Eat, Sleep, Play, Love: A GP's evidence-based and non-judgemental guide to your child's first two years

by Preeya Alexander

A practical, non-judgmental and honest guide to the first two years of a child’s life for a new generation of Australian parents.

Practising GP, mother of two and Instagram’s popular doctor Preeya Alexander is a refreshing new voice in the parenting space. Her hands-on, inclusive and down-to-earth advice, combined with a big dose of fun, is the ultimate survival guide for the first two years of parenting.

Preeya offers straightforward and trustworthy information about looking after both babies and new parents. From postpartum care and mastitis to feeding and sleep problems, nothing is off limits.

Eat, Sleep, Play, Love demystifies this sleep-deprived time and breaks down complex topics with wisdom and humour to make them easily digestible and achievable.

'Eat, Sleep, Play, Love is a practical, non-judgemental and honest guide to the first two years of a child's life for a new generation of Australian parents. Alexander offers hands-on, inclusive and down-to-earth advice in this survival guide for the first two years of parenting for looking after both babies and new parents. From postpartum care and mastitis to feeding and sleep problems, nothing is off limits. It might be a good gift for new or soon-to-be parents.'  The Canberra Times
 

Genres: Nonfiction, Parenting

432 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 3, 2023

Reviews

[Jade Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very easy 5 stars. This book has already made me a better Mum & I will return back to it for advice & support for years to come. The final word had me in tears on the train ❤️

A very big thank you to my dear friend Bella for gifting me this book & always believing in me as a mumma.

[Libby Longmuir · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a new grandma and read it as a refresher and to pass on to my daughter. It’s an excellent manual full of great advice told in a humorous and entertaining way.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a 2nd time mum with a newborn and a toddler, and a paediatric doctor, I think this book is an easy to digest, evidenced based approach to the big questions most parents ask themselves at one time or another. Thanks for being the GP in a pocket for me in the wee hours of the morning and when my mum guilt/anxiety is at its peak.

The main message I took away, and loved, was there are many ways to raise a happy and healthy child and not to stress about the one right way (which doesn't exist!)

[Imogen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truly a non-judgemental guide to all things newborn. I love that Preeya offers a range of strategies / methods for parents to try from, shares what she did and why but without making you feel like you need to do the exact same. I will say some of the postpartum stuff freaked me out whilst I was still pregnant as I was anxious about birth / after birth and it’s so comprehensive that I felt like I may get ALL the things, so maybe an idea to read that AFTER you’ve given birth and only read the sections relevant to you I.e. tearing or separation etc. Furthermore, whilst she did share the safe 7 it would be great if she included some more research into safer breast sleeping in line with Dr John McKennas research to offer a more comprehensive take on sleeping strategies. This is something often left out by paediatric doctors. Overall though would recommend to new parents. My husband read it too and found it useful!

[❋ Booked Out Today ❋ · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ 4 ⭐️

Eat, Sleep, Play, Love

Summary:
Preeya gives straight forward and trustworthy advice packaged as a survival guide for parents. She covers everything from postpartum care to baby feeding and sleeping suggestions. Preeya’s down to earth advice will leave you confident to navigate the tricky journey of motherhood.

Non Fiction | Self Help | Parenting

My Thoughts:
I would easily suggest this book to a first mum, who is trying to navigate parenthood. It would even be a great book for dads to read too. I love how everything was set up. It all continued on from each other but allowed you to skip chapters if you wanted to.

The advice was straightforward and not pushy at all. It seemed like the advice was coming from a really good friend who really wanted to help you out. I didn't find the information hard to understand at all. But there wasn't anything super new or giving "parenting hack".

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy to read, well rounded book discusses nutrition, sleep, immunisations and 6 week check up, crying and skin care. Australian based but applicable to most first world countries. Some of the information given without science to back it up newer research is starting to contradict the old wisdom, so probably some out of date information. But otherwise a good one stop book on the first year of baby's life.

[Kat Romig · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such an amazing book! I’m currently 33+3 with babies 2 and 3, needing a refresher on postpartum, starting solids and baby sleep. This was the perfect book- full of evidence-based, non-judgemental information. I’m feeling confident (maybe naively confident) about going through it all again. Highly recommend for anyone expecting, whether it’s your first, second, third + child.

[Gretel Hayden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic accompaniment to navigating late pregnancy and early parenthood. Preeya’s tips are sensible, evidence based, easy to implement and as someone staring down the barrel of parenthood this book is a fantastic tool to keep by my bedside table as I navigate the journey of newborn to 2 years old.
Would highly recommend reading!

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evidence-based, practical, relevant and fun. Loved the comprehensive nature of this book, both as a mum and a paediatric health professional.

[Maya · Rating 1 out of 5]

The non evidenced based advice on sleeping is unhelpful and sets parents up for unrealistic expectations. Very disappointed that a GP is espousing methods that have no evidence backing them

[Jemma]

Got a copy as a gift for a friend. Conversational tone makes it easy to read and filled with great breakdowns and summaries

[Daisy (Natasha) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great gift and a great overview of things you wish you knew before you were doing them.