The Day-by-Day Baby Book

by D.K. Publishing (Editor)

Covering every single day of the first twelve months and all aspects of baby care and development, this book has unrivalled detail on everything from breast feeding to bonding, all provided by a team of experts including paediatricians, midwives, psychologists and nutritionists.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Reference

432 pages, Hardcover

First published July 16, 2012

About the author

Dorling Kindersley (DK) is a British multinational publishing company specializing in illustrated reference books for adults and children in 62 languages. It is part of Penguin Random House, a consumer publishing company jointly owned by Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA and Pearson PLC. Bertelsmann owns 53% of the company and Pearson owns 47%.

Established in 1974, DK publishes a range of titles in genres including travel (including Eyewitness Travel Guides), arts and crafts, business, history, cooking, gaming, gardening, health and fitness, natural history, parenting, science and reference. They also publish books for children, toddlers and babies, covering such topics as history, the human body, animals and activities, as well as licensed properties such as LEGO, Disney and DeLiSo, licensor of the toy Sophie la Girafe. DK has offices in New York, London, Munich, New Delhi, Toronto and Melbourne.

Source: Wikipedia.

Reviews

[Ciara · Rating 3 out of 5]

want to see lots & lots & LOTS of cute babies wearing unbranded baby clothes & playing with unbranded baby toys? look no further! this gigantic book not only walks a new parent through each & every day of his/her child's first year, but it is also chock-full of cute photos of babies doing baby stuff!

i liked this book because it didn't really advocate for any one parenting philosophy or style. it just presented information about where a child would typically be at in terms of physical, emotional, & cognitive development & made recommendations from there. it also offered a lot of practical insight into what a new parent needs, & took a minimalist approach to baby gear. it offered tips like, "when you need to tidy, don't want until baby is down for a nap. hand him a clean dish rag & have him 'wipe' the table with you. he won't actually be much help, but what matters is that he's involved & learning good habits from you." that's the kind of thing that made sense to me.

i doubt this book would be terrible useful to experienced parents welcoming a new baby, for a complete novice like me, it was nice. my biggest complaint was the heft of the thing. i have no idea how much it weighed but it killed my hands to try to hold it up, & it was uncomfortable to rest of my belly. it's thick--over 400 pages--& printed on thick, high-quality paper with heavy hardback covers, but still! it was a monster!

[Christina · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is great if you're pregnant or if for some reason you want a coffee-table book about baby care. It's not so great if you're in the middle of trying to care for a new baby. There's good information in here and tons of adorable pictures, but it's not organized well for the sleep-deprived parent just trying to find out why the baby is coughing/spitting up/pooping green slime, etc. And it's so frickin' heavy -- no holding a baby in one arm while you flip pages with the other.

[Tiffany Speed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slam packed full of useful information, tips & tricks for a growing baby over the course of the 1st year. Great for first time moms who are curious and want to be well informed, but not interested in a book that says this is how it should be done. A great educational and informative read that breaks down the 1st year in day by day guidance that can easily be read daily or once per week or even once per month according to how busy your new mom life has become.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've said it for years (something only a librarian would say, let alone think). In a game of marry, bury, screw involving publishers, you'd have to marry DK. They do it all and with the best pictures!

[Michelle Swann · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Day-by-Day Baby Book is an inviting and comprehensive guide for new parents who want both reassurance and practical advice during their baby’s first year. What sets it apart is its unique format—breaking down a baby’s development into daily entries that cover milestones, growth, feeding, sleep, and emotional bonding in manageable pieces. This structure makes it easy to dip into without feeling overwhelmed, and it can be especially comforting for parents navigating the unpredictable rhythm of caring for a newborn. The tone is gentle, supportive, and informative, blending medical expertise with parent-friendly explanations and tips. The book also includes helpful visuals, charts, and photos that bring clarity to everything from breastfeeding techniques to developmental stages. While some parents may find the day-by-day approach a little repetitive or prefer a more in-depth medical reference, the accessible style and organized layout make it a valuable resource to keep close at hand. Overall, it offers both guidance and confidence, turning what can feel like a daunting first year into a journey that is easier to manage one day at a time.

[Lana. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really appreciated the Canadian specific content (we need Vitamin D!)

As other reviewers have mentioned, this is not the best read for heated / panicked moments when the baby is screaming or sick and you need a solution. But it is great in the few moments of calm to read about the baby's current developments, and anticipating at a good pace of what's to come. While female / mom-centric at times, it offered lots of good advice on self-care and managing changes in relationships. The medical / science-backed advice, in a calm, but generally friendly and upbeat tone I found very important.

By reading ahead even a week or two ahead, I knew when I had to really start thinking about starting solid foods, to baby-proof...

It helped me to keep the wonder and remind myself of the miracle it all is -- even thought I was dead tired, body aching, and ready to cry.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for Canadian parents! There's a ton of information in it and it does support a lot of positions (ie traditional and baby-led weaning). There's time timelines and lots of information pertaining to baby's development. It may be easier to read at least some of it before your little one comes ... I made the mistake of focusing too much on labour/delivery sources prior to the big event instead of development sources and all the "what to do when baby gets here". By the time baby gets here, you are exhausted and are in week 22 and still reading week 16....!

[Dallas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super helpful! Got me through my first year of motherhood. Some info was out of date, so I would recommend looking for an updated edition of there is one, or otherwise I'd encourage an updated publication!

[Jennifer Snyder · Rating 5 out of 5]

My very favorite guide to newborn - infant care. I love that it ready so easy. I also love pictures.

[Butterfly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful book written in small chunks so harried new parents with limited time to read can still capture valuable information on a day by day basis :)

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0

[Edmundo Quiñonez · Rating 2 out of 5]

"The day by day baby book" by Ilona Bendety has many unupdated or just simply wrong information/advises to new parents. I dont recommend buying this book if you can find another one.

[Hilary Scroggie]

I read this a week at a time, which was actually a pretty reassuring countermeasure to Dr. Google.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

great overview on what to expect in the first year. lots of detail and loads ive learnt to get me as prepared as possible...

[Ami · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much of talking to parents and learning about parents and hearing about parenting (in my experience, anyway) involves the black humor of just how difficult it is and how tired/embarrassed/otherwise unstable you can feel because of your precious, precious children. And that's the kind of thing that, while perhaps realistic and a coping strategy for already-parents, has helped to tie my ovaries into knots until my 30's began. This book informs you of how amazing parenting can be, via giant, colorful, adorable, gonad-stimulating photos and text about all the wonderous things you and your baby will be up to during their first year. Lovely.

[Sherri Hancock · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am enjoying reading this book as my new granddaughter is progressing in age. This book gives helpful advice and tips on what developmental milestones may be occurring. It lists it day-by-day as the title suggests.

[Minna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Possibly even TOO much information but all very good, very helpful, and very easy to understand. (As is DK's usual style, to be honest. I have never gone wrong with a DK book!)

Terrific resource for a first-time parent. And bonus: great pictures! :-)

[Katie Shacklett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this now because 1. I know nothing about baby development and 2. I know I won't have time to read something like this once the baby is here. I'd say it was a pretty good overview - I'm just not sure how much of the specific detail I'll remember.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fine book for a new parent. It tends to give contradicting advice by different authors at different ages. It also is written to moms, even though it is not promoted as such.

[Jemma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good but not sure how much of it I remember. Definitely a format which more books on this subject should use though.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of good info that I haven't found elsewhere, especially on what's happening in development at certain stages.

[Aïcha Eis · Rating 3 out of 5]

je l'ai eu en français ``Mon bébé au quotidien``, un bon guide qui trace bien le développement du bébé d'une semaine à l'autre avec des conseils pratiques pour ses soins et sa croissance.