by Anne Yelland
1998, 112 pages, spiral-bound ID9824

Mosby's Baby Instruction Guide is a great resource for any busy, new parent. A lot of new parents feel overwhelmed and wonder how they will have time to read many of the wonderful parenting books available on the market today; however, the author has made this dilemma easy to handle with this instruction guide. The author has divided the book into six broad subject areas and used color-coded subject dividers so that the reader is able to turn quickly and easily to the section needed. The information is also presented in a clear, easy-to-read manner, and each page also contains photographs and illustrations to complement the informative text. The spiral binding allows a busy parent to lay the book flat and read it while trying to complete a task described in the book (for example, folding a cloth diaper), without having to worry about holding the book open with the other hand.

The subjects covered in this book are: "Looking After Your Baby," which includes dressing your baby, cleaning and bathing your baby, types of diapers and changing diapers, sleeping and sleep problems, and choosing child care; "Feeding Your Baby," which includes breastfeeding, bottlefeeding, burping, introducing solids, and teething; "How Your Baby Grows," which includes physical development, social skills, behavioral problems, toys, and physical play; "Keeping Your Baby Safe," which includes safety within your home, backyard safety, car safety, and crib safety; "Parenting a Sick Baby," which includes taking a temperature, giving medications, and common problems; and "Baby First Aid," which includes CPR, bites and stings, bleeding, choking, shock, burns, breaks and sprains, drowning, suffocation, poisoning, and how to put together a first aid kit. The author also includes an immunization diary so that parents can record the immunizations their child receives as well as any reactions the child may have had to the immunization. The last page of this book provides a place for parents to note useful names and telephone numbers and important medical information such as known allergies, blood type, and reaction to antibiotics.

I would recommend this book as a parenting resource to new parents and also to childbirth educators and postnatal educators.

Reviewed by Patter Cross, AAS, ICCE, Round Rock, Texas USA