The Fourth Trimester: Understanding, Protecting, and Nurturing an Infant through the First Three Months

by Susan Brink

The first three months of a baby's life is an outside-the-uterus period of intense development, a biological bridge from fetal life to preparation for the real world. The fourth trimester has more in common with the nine months that came before than with the lifetime that follows. This comprehensive, intimate, and much-needed "operating manual" for newborns presents a new paradigm of a baby's early life that shifts our focus and alters our priorities.
Combining the latest scientific findings with real-life stories and experiences, Susan Brink examines critical dimensions of newborn development such as eating and nutrition, bonding and attachment, sleep patterns, sensory development, pain and pleasure, and the creation of foundations for future advancement. Brink offers well-informed, practical information and the reasons behind her advice so that parents and caretakers can make their own decisions about how to care for a newborn during this crucial period. The Fourth Trimester assures readers that infants are as biologically capable as they are physically helpless. They thrive on what is readily available in every household: consistent, loving attention.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Unfinished

224 pages, Hardcover

First published March 4, 2013

About the author

Susan Brink is an award-winning journalist who has covered health and medicine for 35 years for news organizations including the Los Angeles Times and U. S. News and World Report.

Susan is uniquely positioned to write about the science of very early infant development. As a journalist, she is adept at pursuing a range of sources: the pediatrician’s view from the clinic, the scientists view from the lab, and the parent’s view from the nursery. She’s done a masterful job of probing the knowledge and wisdom of those and more experts, synthesizing and interpreting complex scientific information and translating it into compelling and readable prose.

As the mother of two grown daughters and the grandmother of six young children, she also knows there are no magic solutions to the frustrations of The Fourth Trimester. But readers will come to understand how evolution, neurobiology, an outside-the-uterus fourth trimester—along with constant, loving, informed attention--work together toward the development of each unique baby.

Reviews

[Sps · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned that neonates (as this book likes to call them) are like little needy aliens, but if you just hang in there for about three months, they turn into something more like babies and are more fun to have around.

It's a useful perspective on newborn needs: instead of letting the crying and eating and pooping and fussing and non-smiling get you down, think of it as instinctive, species-specific behavior, like cats pouncing on things. They gotta do it, so you, as the responsible adult human, gotta accept it and meet their needs in a healthy way. Smiles and sleeping through the night and squeaky toys might have to wait.

The early literacy promoter in me did wish this book had talked more about reading to babies from day one. (Or before!) Babies clearly love the sound of their caregivers' voices directed lovingly to them, so why not get some good Boynton or Slier or O'Connell rituals started as early as possible? Jeez!

[Phaedon · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are parts of this book that are very strong and informative. Those are filled with useful data and citations. Unfortunately some entire chapters read more like the author's opinion and conventional wisdom. It's almost like she had good info for some chapters but had to tack on more to make it a more complete work.

The writing is pretty good and it's mostly a compelling read. Sometimes I did want some more tangible and practical advice from it.

I was quite surprised by the chapter on breast feeding which read a bit like an apology for those who don't do it. In all other sections, the author emphasises the importance of taking a natural route to child development wherever possible. In feeding, she somehow stops short of this same advice, despite this being an area with so much supporting data!

Worth a read, but I wouldn't call it a definitive resource.

[Herbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now this, on the other hand, was a good book for me to read as a brand new parent. It is highly descriptive about what we know about little babies, allowing the reader to deduce the prescriptions. It's nuanced. It's organized by the concept of 'exterogestation' or 'the fourth trimester,' and is comprehensive in treating each of the baby's senses and all of her needs in turn. The sections on sleep and crying were of particular interest to me, but I also enjoyed reading about my baby's eyesight (or lack thereof), senses of hearing and touch, as well as smell.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an easy and informative read perfect for first-time parents. Understanding the science behind infant behavior and development during the first three months has helped calm some of my "I have no idea what I'm doing" anxiety.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was judgmental and biased against working and formula feeding mothers, neither of which need any more lectures.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was not as interesting as I thought it would be and tended to be rather repetitive. Some of the advice for parents seemed like common sense to me, but then I wasn't planning to start our baby on flashcards at 2 months of age. Also, I am continually surprised by the number of baby advice books that never suggest baby-wearing as a simple solution to many of the issues they address (e.g., the need to make dinner while not wanting to leave your child in a bucket seat for hours on end). Lastly, I think the author takes a rather negative view of the fourth trimester, in that (1) she expects parents to struggle to bond with their baby and to not enjoy the newborn stage, and (2) she declares that having a baby "hastens marital decline." Part of the point of the book seems to be trying to reassure all parents that eventually they will like their baby. While those things may be true of some parents, I know many people who delight in the early newborn days and who would say their marriage changed but did not decline as a result of having kids.

I enjoyed the bits that discussed studies on the development of the baby's senses the most, but not worth rereading just for that.

[Alex Eades · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found this book to overall be a great, beginner-level overview in better understanding newborns and what they need. A key takeaway is that while babies all have the same foundational needs, each one is still a different human with different likes and dislikes about particular things; not all babies will respond to stimulation the exact same, and that part is for parents/caregivers to find out as they get to know their baby. It sounds like there is no “one size fits all” book of specific step-by-step advice for caring for an infant but knowing the basic things a baby needs (food, sleep, comfort, social interaction, etc.) might help one move more confidently through the journey. I think the author also does a good job of providing encouragement to parents amidst the research as they figure out their rhythms.

[Megan Ashman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book, especially since I am a new mother. The interesting information was presented in such an appealing way that it was hard to put down. However, I didn't care for the constant references of, and even an entire chapter on, human evolution, since it's not something I believe in. Though I do realize this is a scientific based book, and the belief of human evolution usually goes hand in hand with scientists, so I assumed it would be mentioned. But it's a wonderful read for future parents, new parents, and even seasoned parents who might be interested (though hopefully won't beat themselves up if they feel they didn't do any of the recommended things with their babies at that age).

[Stephanie Nguyen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this while nursing late at night. This book is less advice giving and more summarizing neonatal development. Brinks explains why babies cry, how they develop sight, sound, and touch sensations. She debunks these misconceptions that you need to buy the latest toys and educational materials to mature your baby. The main point is social interaction with your baby is key to helping them develop their five senses. I am all for this keep it simple philosophy with child rearing. Brinks does a wonderful job of summarizing the research in accessible ways. Personally, I wasn’t too interested in lab studies, so I skimmed through those. It’s good to know why babies are so fussy and cry so much. But I wish Brink used more of her interviews with parents to share tips and strategies. She claims that she did many interviews with parents but it is unclear how many and to what extent she delved into their experiences in the newborn phase. A good reference book but not handy.

[Kelly Buchanan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the approach of this book, which went less with lists of advice and more with explaining the science behind what is happening physically at each stage in a baby's brain and body - how they perceive things, etc. Then actions that help to foster this natural progression make better sense - working with what a baby's brain is already doing. I could definitely have lived without some of the descriptors of the more horrifying animal testing that led to some of these discoveries, however. But the general takeaway is that the growing-up process is amazing, and one needn't invest in a whole host of fancy development toys in order to support it.

[Sonia Hipple · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book met my expectations with research based information on the development of the newborn over the first three months of life. In addition, it surprised me with some tidbits of knowledge that I was able to apply to current life - reading this while experiencing the newborn stage made it an engaging read! Spoiler: all babies are different and unique humans but they share general characteristics based on their stage of development.

[Sofia · Rating 5 out of 5]

For me this was an interesting read. It has a lot of research in it, and as a person with some medical background I really enjoyed that it was proofbased on facts and statistics.
This book is not a guidebook towards motherhood in those first months, it doesn't really tell you what to do with the baby in that period of time, but does help you understand the way this little person will develop. This book helped me to have a better attitude towards all the challenges I was going to have..

[Little · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally a book that is informative without being a manual, one that recognizes that while we can generalize development, babies are all different and there isn't one right way to do things. Brink acknowledges the huge industry behind baby-rearing, which I appreciate. Definitely appreciated this book in the first crazy month of parenthood.

[Alicia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started off very interesting in the intro, but most of the info was better in other books of that specific topic (i.e. Sleep covered well by LLLI sleep and breastfeeding books). I appreciate the effort to be all inclusive, however, so skimmed those sections. But the rest was not new under the sun. A summary of info better found elsewhere.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic and clear read that really helped me understand what my child will be going through in the first few months after he is first born. Information about how the brain is still forming some of the most basic connections, why sleep seems so random and how important skin to skin contact will be to help me learn to balance his own body.

[Hope Gunther]

4.5/5 rounded up. An excellent look at a newborn's first three months and how a loving attendant can support them. I appreciated that this book takes is inclusive of all kinds of families and caregivers of babies. I've been a midwife for 24 years and still found new information. Well-researched, readable, engaging, and enjoyable.

[Bianca · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fourth trimester is the first 3-months of a baby’s life. This explains how they develop cognitively and their senses. It also helps explain their behaviour during that time.

I read this book to better understand my 10-week old baby. I wish I had read this book earlier to give myself some piece of mind and understand what my baby was going through in her first 12 weeks.

[Friend to Books and Cats Alike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very digestible for their target audience: sleep deprived, overwhelmed new parents. The book seamlessly weaves between compassion for the reader and education of the experience of the newborn, which ultimately helps to foster empathy for both. Well researched, well written.

5.

[Taylor Tyndall · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was an easy read; got through it very quickly because of the density and also my interest. The concept of a fourth trimester will stick with me. It was a good “first” informative book to read about infants 0-3 months old.

[Janelle Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had some interesting information about the development of newborns that helped me understand why newborns acts the way they do. It was good to read as a reference though it probably isn’t a book I will continually refer to.

[Kristen Herlosky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy, accessible book on the fourth trimester. It’s mostly centered on any and it’s needs, but the last chapter does focus on mom and dad. This book would be helpful for new parents that want to reference different issues or topics during the fourth trimester or right before birth.

[Kaiti Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty informative! This does come from a strong evolutionary standpoint, but the information about breastfeeding, bodily changes, movement, etc. were very helpful!

Something that spoke to me was thinking about the first three months of a baby’s life as a time where they really NEED you.

[Kristian · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Just chill. You’re doing fine. Babies are crazy.”

[Cherie · Rating 3 out of 5]

All abt taking care of your baby in the very beginning. Good to read this before you have your baby. I didn't, but still found some info helpful.

[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good information. The writing is extremely boring.

[Lydia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Libby: Kindle

Better than the other postpartum/fourth trimester book I read recently. Gives practical advice and references for further reading.

[Ngan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A straightforward and relatively quick read, The Fourth Trimester offers insight and practical advice regarding the first three months of a baby's life outside the womb. There are dedicated chapters to crying, sleeping, feeding, sound, touch, sight, and physical stimulation. There is even a chapter on how parenthood may affect new parents.

This book offers a lot of common sense advice and suggestions on how to soothe, stimulate, and otherwise care for a newborn. I particularly liked reading about the active and quiet sleep stages of newborns and the stages of focus in a baby's vision. I appreciated the fact that the author tries hard to not make judgments about individual parenting decisions such as breast-feeding.

I would recommend The Fourth Trimester to expectant parents just to give them a broad picture of what they may be in store for in these first few months.

[Josh Trapani · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short book was a worthwhile read for a soon-to-be-father. It focuses on the first 3 months of life and explains what's known about infant development during this time and what it means for parents. It did a good job providing technical information while keeping in mind that the audience is parents (or caregivers of any kind, the book mentions about a zillion times: one of my few annoyances, it's a valid point but not one that required such repetition). For me, it was helpful to have some idea WHY a newborn might behave a certain way. Chapters focus on crying, sleeping, feeding, sensory development, and even on what's known about what happens to parents during this time. It's not an infant care book but complements them very nicely.

[Ryan Darley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating look into the first three months of life. The book is filled with facts and knowledge that truly help a new parent understand how to navigate parenthood. The information is well documented and backed up by various studies and published scientific evidence. Aside from the facts, there are anecdotes and entertaining stories that share other's unique experiences with parenting. If you are expecting, or a new parent then this is the book for you to gain a deeper knowledge and understanding of what to expect and how to handle your new role as a parent.

[Allie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm now at the business end of my first pregnancy and starting to worry that I don't know anything.
This book was great - a simultaneously scientific and reassuring introduction to the first 3 months of a baby's life. Why they do things, how they experience the world (ie how well developed their senses are), and therefore how to approach things.