PARENTING

The Sears Baby Book: Everything You Need To Know About Your Baby from Birth to Age Two

Little, Brown Spark. Rev ed. Dec. 2022. 784p. ISBN 9780316387965. pap. $24.99. CHILD REARING
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With a combined 55 years of parenting eight children, plus nurturing 11 grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and 100 years of pediatric practice, pediatrician William and registered nurse Martha Sears have long been household names in the genre. First published in 1993, this exhaustive manual has been extensively revised and includes nearly 800 pages on just about every category imaginable. A baby’s brain grows at warp speed in the first two years, so parenting during those early years are crucial. In this work, the Sears attempt to help readers personalize their parenting style based on the child. Advocates of attachment-style parenting, the coauthors guide readers through many aspects, such as getting to know their child and enjoying parenthood. Each chapter ends with a “Questions You May Have” section. Down syndrome is addressed in some detail, but little attention is paid to obstacles faced by BIPOC families, and the LGBTQIA+ community is left out altogether. The authors have some strong opinions on aspects of parenting, such as breastfeeding, that may make some parents feel shamed.
VERDICT Quite limited in scope.
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