Book Reviews

How To Stay Sane In Your Baby's First Year - The Tresillian Guide by Cathrine Fowler & Patricia Gornall - Cost around $20.
A great book for the first year of baby. Covering many topics including survival techniques for parents, coping with lack of sleep and post natal depression, your baby at the different stages up to age 1, feeding problems (breastfeeding and bottle feeding and feeding solids with some reciepes included), travelling with baby, baby in care, sick baby, and a immunisation schedule. It also has at the back a list of phone numbers for various support services including the 24-hr Tresillian Advisory/Councelling Service. This is a great book for Aussie mums, because it is written for Aussie Mums, with references to Australia and services available here. This was the best gift I received for baby. Reviewed by Bettibeetle 6/4/2000

Feeding Babies & Toddlers by Jacki Passmore - Cost around $20
A useful book to have amoungst your cookbooks! Covering about every question you have for feeding your baby up to the age of around 3 or 4. Covering topics such as Breastfeeding vs Bottle, Mixed Feeding and solids, Preparing your own baby food, problem feeders, feeding problems and allergies, vegetarianism and natural foods, lunchbox, birthday and special occasion feeding/foods. This has heaps of receipes, set out in a no-fuss way with beautiful glossy photos and diagrams. Highly recommended. Reviewed by Bettibeetle 6/4/2000

Sydney For Children by Ann Lambin & Djida Davies - Speech Balloon Publishing - Cost $24.95 and Sydney For Kids by Wendy Preston - A Choice Book - The Australian Consumers Association - Cost $15.00
These two books are quite similar - Sydney For Kids however covers just fun places to go, Sydney For Children covers from pregnancy to about mid primary school age, with a brief description of each topic and then a list of addresses and a little bit about each.
Sydney For Kids covers the following topics: Sydney Cove, Darling Harbour & Manly, Historic Places, Outdoor Sydney, Swimming Spots (sheltered and surf beaches and pools), ferries & cruises, Animals, Galleries Libraries, Museum etc, Train ride & vehicle museums, Entertainment (fun parks, concerts etc), Shopping (a list of recommended shops for kids and handy shops when out & about), Annual Events for kids, and Freebies & Cheapies (a cheap day out).
Sydney for Children covers the following topics: Pregancy, Health for the family, Safe Kids (SIDS, protection & prevention, First Aid courses) Childcare & Education, Playing (toys, playgroups, toyshops, toylibraries etc etc), Sports (from Kindy gym to older sports incl disabled sports), Music (learning to shows), Reading (libraries, magazines, bookshops, computer software) arts & crafts, Museums, Languages, Family Outings & Outdoor (family beaches, playgrounds, parks, nature parks, markets, amusement parks, shows & cinema, and restaurants), Shopping, parties, Holidays (vacation care & rec programs, Scouts & Guides, holiday camps, family holidays & tips for travel). There are a list of Councils, Early Childhood Health Centres and Local Community Centres & Neighbourhood Centres throughout Sydney as well as other Useful Numbers. This also now has a site on the net: http://www.sydneyforchildren.com.au . Reviewed by Bettibeetle 6/4/2000

The Bargain Shoppers Guide to Sydney - Cost around $8-9
Published yearly, this is a great buy. Listing heaps of places around Sydney to save. Covering the whole family with clothing, kid's stuff, shoes, food, beauty, sports & leisure, manchester, fabric & crafts. Also your house with furniture & other inside stuff, outside stuff, home office & entertainment. There is a list of services and markets too. Reviewed by Bettibeetle 7/4/2000

Double Trouble Double Treat by Annie & Jamie Gibbons The book is $15.00 (Australian) per copy plus $3.00 postage and handling. Volume orders of 10 copies plus @ $12.00 each plus $6.00 postage and handling
A book about twins by the parents of two sets of twins, the Gibbons family has five children in total. The Gibbins manage to get right down to the nitty gritty practical step by step advice on the day to day management of twins...which is just what you want. However, the bigger picture of the joy and blessing of children is never forgotten. They have learned what to let go of and what to hold fast to. This gives this book the positive feeling of celebration of parenthood in all its challenges, big and small. You are left with the clear message that the enjoyment of the journey is as important as the destination (namely, survival!). If you learn to enjoy the ride one tenth as much as Annie and James by gleaning some tips from this book, you’re doing well. To order this book or find out more about it go to their website: http://www.oocities.org/jamieannie_99/