As a mother of three young children, I’ve read my fair share of parenting books.
In reality though, most of the books I purchased and read for my own personal knowledge were bought during my first pregnancy.
After my baby was born, I soon discovered that most baby manuals were filled with pages of conflicting rules and guidelines, which left me more confused than empowered.
Many were extreme and seemingly agenda driven which made my goal of raising a happy, healthy baby feel secondary to sticking to a particular style of parenting or set routine or checklist.
I also found that much of the advice was at odds with my own instincts – which, being a new mum, I already constantly questioned.
It was my own mum who told me to put the books away and focus on my baby and his unique needs.
I went on to have two more babies, each quite different from the first and each other, therefore requiring different parenting techniques and styles to suit them.
In my line of work though I am required to be up to date with the latest trends and newly released books.
So when I came across Your Cherished Baby by paediatrician Dr Howard Chilton, I genuinely felt excited.
Here was a book that focused on gentle, instinctive parenting – backed my medical facts and professional advice – with your baby’s needs as the main priority.
Your Cherished Baby covers the first two years of your baby’s life, with an emphasis on practical and compassionate methods of care.
According to Dr Chilton, you can’t give a baby too much love, with science proving what we instinctively know – the way we feed, hold, play with and settle our babies is what determines the kind of adults they will become.
What stood out for me was the constant reminder that “normal” varies enormously when it comes to babies and the advice provided covers a multitude of different scenarios.
Whether your baby cries constantly or rarely sheds a tear; sleeps all night or wakes frequently – you’ll find Your Cherished Baby to be, not only a fantastic source of quality information, but also a wonderful source of comfort.
Topics covered in the book include early bonding periods, colic and excessive crying, gentle settling techniques, caring for yourself (and how fathers can help), and feeding.
The combination of this book’s gentle parenting approach with the provision of comprehensive, medically based information makes Your Cherished Baby a winner.
To purchase Your Cherished Baby or Dr Chilton’s other book Baby on Board, visit www.babydoc.com.au/shop or visit Dr Chilton’s Facebook page.
By Nicole Madigan 
