The Montessori Baby: A Parent's Guide to Nurturing Your Baby with Love, Respect, and Understanding

by Simone Davies, Junnifa Uzodike, Sanny van Loon (Illustrator)

It's Time To Change The Way We See Babies.

Now it’s baby’s turn! Filled with the values, advice, and aesthetic that have made The Montessori Toddler a parenting bestseller, with over 200,000 copies in print, The Montessori Baby is here to help new parents find the support and peace they crave.

Cowritten by Montessori Toddler author Simone Davies and fellow Montessori educator Junnifa Uzodike, The Montessori Baby draws on the child-led principles of the Montessori educational method to foster a first year defined by love, respect, understanding, and a surprising sense of calm. Maria Montessori observed that all children have what she called “an absorbent mind,” ready to drink it all in, and that the role of parents is to mindfully assist in their learning and development. With babies, that means less is more—a lot less stuff, for sure, but also less speed; slow way down, and avoid rushing through feeding, diaper changes, and the like. It means establishing a “yes” space—where baby can safely explore absolutely everything, whether with hands or mouth. It means setting up activities to help promote baby’s movement and language development, but then to step back—the parent’s role is to prepare the environment, not be the entertainer. There are tips on how to set clear and kind boundaries, how to create a secure sense of attachment, how best to speak to baby, and even what kind of toys to use (mobiles especially)—all through the Montessori lens.

And like its predecessor, The Montessori Baby is that rare parenting book that’s a pleasure to look at—beautiful color illustrations and a bright airy design reinforce the book’s direct and jargon-free approach. It may also inspire parents to look at their own homes in a different way and use the Montessori aesthetic to create an environment of uncluttered calm. The whole family will benefit.
 

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Childrens, Education, Family, Audiobook, Self Help

283 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 11, 2021

Reviews

[Aithne · Rating 2 out of 5]

03.09.2022 edit:

Wow, I really originally gave this book 3 stars? I must've been feeling generous. Or actually having a baby and trying to find some answers in The Montessori Baby made all the difference. Right now I'm hesitating between 1 and 2, but f i n e, let it be 2. I can't say I 'didn't like it', after all. It's just that this book is perfectly useless. There's really close to nothing in it that'll help you during your first 12 months with your child. Lots of obvious stuff. Some advice which I found dumb from the start so I decided to ignore it. Some advice which I tried to follow and now wish I hadn't (the whole 'don't you dare to swaddle your newborn baby' is quite high on my list of regrets). And besides all the problematic points I mentioned in my original review: when it comes to time-frames, this book keeps contradicting itself so often that it's almost funny. Take any random developmental milestone or an activity suggestion and check when the book suggests introducting it / says it should happen. Check in the text itself. Check in the pretty graphics. Check in the lists at the end of the book. I'll be surprised if you don't come back with 3 different answers. For example: knobbed puzzles! The text says: 9 to 12 months. The chart at the end: 12+ months. The graph with 'movement activities' (p. 160-161): 6 to 9 months. And The Montessori Toddler, which I also happen to own: from around 18 months (p. 51). Well, thank you for clarifying, that's helped me a lot... Honestly, did this book even have an editor?

...wait a second, I really don't see any mention of an editor. The toddler version has 'editing assistance', but this one hasn't.

Ouch.

That explains a lot.

***

To put it in a very un-Montessori way, this book is an uglier and less talented sibling to The Montessori Toddler.

It's hard to write any coherent review of this book, because the level of different chapters varies a lot - with the first half being way weaker than the second. My main complaints are related to the chapter about setting the baby room, more specifically the sleeping area. Just let me sum it up for you. The baby should sleep, from the start, on a floor bed, surrounded by a safe yes-space designed extra with the baby in mind - so basically, its own room, because playpens and such are forbidden. But actually it should sleep in the same room as its parents. But actually, SIDS guidelines say the baby should co-sleep with the parents at least for the first 6 months, ideally 12. But you should start using the floor bed latest when the baby starts to crawl, so around 9 months. Maybe you can use two sleeping areas, one for the nighttime and another for daytime naps. But actually no, consistency is vital, the baby needs one sleeping area to not get confused. Oh, and don't forget, it's all totally possible to do while on a tight budget. Not like you apparently need a huge, childproof bedroom with a dedicated baby area or two high-quality baby mattresses.

Let's face it: it's all a hot mess. I have two theories on what happened in here. Either the authors first wrote about how awesome floor beds are and only just before the book was about to be published they realised that whooops, those ideas go against the official anti-SIDS guidelines (that could explain why the publication date had to be postponed a couple of times...) - or they have different opinions on the topic and were trying hard to somehow combine them into something coherent. If so, then I'm afraid they failed. The whole sleeping topic gets touched upon again way later (I think in 'Putting it into practice'?) and in a clearer way, but to reach this point, you have to first fight your way through the first half of the book - and somehow that wasn't an easy task for me.

Apart from this, the book (again, especially the first half) feels unnecessarily long and repetitive. You know how back at school or uni you sometimes had to write an essay of a certain length, and if you already wrote everything you had to say on the matter, you had to fight hard to somehow reach the word limit? I guess it happened at least once to everyone? Well, that's how half of The Montessori Baby reads. As if the publisher gave the authors a word limit and they had to write the same stuff over and over again to somehow make it. I think the book could easily be some 50 pages shorter - maybe even going on 100, who knows. I don't mind some repetitions and digressions, but this was too much even for me.

And then there are some unusual pieces of advice thrown here and there. For example, the authors write multiple times that while pregnant, you should make connection with your baby by massaging your belly. Not rubbing, touching, caressing - nope, massaging is the word they use. I wonder what medical professionals would say to it - inducing cramps anyone? But my absolute favourite, which startled me so much that I had to reread the sentence a couple of times, is related to spending some quality time with your partner (again, still while being pregnant). The authors recommend that you make it a daily ritual - and that you wind up together by, let's say, drinking a glass of wine. I mean... Excuse me? Is drinking during pregnancy ok now? Are we back to 'oh, just one glass won't hurt'? How am I supposed to take the rest of the book seriously after this?

Welp. So that's the first half. The half which almost made me give up halfway through (but I'm stubborn and hate leaving books unfinished, so of course I didn't).

Luckily, the second half is back to the level of The Montessori Toddler. Lots of practical advice, information, little unnecessary chatting. I loved the chapter on activities - probably because my main baby-related concern was 'what the heck am I even supposed to do with it?'. I can't express how glad I am that the book gave me such a thorough answer to this question (and that apparently I don't even have to actively do that much!). I loved the compassionate, understanding tone of this book, its unwillingness to present only that one style of parenting as 'the right one'. Basically, while the first half left me feeling very uneasy and confused (very much not the effect I was looking for!), the second - just like The Montessori Toddler - made me feel that I grasped it all, I've got it, the fog has cleared up.

And so, after all, I'm glad I bought this book. I'm sure I'll revisit some of the chapters many times in the next months - just as I'm sure that I won't read others ever again. But whatever.

If I might make just one more whiny remark... It'd be nice if the resources page mentioned in the book actually existed. It looks like it's in the making, but come on - the book is already out, you send your readers to that website, so shouldn't you have prepared it first?

[Skye · Rating 3 out of 5]

Will I follow this like a bible, no. Does it have some good ideas, yes. I am glad I read this, but with every parenting book you got to pick what feels right for you and your baby.

[Kelly]

It's still hard for me as someone who was pregnant during a pandemic to care about or put value in advice from parenting books, especially relating to spending time with others, putting a kid in the care of others, and so forth. There's not a lot of it here, but when it pops up, I'm still side eyeing because in what world is that safe right now? Safer than it was a few months ago, sure, but I suspect my experiences as a new parent will FOREVER be colored by the pandemic.

That might be a good thing and a bad thing.

Alas, there's a lot of great stuff in here about how to engage with your baby that's especially helpful for people who haven't spent a lot of time with babies. The advice to observe and the insight on how some crying is about learning and that it's okay was valuable and a relief. Other insight here, though, was not only not "Montessori," but it was agenda-laden and judge-y. Don't go in expecting any care or empathy if you have a cesarean or don't breastfeed (and can we stop conflating formula feeding with bottle feeding? I bottle fed breast milk as an exclusive pumper until that killed my mental health....so I'm kind of resentful of messages of how breast is helpful for your mental health). At times, it felt a little like trying to curate an aesthetic, as opposed to a philosophy of learning and growing, but perhaps that's because of the subtle agenda-ing that aligns with that social media world of parenting. But that said, you can skim this well enough for what's good and leave behind what's not.

[Justus · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is 20% interesting ideas, 20% unproven mumbo-jumbo, and 60% stuff you've already read elsewhere. The interesting ideas are things like setting up the kid's room (or somewhere else) as a yes-area; observe, store, and rotate a limited selection of toys; floor beds.

But along with that is a bunch of stuff that just gives me pause. Don't buy clothes that you have to pull over their head. Don't swaddle. Ask permission before handling the baby.

Let me dive into that last one an example: "We can start by asking permission before handling our baby, picking them up, or handing them to someone else, especially a stranger. We might say, 'Hello, baby, may I pick you up?' When we ask a baby if we can touch or carry them, we can usually tell if they accept or reject.'"

Think about this for just a second. Not only are they saying that babies have developed all the mental capacities necessary for informed consent but "I could tell she wanted it" is actually how you're supposed to do it. I mean...just think of the horrifying conclusions if someone actually believed this approach?

Clearly it is all just hocus pocus mumbo jumbo. But in service of what, exactly? What's the goal of Montessori for a baby? It isn't going to make them happier or more successful or anything like that. (They don't even try to make that it does.) Overall, this book didn't really leave me convinced that a Montessori approach to babies really brings much to the table beyond what just being a motivated and engaged parent already would. In short, if you're the kind of person who cares enough to even pick up this book, it probably doesn't matter whether you do what this book says or not because you're already likely the kind of parent that is going to do most of the big things right for an infant.

(Whether it has something older children is a different question.)

I don't think anything in here bad or anything. Sure, why not try to get in the habit of being more respectful towards your children right from the get go.

The 60% you've already read elsewhere? You should speak to your baby. You should read books to your baby. You can play peakaboo. You can have a visual mobile for them to look at; a rattle for them to hold. Pages on breastfeeding and bottle feeding. Burping your baby. Sleep systems. Should you use a nightlight? How to give a baby a bath. 49 ideas for staying calm.

Oh, and apparently a lot of Montessori people are against tummy time even though every medical association in the world says to do it.

[Jes]

Hmm this was fine. Here’s what I really like about Montessori and want to borrow/adapt from it:

1. Montessori really emphasizes a philosophy of curious, quiet observation and parental non-intervention in children’s play/exploration, so as to let children discover the world and their own capacities and limits by themselves and at their own pace. The authors suggest not rushing in to fix “problems” for the baby or make things easier for them (like by moving a toy they are reaching for into their hands). They also encourage parents to slow down to the baby’s own pace during play time, even though that means play may not move as fast or seem as “engaging” to an adult. I also LOVED their gentle advice to not interrupt the baby’s concentration. If the baby is focusing on something and is fascinated by it, you don’t need to jump in to talk to them or move the object around to show them how it works. Practice being quiet to protect the baby or child’s quiet contemplation and wait until the baby looks at you or otherwise invites you to engage. In general I just think that being able to sit back and curiously observe (and in doing so preserve the autonomy of the learner) is an incredibly valuable skill in working with learners of ALL ages! Good to start practicing it young.

2. Montessori emphasizes using vocabulary-rich language and speaking to babies as if they are intelligent conversation partners even if they cannot yet use language to communicate. Because of course they CAN communicate, just in a language of sounds and gestures that we as adults don’t understand. I loved this so much! A few years back I got super into reading books on dog training and dog psychology, and one of my favorite ideas from that body of work is that dogs are always communicating with you and you CAN learn to understand what they mean and to communicate with them in ways that make them feel understood even if you don’t speak the same language. Anyway that’s a slightly different idea BUT I love the idea that instead of monologuing at babies, we can speak to them and then pause to allow them time to respond nonverbally or with baby sounds, and then we can respond back, modeling for them what the cadences of conversation feel like and establishing an early foundation of “when you try to make yourself understood, I listen to you and don’t rush you or speak over you.”

3. I’m really into the idea of Montessori floor beds instead of cribs. Not sure if it will work in my space but I kinda want to try it and see. My mom is going to HATE this idea lol.

Here’s what I didn’t like about it as much: I am totally down for respectful, curious parenting that makes space for children to express their feelings and feel heard. However, I think that people can take this basic idea and do the American thing of maximizing and “optimizing” it to the point of total absurdity. It seems like you could VERY easily make yourself crazy if you took this philosophy to its extreme, especially if you are a woman and your culture is already beaming messages into your subconscious 24/7 that you exist to serve your children and that nothing is more important than suppressing your own desires/feelings so as to make room for the desires & feelings of your children, spouse, etc. Sometimes I am going to need to rush my kid along because we have to get somewhere or I’m going to need to “cage” him in a pack-n-play because I can’t keep an eye on him or I’m going to just not be in a headspace where I can curiously and patiently repeat back every single one of my child’s feelings to him to show him that I’m attentively hanging onto his every word lol. And that seems fine! It seems like the lesson that other people have their own inner lives and their own concerns (which are sometimes more pressing to them than *your* concerns) is also a valuable lesson for people of all ages to learn. I’m sure Montessori makes space for that but I think, again, that it’s very easy for women in particular to take these kinds of parenting philosophies to an extreme (and then feel guilty about “failing” to parent patiently/lovingly enough), because the core tenets of those philosophies can sometimes sneakily align really well with sexist double standards in parenting/childrearing. Also I am just wary anything that creates a huge amount of extra work or emotional labor for the mother. So yknow grain of salt!

[Bryan Crystal-Thurston · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a lot of good theory, but I'm not sold on the practicality of it all--or the safety, in some cases. I think it would take a person on a much higher plane of existence than myself to fully implicate all the zen and patient practices described by this book. I definitely learned a lot about early childhood development, and it opened a window into a new world; I don't know if my baby will necessarily be a Montessori one.

Much like "The Birth Partner", this has a lot of sage advice and piques the mind concerning the traditional practices of our social, educational, and medical systems. Even as my wife was in labor, I found use for some of the instruction, and in the first week of my son's life, I find myself unconsciously falling into a lot of good patterns that I inherited both from my family and from this text. It will undoubtedly help to improve my relationship with both my spouse and my child. Some of the concepts, including the idea of respecting a child's autonomy, resonate so clearly with me: I can remember wanting to know why I was being sent to mow a brown lawn, for instance, and if my dad had only told me it was in an effort to get me out of the house, I would have felt much more willing to participate.

Much like "The Birth Partner", however, there weren't really the numbers to back up a lot of the claims. I'm sure there is research behind a good deal of what Dr. Montessori and her disciples preach, but it wasn't in this book--for the most part. I'm a scientist by trade--a biologist, specifically--so I want to know more of the mechanisms that ultimately lead to the sense of trust and respect between parents and children in this environment. More than that, I want to see concrete numbers explaining these findings. That way, it's less of an opinion piece and more the documentation a guy like me can sink his teeth into.

As a last note, there are also a couple of practices that are either impractical or downright dangerous--co-sleeping, for instance. I know that there is a general movement back towards the roots of human development, but there are some things about our animal nature that we can and probably should leave behind. They weren't really pushed too hard, and there were plenty of warnings about the riskier behavior, so it wasn't alarming, just kind of annoying.

[Veronica Scully · Rating 2 out of 5]

This easily could have been reduced to about 50 pages. There was so much repetition. I also pretty much started tuning out when Taking Cara Babies was cited as a source.
The Montessori practices themselves are interesting and good to know, but this book was trash.

[bird · Rating 3 out of 5]

first off montessori people are soooo funny the whole book is written in the like, PLURAL FIRST PEERSON??? "we can offer our baby a pleasing basket full of soft, bright balls" "we can place our baby under a tree so they may study the shifting lights" oh, can we? also like "consider using play objects made of organic wood materials, since they are sturdier" i'm so fucking sure! at least 60% of this is aesthetics ("we can present our baby with a beautiful environment") and i'm fine with that but call it what it is, and PLEASE lmfao

anyway i do like the basic concepts of treating your baby with consideration and respect and letting them learn by trying things with support when needed. i do think saying calmly to your baby "you have soiled yourself. i am going to change you now." etc is a little much. the montessori-specific toys and FLOOR BED are also very funny, and the chapter on how to talk to your family about your montessori parenting is kind of giving cult.

like i said, great basic concepts but the more they repeat specific instructions ("we speak to our baby using rich language," "we say to our baby, 'i am picking you up with gentle hands.'" "we do not encourage our baby to look for us for validation but say calmly, 'you did it. i see that you are pleased.'" the more annoying it gets. my faves were "babies are more drawn to reality than fantasy. we do not show our babies things like an elephant wearing roller skates, since elephants do not do this in nature" and number like 25 on a list of 49 calming things for parents, "take an overseas adventure."

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️
While it can perhaps feel unattainable, complicated, pretentious, or hyper idealistic, there’s still so much I love about the Montessori approach. Reading this book while at home with my 2-3 month old really has helped me slow down when I’m with her, talk to her with rich language, take my time when I’m changing her, include her in what I’m doing, and treat her like the capable and absorbent individual that she is. The book had a good balance of practical information/lists/tips and prose/theory/philosophy plus a really beautiful layout. There are a lot of things I’d like to refer back to as my baby grows which makes me want to buy the book.

Cons- again, reading this felt a bit hyper idealistic (being told you need to keep a beautiful and clutter-free home, get rid of 50% of the things that were on your baby registry, banish pacifiers, etc. could make a new mom spiral). Also doesn’t appear very well edited because there were several typos and errors. At the end of the day, though, I think this approach can be difficult to receive/implement as a westerner/American mostly because it’s just so different from the cultural norm. Which is probably a good thing.

[Lyuba · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of Simone's work and her Montessori Toddler writing but the Baby version was full of fluff, probably because there are very few things from the Montessori approach that apply to this stage of early childhood development. Or maybe I'm already too familiar with the topics covered and didn't find the content particularly useful.

[Lora Grigorova · Rating 4 out of 5]

I barely have the time to write this review while I am actively planning my 4-month daughter’s Montessori room.

Before reading this book, I had only heard of Montessori but never actually knew what the fuss is all about. I also didn’t think I would start planning Emma’s room until she is 1 year old.

This concept resonates with me on so many levels. Babies are human beings just like us and just like us they deserve love, respect, and understanding. It seems many people regard babies up to the point when they start speaking as a piece of meat that can be hugged, kissed, juggled around, and moved about as much as the adult wants. Montessori pays attention to the individuality of each baby, and more importantly to his / her right to be treated as any other human. Yes, you ask a baby if you can lift it up, kiss it, hug it. Yes, you touch a baby gently and slowly, just the way you want to be touched. Yes, you explain to the baby what you are doing because he / she new to this world and he / she needs to learn. Yes, you don’t interrupt the baby when he / she is focused on a task, the same way you don’t want to be interrupted. And yes, you don’t rush in to help or comfort a baby straight way - you let him / her try and achieve his / her milestones whenever he / she is ready.

It seems so logical yet I have hardly seen people do it and I haven’t been raised that way for sure. I wish more people read about Montessori and decide to implement even a small part of her philosophy into the way they raise their children.

On top of that, Montessori rooms look beautiful. I can’t wait to create one for my little Emma. Another concept that I find appealing is “less is more”. First time parents (and I admit I was one of them) feel they have to buy everything for their newborn. And they (I) do it out of love of course. However, we forget - babies don’t need thousands of toys, they need a couple to focus on, babies don’t need fancy clothes or a tiara, they need comfortable clothes with which to explore, babies don’t need a cot that restricts their movements, they need to be able to move around and discover the world (and everything in this world is extremely interesting for baby). And finally, babies need to be loved and hugged but only when they want to - they also need to be left alone when they want and need.

Lastly, one of my favourite parts of the book was the fictitious letter a baby wrote to everyone visiting. I have printed it out and intend to put it on the entrance of our home - so people know how to treat baby to make sure she feels loved, safe, free, and empowered to discover the world around her. And mum and dad are there to support, establish safe boundaries, and give their endless love.

Highly recommend for any expectant parent, current parent, or actually for anyone who wants to understand how babies (and adults for that matter) should be treated.

[k8 conroy]

lots of good ideas. i have some critiques.

i love the idea of talking to a baby maturely and respectfully and explaining to them everything you’re doing when handling them. asking an infant if you can pick them up and believing they will give you some sign of response is a little nuts to me. and it’s inauthentic for me to ask a baby if i can pick them up if i’m just going to do it anyway, which i am if i need to. i do tell my son i’m picking him up and why. but asking is wacky when he’s only a few months old.

i am a big fan of having kids play with simple things you have around the house like kitchen items as well as having them do things for themselves as early as possible. the floor bed idea is really good i think, but the authors lose credibility around sleep when they talk about co-sleeping like it’s perfectly acceptable and when they recommend loose swaddling. those are hazards but ok. i do now plan to lower his mattress and taking off the front panel of his crib when he can roll over and crawl. but we’re sticking with tight swaddling in his crib alone.

[Bill Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before I begin, let me ask, Reader, are you ready to read a review now? Yes? Okay great, I am now going to begin my review. Here it goes.

Must be taken with a heavy grain of salt but there are some interesting things in here. Baby is learning and you gotta let them learn by allowing them time and space to figure things out. They have to learn very basic things like how to move their body and object permanence. Respect baby and handle them gently and explain things to them. Make it safe for baby to explore and then let them explore.

[Bibliomaniaque · Rating 5 out of 5]

Très clair et concret!

[Ingrid · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wish I hadn't jumped on the bandwagon with this book. I studied child development theory as part of my social work degree, and knew in all reality that the Montessori theory was based around education, not parenting in the early years - the majority of what is now branded "Montessori parenting" has either been adapted by others from Maria Montessori's teachings, or, is largely produced to suit a new Instagram worthy aesthetic of parenting. This book certainly contained both. There was a lot of repetition, a fair bit of judgement, and in my view, full of fad ideas.

It's easy to get caught in the trap of parenting trends when social media surrounds us with these 24/7. But I hate to see pressure under the guise of Montessori parenting make new mothers believe their child will never develop to their potential if they don't sleep in a floor bed or only play with wooden toys... the majority of us currently of childbearing age will have slept in a regular cot, and played with plastic, flashy toys. Some of us will have gained a PhD, some of us won't be academic, some of us will be creative, some of us won't, some of us fiercely independent, some of us craving much more attention; but one things for sure, it probably won't be due to whether or not we had a toy shelf, neatly curated with beige toys at floor level.

Disclaimer: I don't actually oppose many Montessori education/schooling methods, but do oppose Insta-mum pressures towards aesthetically pleasing parenting.

[Tea Trubic Macan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mumbo-jumbo BS, with the exception of some useful tips for newborn activity ideas. Sorry, but the whole idea of "asking a newborn for permission" was just to much for me to process. Not to mention the thinly veiled judgment of non-holistic birthing experiences, as if some women do not, unfortunately, have complications that require medical interventions. I cannot even...

[Ramona Ziemele (grāmatu lāde) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐️

Ļoti patika sadalījums par vecuma posmiem, kur aprakstīta attīstība un vēlamās nodarbes, ko vecāki ar mazuļiem var darīt.

Nepatika sajūta, ka šis ir reklāmas katalogs, lai gan tas jau bija gaidāms.

Kopumā - lai gan 100% uz Montessori pieeju ikdienā nav plānots pāriet, tomēr šeit var atrast daudz ko tādu, kas derēs principā ikvienam vecākam ar mazuli vecumā līdz vienam gadam.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

We toured a Montessori daycare and the tour guide asked us, "What do you know about Montessori education?" The only thing I could think of to say was "my brother is raising a Montessori baby" because Bookworm Bill was making that joke after he read this book. Now, having read this book, it makes more sense why everyone at the daycare was taking themselves very seriously. Montessori education is all about respecting your baby's body and choices and giving them opportunities for agency in their own learning and growth.

Some things about Montessori seem silly:
- Ask your baby for permission to touch, kiss, or pick them up and then wait for a response before proceeding; apparently if they frown or look away then we say "no worries, maybe next time"
- Changing their diaper while they are lying down makes the baby feel "vulnerable" and "more passive, being acted upon"
- Some Montessori practitioners are anti tummy time because the baby can't get into this position on their own

There are many things to avoid in Montessori education:
- Avoid bouncers because they limit the baby's free movement and exploration
- Avoid toys that sing, flash, beep, or talk at the press of a button which leads to passivity and takes away the sense of wonder and accomplishment
- Avoid swaddling because the baby had freedom of movement in the womb

Other things about Montessori practice seem great:
- Make beautiful spaces with living plants and artwork at a child's height
- Create a "yes" space where the baby is free to explore safely and saying "no" is limited
- Avoid placing toys in the baby's hands or rattling them to get the baby's attention; instead, place an item within view and reach, leaving it up to them to choose to reach for it
- Reading to the baby in the first few months is not about the content but about hearing the phonemes (sounds) and cadence of language; so you can just read your own book aloud to them
- Don't take their hands over their hand and walk with them; offer one finger and let them lead

Alternatives to saying "good job" include:
1. Don't do anything so they can enjoy the moment in their own way
2. Sportscast: "You put the ball in the hole"
3. Describe what you observe about the baby's feelings: "You look content"
4. Acknowledge the effort: "You worked on that for a long time"
5. Give a gentle smile
6. Offer encouragement: "I knew you could do it"
7. Talk about what comes next: "I see you are done. Shall we get ready for a nap?"

Alternatives to saying "don't" or "no" include:
"Let's keep your feet on the ground" rather than "Don't climb on the table"

Alternatives to saying "you're okay" include "You bumped your head and it hurt" to acknowledge their feelings

If it can fit in a toilet paper roll, it is probably a choking hazard

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a soon-to-be parent, the wave of marketing and targeted ads is WILD! It seems like everything is flagged with a "Montissori" label and I wanted to figure out what that approach is really all about-- is "montissori" the new "organic" and companies just use the label to mark up products? Is there really something to it?

As an educator, I enjoyed this read and learning about the Montissori approach. In essence, the idea is that we should respect and guide children from infancy because they are always learning, always communicating, and always growing. Similarly to all parenting books I've read, I felt this was much too long. The authors dive into the philosophy, setting up the home, developmental play AND THEN have a hefty amount of advice about basics like sleep, diapering, newborn awareness etc. I'll leave the second half to my OB/pediatric team, thx.

A few succinct quotes/ideas that made this read worth it:
"We want passive toys and active children, not active toys, which lead to passive children." (Magda Gerber)

Children's TV programs have more scenes and color changes than the real world. When they get used to this pace, they struggle to slow down and focus.

Tasks like diapering can feel like a chore, but so much time is spent doing this that a mindset of spending time/connecting during diapering can put a positive spin on such tasks.

[Charlotte · Rating 2 out of 5]

A (generous) 2 stars. Not recommended. While some of the Montessori principles are interesting, this book is mostly mumbo jumbo and I took very little from the nearly ~300 pages. Some of the activity ideas are useful, but it also is filled with so many BS recommendations that I can’t imagine people actually follow…

A floor bed for a newborn? Real glassware and silverware when starting solids? Not using a high chair but instead buying an entirely separate mini table/chairs, of course adorned with a glass vase for “beauty”? Installing an *additional* lower bannister on your stairs at baby height? Hand made Montessori specific mobiles? Oh please…. My personal favorite was the idea that you should ask your newborn baby “permission” each time you change their diaper or pick them up. 😂

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somewhere between 3.5-4 stars. As with most parenting books, I took from it what I wanted and left what I didn't. I like the simplicity that Montessori can offer in a world of endless options and opinions. My key takeaway is that babies are much more independent and capable than they are usually given credit for, and it's important to nurture that as much as possible. A secondary takeaway would be not to say "good job" so much so that baby doesn't rely on external praise to be proud of themself but it's easier said than done (partly because everything my child does impresses me and I can't help but comment on it lol)

[Ty-Orion · Rating 2 out of 5]

Хаотична книга с много излишни повторения. Вероятно съавторството е довело до това състояние на текста, както и до противоречията в различните глави, особено по отношение на спането. Дава се някаква представа за идеите на Монтесори, беше ми полезно да се ориентирам, но мисля, че можеше информацията да е по-добре оформена и подредена. Струва ми се, че тази книга е за някакъв типаж по-богати и по-скучаещи хора от средностатистическите.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Practical ideas for integrating Montessori into your household with an infant. I enjoyed the balance between material items and approaches to parenting. It read like a nice weaving of "these materials will support your child to do X" and "avoiding this typical parenting behaviour is supportive because Y".

Recommended to read well before your baby is due so you have time and energy to prepare, especially if you are a DIY type and want to make mobiles and toys yourself.

[Jaelynn Horton · Rating 1 out of 5]

I REALLY loved the Montessori Toddler book by this same author- but this one just didnt do it for me. I didn’t like all of the applications of the principles- they seemed super unrealistic. Especially since my baby is my second kid and I’ve got a toddler to take care of too- I just don’t have time or energy to make a lot of their suggestions a reality 🤷🏼‍♀️

[Summer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am not glad I read this book. Sure I learned some new things about Montessori, but it was not worth the read or it’s frequent mention in parenting spaces. Skip this on your reading list and maybe go straight to Montessori Toddler if you really want, but I won’t be reading anything by this author again…

[Kaelyn Langham · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had some helpful ideas in play activities and encouraged me in the way I had already been thinking. However, it was very redundant in speaking about the philosophy, and the practices in it are hard to read about and better to learn in a hands on way. I definitely won’t be following all of what this book has to say, as it is just another philosophy and not the Bible- but it does give some helpful tips. For anyone completely new to the Montessori philosophy, this book could be a good place to start.

[Bojan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful!

[Lauren Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not the most riveting read from front to back lol (quite repetitive), but think it’s probably best read in parts / picked up from time to time as a reference book when needed. Some really valuable ideas and prompts to draw upon, and the book is beautifully laid out.

[Madhu · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great introduction to montessori principles, as it pertains to montessori at home. Focus is on the infant stage, and the author breaks everything down by month.
Good book to read in pregnancy, as there's useful info on setting up the home. Even if you don't want to go out and buy a bunch of new things, there's valuable information here on the montessori approach to parenting and parent's mindset, that any one can benefit from.

[Heather]

I've appreciated reading lots of parenting books/websites lately to get lots of perspectives and options, but I only made it about 1/4 of the way through this and was incredibly bored. Also, I almost laughed out loud at the suggestion that you could let an older sibling put up a sign that says "private" next to their play area so that the baby doesn't go over there.