3 hour long walks everyday ? Working mum or not ?) These injonctions are clear to any informed reader, « a father can help vs a mother should do xyz ». In our day and age, this is not something I would recommend to any future parent, especially not a woman, especially a first time mum. I’m not saying that it is all wrong but it is an awfully outdated manual, in both ideas of paedopsychology and healthcare. That is not to mention all the easier techniques and machines we have invented in the last 40 years, and their own set of new created problems that came with it, which of course could not have been discussed back then.
I can see how at the time it came out, this book could have been seen as the holy bible of childcare books as it touches on everything, however I am certain that some much better, ones can now be found in any good libraries. My copy is going straight back to charity.
Knowing this was a classic book on, as the title suggests, caring for and raising a child, I picked this up for a few cents at a sale a year or two ago and finally decided to give this brick of a book a chance. The first thing that came to mind was how dated in its ideas of gender it is. Although is is said that parents shouldn't fret if a boy decides to play with his sisters dolls (which was certainly progressive at the time it was written), the ideas of what a boy or a girl’s ideal activities should be seems quite clear. We are told about maternal instinct in a little girl several times, while there is more discussions of helping a small boy feel more manly etc.. The idea of what women should be like as mothers is also very present, although concealed in parts. for example, there is a chapter on mothers who work but it is also said that babies should spend about 3 hours a day outside if the weather permits (who in the world has time for 3 hour long walks everyday ? Working mum or not ?) These injonctions are clear to any informed reader, « a father can help vs a mother should do xyz ». In our day and age, this is not something I would recommend to any future parent, especially not a woman, especially a first time mum. I’m not saying that it is all wrong but it is an awfully outdated manual, in both ideas of paedopsychology and healthcare. That is not to mention all the easier techniques and machines we have invented in the last 40 years, and their own set of new created problems that came with it, which of course could not have been discussed back then.
I can see how at the time it came out, this book could have been seen as the holy bible of childcare books as it touches on everything, however I am certain that some much better, ones can now be found in any good libraries. My copy is going straight back to charity.
August 28, 2011
So with a daughter on the way, I've found myself reading rearing books. I'm getting great information, but only made it as far as the twos.
Where are the dragons? Ninja assassins? Robots and their laws?
There wasn't even one chapter on where in the nursery is best for katana placement. Seriously. I have no idea where to put my swords. Spock was no help for that.
It's funny saying (or rather thinking) that. Usually, most Vulcans are good in a pinch.
I think that joke is too old, but that's the most I got from that book.
Where are the dragons? Ninja assassins? Robots and their laws?
There wasn't even one chapter on where in the nursery is best for katana placement. Seriously. I have no idea where to put my swords. Spock was no help for that.
It's funny saying (or rather thinking) that. Usually, most Vulcans are good in a pinch.
I think that joke is too old, but that's the most I got from that book.
July 4, 2008
Except we're reading the 1954 edition. The "in place of a crib, you can place your baby in a bureau drawer or a clothes basket" edition. His take on post-partum depression is pretty good, too. Honestly, it is. Gotta love it. Mostly reading it for fun and because Mom gave it to me. Worked for her. I don't think any of us turned out that horribly. Can't find the chapter where he says it's ok to put netting on top of a play pen (poor Edie!), but I"m sure it's in there.
June 28, 2013
I've a more honest title:
_How to Raise a Pampered, Neurotic, "Me-Oriented" Brat._
I can say without humor or irony that I learned more about parenting by watching my neighbor's dog raise her puppies. :-P
_How to Raise a Pampered, Neurotic, "Me-Oriented" Brat._
I can say without humor or irony that I learned more about parenting by watching my neighbor's dog raise her puppies. :-P
April 13, 2016
الكتاب ملئ بالمعلومات القيمة، بس النوع ده من المعلومات (الرعاية والصحة) أنا فضلت المصادر المسموعة والمشاهدة أكثر بكثير من المكتوبة
ومن أفضل المصادر اللي شوفتها فيديوهات رولا قطامي موجودة على اليوتيوب
ومن أفضل المصادر اللي شوفتها فيديوهات رولا قطامي موجودة على اليوتيوب
June 1, 2018
Along with the wpnderful and patient advice my wife and I got from our mothers, this book offered the best practical advice on raising our children, who turned out to be smart, polite, talented, and sociable adults.
January 8, 2015
This book holds a lot of good info for the new parents
April 25, 2022
Too long book, more like a handbook, but it definitely contains some useful information.
March 15, 2025
I was curious as a childfree person what are the challenges that new parents face when raising a child. So I read in this book about parents sexual relations, crying, diapering, sleeping, what makes babies tick, toilet training, fitting into the outside world, puberty, adolescence, general strategies for dealing with teens, early relationships, the father, self esteem, what discipline is, reward and punishment, the problem of permissiveness, talking with teens about sex, living with the media, physical abuse, temper tantrums, messiness, whining, readiness for toilet training, bed wetting, homework, problems in school, the unpopular child, school avoidance, what college is for, and saving for college. It is not a bad book, and I wish my parents read these lines as some bad memories came back while reading these topics. As I do not remember very much from these lines, the conditions that I use for giving high ratings to books, I will give it just a 3 stars.
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February 2, 2022My mother gave this book to me when I was struggling with disciplining my toddler a couple years ago. I didn’t end up looking at it until I was at my wits end with my second child who would not sleep alone. This book has what might be seen today as a harsher stance towards raising children but I tell ya, something’s stay tried and true. I followed Dr. Spock’s suggestion for getting my baby to sleep alone and by the 3rd night he was good. Life changing. For that one bit of advice I am happy I read this book.
Other than that… this version (6th edition) is a bit outdated and I can’t say I’d recommend it to anyone nowadays 😅 I mean I definitely learned some things and this book is extremely thorough. Seems like the Bible of raising children
Other than that… this version (6th edition) is a bit outdated and I can’t say I’d recommend it to anyone nowadays 😅 I mean I definitely learned some things and this book is extremely thorough. Seems like the Bible of raising children
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