About us:
Three days after our wedding we found out we were "expecting". After a painful encounter with two doctors (one telling us to abort due to my (Tracy's) medical situation and the other telling us that everything was all right), we jumped head-first into research. It paid off. At 6:12 A.M. on August 9, 1994 our son Thomas Russell was born. Eight pounds, eleven ounces and healthy as can be. We were attended, with much love and caring, by our midwife and friends and relatives in the hospital. No drugs, no episiotomy, no circumcision, lots of love and a beautiful sunrise greeted Thomas Russell into the world.
Now, mom is a full-time away-at-work mom and dad is a mostly stay-at-home dad. We share a family bed and Thomas was breastfed until he was 18 months old. September 1996 brought us the news we've been wanting. Thomas will be a big brother in May!
We questioned the DPT vaccination (took the DPaT) and use herbal medicines. We try to stay open minded about raising Thomas, but on the whole, we think less is better (not a lot of toys or equipment and nothing that needs batteries). We are also discussing homeschooling.
So, as of September 1996, here is our reading list. We also recommend "Mothering" magazine and lots of good common sense. I haven't read all the misc.kid FAQs yet, but the vaccination FAQ was *excellent*! If you would like to discuss any of these suggestions, or you'd like to add your own, please drop me at line at tracy@softedge.com Good luck!
Click on the title to see a short "review" or scroll through this
page to read all the reviews. My personal favorites (ones I
couldn't live without are marked with a
.
If you have comments on specific books, please drop me a line at tracy@softedge.com
More books coming!
The Emotional Life of the Toddler
The Pregnancy Book (Wm. and Martha Sears)
Raising your spirited child
The Difficult Child
The Birth Book
Gentle Birth Choices
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding
Heart and Hands
Homebirth
The "What to Expect" series
The Baby Book
Your Baby and Child: from birth to age five
Childhood Ear Infections:
Positive Parenting from A to Z
Books that Build Character
The Family Bed
The Discipline Book
Homeschooling for Excellence
Family Matters: why homeschooling
makes sense
These are "must read" books in order of preference (but *I* love'd them all!) [Note as of Feb 1996: The order is more random towards the end; someday I'll find time to sort them properly ;-) tlm
The Birth Book,
Sears, William and Martha, 1994
This book covers methods of childbirth. Written by parents
of seven they have lots of experience with the process (from the gas
and gift method to homebirth). Straightforward and interesting, it
talks about the needs of mother, baby and medical professional.
Very assuring. There is an invaluable guide to the various tests
done to/on pregnant women, including *how the take the tests* and
what you can do to get good results. It will help give you an idea
of what kind of labor and delivery you're interested in. (I
recommend any of the Sears books).
Gentle Birth Choices,
Harper, Barbara, 1994
Healing Power Press, ISBN 0-89281-480-2 $16.95
Great "take control" thinking about childbirth. It has
excellent question lists for prospective health care providers.
She's a little radical. I only wish this book had come out a year
earlier (before we tackled the whole process).
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding,
5th ed, La Leche League International, 1991
This is a must no matter how long or short of a time you
want to breastfeed. It has the best all around guidelines for
eating, both before and after birth. If you want one all around
book, this would be the one; it covers taking care of yourself,
your baby, and where to find support (no "birthing" info in this
one).
Heart & Hands 2nd ed,
Davis, Elizabeth, 1992 ISBN 0-89087-494-8, Celestial Arts, Berkeley, CA
This is a midwife's guide to birth. It has wonderful
pictures and descriptions of exactly what goes on during the labor
and delivery process. The most informative book I've found so far
(and the book I'd take with me to a desert island if I thought I'd
ever have to do this without a health professional). Medical terms
are explained and "necessary" vs. "unnecessary" procedures are
discussed. This book made me get up and find a midwife (and we're
much happier now). [This is still my favorite
pregnancy book tlm]
The "Eat" book was far too radical for me. The diet was impossible for Tom and I to even try to follow (especially when I was so sick the first trimester). The food guidelines in "The Womanly Art" were much more realistic.
Your Baby and Child: from birth to age
five,
Leach, Penelope, 1989
I don't like some of her ideas (solids by six months,
boiling water and towels to wash baby's face and eyes, etc.),
but it does make a decent reference. Not as "personal" as the Sears'
books. I probably wouldn't buy it again.
Childhood Ear Infections: What every parent and
physician should know about prevention, home care and alternative
treatment,
Schmit,
Michael. 1990 North Atlantic Books and Homeopathic Educational
Services ISBN 1-55643-089-2 $12.95
Wow! I had dozens of ear infections as a child and now I know
why. From "How ear infections are diagnosed" to *numerous* methods
of treatment and prevention this book has lots of good food for
thought. Good, practical advice for any parent facing ear
infections. Even if you're not into alternative medicines this
book has many suggestions (starting with breastfeeding!).
Positive Parenting from A to Z,
Joslin, Karen Renshaw 1994
Ballantine Books ISBN 0-449-90780-5 $12.95
The first 30 pages are good, solid advice (I keep trying to get
Tom to read them!). Like using a "poker face" when dealing with
problems so the child doesn't "get a rise out of you" (especially
toddlers and older children). The rest of the book
covers specific problems. I would check this out at the library. I
don't think it's worth buying, but the info is decent and
straightforward.
Books that Build Character,
Kilpatrick, William 1994
Touchstone ISBN 0-671-88423-9 $11.00
Fascinating book about books. Since we're avoiding the tv at
all costs (less than four hours a week so far!), we wanted to know
about good, recent books. So, even though I don't agree with the
philosophy behind all of the books mentioned, it's a good start.
It had ethnic books for all ages (including native American, Chinese
and Irish--which is what we were looking for). Many old favorites
are mentioned as well.
The Family Bed,
Thevenin, Tine 1987 Avery Publishing Group ISBN 0-89529-357-9
We're a happy co-sleeping family that ended up that way because of
practicallity and instinct. This book supports all that we "felt"
and more. It answers many questions for families considering a
family bed and reassures those of us who already have one. *We*
choose a family bed for safety (may prevent SIDS and enabled us to
identify croup for an emergency room run at 2 am),
cuts down on barf cleanup since we can usually "catch it" or get
him to the bathroom in time, and because is pure bliss to wake up
to that little smile!!!
The Discipline Book,
Sears, William and Martha 1995 Little, Brown and Co. ISBN
0-316-77904-0 (hc) 0-316-77903-2 (pb)
The Sears discuss more of their parenting wisdom; now dealing with
the discipline questions most parents have. Their ideas are
slightly unusual (at least that's what some people tell me), and
demand a large commitment by the parents, but that's why we have
kids, isn't it? If you aren't interested in attachment parenting
and always telling your children the truth, this book won't be of
much use. If you want to make a commitment to your kids it might
be a good place to start.
Family Matters: why homeschooling makes
sense,
Guterson, David 1992 Harcourt Brace Jovanovich ISBN
0-15-193097-X
The author is a high school teacher who schools his three kids at
home. He has accurate and interesting answers to questions like:
What about socialization? and Do you think you know as much as all
those teachers? He also explains how some Washington state school
districts are taking advantage of the proliferation of
homeschoolers by offering them use of their facilities and then
counting those students for state monies. It could be a good answer
for everyone!
Comments or questions? Would you like to discuss any of these books? Drop me a line at tracy@softedge.com and I'll get back to you!
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