Your Baby & Child: The Classic Childcare Guide, Revised and Updated

I purchase this book for EVERY person I know who is pregnant. Penelope Leach’s approach to understanding and caring for your child is loving, fact-based, and refutes many of the practices enforced from generation to generation about child-rearing. No, when a newborn cries, they aren’t doing it to be disobedient, they cry when they need something. The author helps a parent understand why babies put things in their mouths, when their digestive systems are ready for different foods, how to introduce foods one at a time to check for allergies, and much more. I cannot recommend this book enough. You will not be disappointed.

This book is the best book for first time moms. I’m so glad to see it’s available on Amazon. I have purchased it several times as gifts and the recipients have always expressed such gratitude and have been so grateful for it. I personally purchased this book 39 years ago and I’m happy to see that it’s still in print!!

I was given this book when I was pregnant with my first child. IMHO The glossary reads like an owners manual for babies and children.I was impressed and excited about the way it explains each emerging development and the best way to nurture those.Now that I am a grandmother I give this book out frequently to friends and family at least to the intellectuals who want a headstart on what to expect

This has been my go-to baby shower gift for many years - more than 20). Penelope Leach has updated it along the way. It is full of very well informed, thoughtful advice. When I became a grandmother recently, I gave a copy to my granddaughter's parents - and then, because I needed a refresher, I got the e-version for myself. The chapter on "potty-training" is, all by itself, fantastic and it will surprise you if you do not have a background in early childhood development at how to approach it. Leach does a great job of helping adults understand how a baby's or young child's brain and body are developing and helps us have realistic expectations for what a child might be ready to do. Reading this book can be reassuring that yes, things really are going okay and it can help new parents, especially, prepare thoughtfully for the next developmental phase of their child's life.

I was given this book by the hospital I gave birth at back in 2001, It is the best! I call it my baby bible. I recommend this to all of my friends when they are expecting. I just bought this one to send to a friend who is herself a new mom.

It's a very detailed book and I found it very helpful to get information on breastfeeding, moving onto solids, etc. That said, there are some better baby books out there if you're just looking for an overview of what to expect or more engaging/interesting book. It did take me some effort to get through the book (I stopped at 1 year and figured I'll come back to it later) as I felt some parts dragged on a bit. I have heard that this book is more useful once you have a kid though so starting it while I am still expecting was probably not a good idea. For me, this is more a "know what is covered and come back to it later when we actually have to deal with this problem" kind of book.

Penelope was “at my side” to help me raise my little ones in the 80s/90s using a love and logic model. The pandemic has thrust me from retirement into full time care of infant to toddler grandson. Again, Penelope is a savior reminding me that love will guide me.

Has all the medical information you'll need and milestone charts to ensure your baby is growing mentally and physically. Best, comprehensive, baby guide. It was perfect for me since I had no idea what I was doingI always kept it nearby!

I have been trying to find this book for years and have had to resort to borrowing older copies from the libraries. I finally found a used copy on Amazon and bought it. When I received it I was really pleased as the copy was in excellent shape for a used book. My daughter is expecting her first child next year and she now has a copy that she has been very happily reading through - learning so much as she goes along. It is the best book I have ever read on baby and younger child care and everything that one needs to know about what goes along with caring for a newborn and up to the age of five years. It gives new mothers all the details of what they need to be prepared for in their own care and that of their newborn ..that is just for starters. It goes on from there. Amazing book!

Book was showing signs of having been on a shelf for a long time. I was careless in my ordering not expecting to get such an old edition for the price I was paying. Caveat emptor!!! I should have been more careful about checking the date of the edition.