The Attachment Parenting Book: A Commonsense Guide to Understanding and Nurturing Your Baby

by Martha Sears RN, William Sears MD, FRCP

Overview

From the bestselling authors of The Baby Book, William Sears M.D. and Martha Sears, R.N. explain the benefits — for both you and your child — of connecting with your baby early.

Would you and your baby both sleep better if you shared a bed? How old is too old for breastfeeding? What is a father's role in nurturing a newborn? How does early attachment foster a child's eventual independence?

Dr. Bill Sears, “the man who remade motherhood” (TIME), and Martha Sears — the doctor-and-nurse, husband-and-wife team who coined the term "attachment parenting" — answer these and many more questions in this practical, inspiring guide. Attachment parenting is a style of parenting that encourages a strong early attachment, and advocates parental responsiveness to babies' dependency needs.

The Attachment Parenting Book clearly explains the six "Baby B's" that form the basis of this popular parenting style:

• Bonding
• Breastfeeding
• Babywearing
• Bedding close to baby
• Belief in the language value of baby's cry
• Beware of baby trainers

Here's all the information you need to achieve your most important goals as a new parent: to know your child, to help your child feel right, and to enjoy parenting.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316778091
Publisher:	Little, Brown and Company
Publication date:	08/07/2001
Series:	Sears Parenting Library
Edition description:	1ST
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 9.30(h) x 0.62(d)

About the Author

Martha Sears, RN and William Sears, MD, are the pediatrics experts to whom American parents turn for advice and information on all aspects of pregnancy, birth, childcare, and family nutrition. Martha Sears is a registered nurse, certified childbirth educator, and breastfeeding consultant.

Dr. Sears was trained at Harvard Medical School's Children's Hospital and Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children, the largest children's hospital in the world. He has practiced pediatrics for nearly 50 years. Together, the Searses have authored more than 40 pediatrics books.

Table of Contents

	A Word from Dr. Bill and Martha	ix
Chapter 1	Becoming Attached--How to Get There	1
	What Is Attachment Parenting?	2
	Seven Attachment Tools: The Baby B's	3
	What Attachment Feels Like	8
Chapter 2	The Benefits of Attachment Parenting	11
	AP Babies Are Smarter	11
	AP Babies Are Healthier	14
	AP Babies Grow Better	16
	AP Babies Behave Better	17
	AP Promotes Intimacy	22
	AP Parents and Children Work Together Better	23
	AP Promotes Empathy	24
	AP Is Contemporary	25
	The Payoff for Parents	25
Chapter 3	What Attachment Parenting Is Not	26
	Clearing Up Misunderstandings	26
	Myths About Attachment Parenting	32
Chapter 4	Bonding at Birth and Beyond	36
	Bonding at Birth	36
	Eight Tips for Better Bonding	37
	Rooming-In: The Attachment Continues	40
	How Rooming-In Builds Attachment	43
	Bonding Blues	45
	Homecoming: Ten Tips for Staying Attached the First Month	47
Chapter 5	Breastfeeding	53
	Breastfeeding Makes Attachment Parenting Easier	53
	Attachment Tips for Successful Breastfeeding	57
	The Benefits of Long-Term Breastfeeding	62
	Beware of the Breastfeeding Schedulers	64
Chapter 6	Babywearing	65
	The Background to Babywearing	65
	The Benefits of Babywearing	68
	Siblings and Babywearing	78
	Babywearing and Wearing Baby Down	78
	Work and Wear	79
	Babywearing for Subs	79
Chapter 7	Belief in the Signal Value of a Baby's Cry	81
	Crying Is an Attachment Tool	81
	Should Baby Cry It Out?	84
	Advice for Parents Whose Babies Cry a Lot	86
Chapter 8	Bedding Close to Baby	89
	Continuing Your Attachment at Night	90
	Our Co-Sleeping Experiences	91
	Why Bedding Close to Baby Works	92
	Sharing Sleep: How to Make It Work	95
	Moving Out: Weaning from Nighttime Attachment	97
	Night Weaning from the Breast: Eleven Alternatives for the All-Night Nurser	98
	Current Research into Sleep Sharing and SIDS	102
Chapter 9	Balance and Boundaries	106
	Is Your Parenting Out of Balance?--How to Tell	106
	Avoiding Mother Burnout	112
	Rekindling the Flame	116
	Stick With Attachment Parenting	117
Chapter 10	Beware of Baby Trainers	119
	What's Wrong with Baby Training?	120
	Does Baby Training Really Work?	122
	Why Is Baby Training So Popular?	123
	Handling Criticism	125
Chapter 11	Working and Staying Attached	130
	A Tale of Two Mothers	130
	Ten Tips for Working and Staying Attached	133
	How a Baby Can Change a Mother's Career Plans	141
Chapter 12	Attachment Fathering	143
	My Story: How I Became an Attached Dad	144
	Nine Attachment Tips for Fathers	146
	Where's Dad?	152
	Father Feelings About Mother-Infant Attachment	155
Chapter 13	Attachment Parenting in Special Situations	159
	Single and Attached	159
	Adoption	160
	Attachment Parenting the High-Need Child	162
	Attachment Parenting a Child with Special Needs	164
	Attachment Parenting Multiples	166
Chapter 14	Attachment Testimonials	168
	Could a Mother Not Want This?	168
	What Is a Good Baby?	169
	A Gift for Dad	170
	Working and Staying Attached	170
	Sensitive Night Weaning	171
	Understanding "Cries"	172
	Compassion for Others	174
	When Babies with Teeth Nurse and Sixteen-Year-Olds Drive	175
	Resources	177
	Index	179