Your Baby Doesn't Come with a Book: Dr Golly's Guide to the First Four Weeks of Parenthood

by Daniel Golshevsky (Dr Golly)

There's no better parent for your baby than you.
 
Dr Daniel Golshevsky – also known as Dr Golly – is a paediatrician and father of three who has spent years working with thousands of babies. Every newborn is different, but he knows that every parent can learn to understand their baby, tap into their innate parenting instincts, and thrive – not just survive – during the first four weeks!

Your Baby Doesn't Come With a Book is the essential parenting guide for all first-time dads, mums and parents-to-be.

It's a comprehensive, accessible and reassuring guide to preparing for the first few days and weeks of your baby's from prepping your home and getting ready for the hospital, to knowing what to expect in the first few days, and establishing a good sleep routine while dealing with common infant situations, such as breastfeeding, sleep and settling, rashes, and colic.

With a focus on empowering parents and protecting mothers, Dr Golly turns up the volume of that innate parental instinct to maximise parents’ understanding of their baby’s cues – everything from tired/hungry signs and awake times to feeding schedules and the all-important poo watch – and bring everyone closer to a full night’s sleep. 
Most importantly, Dr Golly believes in the power of dads and non-birthing, non-breastfeeding parents to step up into a primary caregiving role from the moment their baby arrives.

Your Baby Doesn’t Come With a Book covers EVERYTHING you need to

Preparing your home What dads can do Understanding your baby’s cues How to feed, settle, swaddle and bath Plus – Dr Golly's famous active burping technique! Dr Golly's revolutionary programs have helped thousands of parents establish happy, steady rhythms with their babies, with benefits for the whole family!

Genres: Nonfiction, Parenting

227 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 20, 2023

Reviews

[Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very accessible and well paced with clear explanations and advice, I found this book very reassuring - as for the advice, I suppose we'll have to see how we go over the next few weeks!

[g Rolly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though this is my second baby, Dr Golly’s book is reaffirming, teaching me new things and showing me different perspectives on things I thought I knew. Also, as a researcher, it’s so novel (and exciting) to see someone writing about parenting from an evidence base. So much advice we’re given as parents (even in hospital) is based on ‘old wives tales’ and it’s just like ahhhhh 🤯🫣🤦‍♀️. Dr Golly is really shifting the narrative on evidence based parenting and equipping us with the skills we need for settled and happy babies!!

[Karrah X · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful, inclusive, easy-to-read resource on what to expect just before your baby arrives and in the first four weeks post-partum. Complete with diagrams, check lists, and easy to understand explanations, this book is a great read for all new parents with the goal of helping them feel less overwhelmed by their impending or new arrival.

[Alice Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

My type of book. Practical. To the point. No fluff. ✔️

[Jarrod · Rating 5 out of 5]

LETS GO BABY

[Courtney Trestrail · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has caused me to figure out how to burp myself but that might also just be the pregnancy reflux

[JA🌝 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very comprehensive book that was easy to read and aesthetically pleasing too. I had a lot of anxiety and a lack of confidence regarding my mother-crafting skills prior to giving birth. My baby was born last week and I actually feel so confident in settling and understanding his behaviours and cues after reading this. I only wish I had read this book before doing all my baby shopping.

[Emily King · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was my bible when I brought my daughter home. It’s perfect for those early days when you’re sleep deprived and feel totally in over your head. It is exceptionally easy to read, to the point and laid out well. If you’re a novice when it comes to newborn care, this book is really all you need.
Some constructive criticism: The active burping concept didn’t work for us and set up an unrealistic expectation that a baby will never fart. No matter what, out daughter just needed to grow and mature a bit for better digestion. Also I suspect the book is meant to be followed by signing up to Dr Gollys sleep training program which is not for me.

[Sarah Furnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second time mum here, so although most of the concepts weren’t new to me it was nice to read that a lot of my own views about going into postpartum again have been validated. I will probably take away his burping guide the most as I was always under the impression that “breastfed babies don’t need to be burped” which I suppose made me jump the gun into suspected issues with my first which may have not been the case 😂 We live and we learn right!!
An informative read and valuable to all expecting parents ☺️

[Jacqui · Rating 5 out of 5]

First time mum so obviously don’t know what to expect when expecting lol. Dr Golly explains in such an easy way to understand, great illustrations and it was straight to the point.
I love how he goes through everything from your first appointment, to breastfeeding and what to expect when you bring your baby home.
I also admired how throughout the book he really cared about the parents to be mental health and gave tips / encouragement of the process of being parents.
Definitely would recommend this to family and friends, you won’t be disappointed to read this gem.

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝐼 ℎ𝑎𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑗𝑢𝑚𝑝 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑤𝑎𝑔𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑒𝑒 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 ℎ𝑦𝑝𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡. 𝐼'𝑚 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑢𝑦 𝑏𝑎𝑏𝑦 𝑏𝑜𝑜𝑘𝑠, 𝑒𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝐼'𝑣𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑑 𝑚𝑦 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑 𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑑, 𝑖𝑡'𝑠 ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑎𝑑𝑎𝑝𝑡 𝑡𝑒𝑐ℎ𝑛𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑠 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑏𝑎𝑏𝑦 𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑜 𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡. 𝐷𝑟 𝐺𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑦'𝑠 𝑏𝑜𝑜𝑘𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑦 𝑡𝑜 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑎𝑛𝑑 ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑠𝑜𝑒 𝑎𝑚𝑎𝑧𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑑𝑣𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑢𝑔𝑔𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑜𝑛 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑦 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑡𝑜𝑝𝑖𝑐, 𝑏𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒, 𝑑𝑢𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑔𝑛𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑏𝑎𝑏𝑦 𝑖𝑠 𝑏𝑜𝑟𝑛. 𝐻𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑙𝑦 𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑛𝑒𝑤 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑜𝑟 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑝𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑡𝑖𝑝𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑣𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑠𝑡 4 𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑘𝑠.

[Mint · Rating 5 out of 5]

amazing book

Super helpful as a first time, such an easy read and there was so many things in there that I had no idea about!

[Prashidha Kharel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative and precise to the point.

The book is very informative and precise to the point. Love the illustrations which makes it very easy to read and follow.

[Kelli]

Very helpful info that includes the father in a really nice way.

[Katie Mclaren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short overview but helpful advice. Would recommend to others if you are looking for a book with practical strategies but a specific 'guide' to follow

[Tracy Gidiess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love how accessible and simple (yet detailed) this book is!

[Ashwin Nathaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really informative

wish I read this before the baby! Better late than never goes into a few details you never get told as a first time parent

[Emily Haines · Rating 5 out of 5]

the most supportive and reassuring book imaginable for a new mum

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is exactly what I needed as a first time mum. Super easy read and logical advice.

[Jade Dignam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy to read and come back to if wanting to dive into topic. I appreciated that the recommendations came across as suggestions instead of strict rules to abide by.