Over the past year I have had the marvelous experience of sharing life with my delightful granddaughter. Every day and opportunity together has been filled with excitement and joy. She is a sweetheart, through and through, like her mom. Being part of watching my own daughter and son-in-law as responsible and amazing parents warms my heart… I am fortunate.
There is so much energy, time, skill, and patience that go into parenting an infant. Little ones are rather unpredictable from the start, changing and growing very quickly during those early months. The job leaves any parent tired, confused, at times frustrated or worried, and definitely anxious. There are sleeping and feeding routines to understand and establish. Mobility increases as each week goes by, and before long infants are rolling over, sitting up, crawling, standing, and it is all parents can do to stay one step ahead of a potential accident. Suddenly the tasks that used to be relatively simple managed as a single adult take on a challenging and complex dimension when adding a baby to the process.
There are many resources available to new parents. Some of the information is conflicting and contradictory. Where do parents turn for accurate, reliable information about the typical ways a child develops and what to be concerned about if things don’t seem to progress as expected? Always ask your medical providers for their input and recommendations. But, I also want to share with you one of my trusted resources on infant development, a textbook written by a favorite and highly respected professor and mentor that I trained under long ago, Charles W. Snow, Ph.D. Dr. Snow’s wisdom, insight, and solid knowledge base have been both a guide and inspiration to me in raising my own daughters, who now carry forward with a similar foundation in caring for their own infants. Dr. Snow is a wise man, a kind and caring soul, and a good husband and father. Do check out this great book if you seek a sound guide to what to expect and plan for in caring for an infant.
Snow, Charles W. (1998). Infant Development, 2nd ed. Prentice Hall, Inc.
My daughter recommends the “What to Expect” book series on child development. This collection is running its second edition and is said to be one of America’s bestselling childcare series. The book about a child’s first year of life is an all-in-one, month-by-month guide that clearly explains everything you need to know about that first amazing year with baby — from first cuddle to first smile to first steps. It is packed with the most reassuring answers and the most practical and realistic tips on all things about baby. It has special sections on:
- Decoding and comforting crying
- Stimulating your infant
- Helping baby sleep through the night
- Getting started with breastfeeding
- Starting solid foods
- Making the transition to parenthood
- An illustrated Baby Care Primer, with comprehensive sections on first aid, safety, and keeping your baby healthy and much more
Murkoff, H., Mazel, S., Eisenberg, A., & Hathaway, S,. BSN. (2003). What to Expect—The First Year. 2nd ed. New York: Workman Press.
More and more parents are looking to the internet for child rearing information and resources.
Check out this website for pregnant and new parents…