by Linda Ann Nickerson

Created on: March 23, 2007   Last Updated: April 25, 2007

"No event in an adult's life equals both the joy and the terror of becoming a parent for the first time."

That's the opening line of SECRETS OF A BABY WHISPERER, by Tracy Hogg (with Melinda Blau). This 304-page book focuses on newborns, first-time parents, and their needs. Each chapter contains research quotes, personal and clinical anecdotes, and practical suggestions. Simple instructions are listed as bullet points in each chapter to assist busy parents when they need it most.

Short quizzes help parents to determine their own parenting styles, labeling them either as "planners" or "wingers." In other words, parents may tend to be more organized or more spontaneous

The main points can be crystallized to a structured daily routine, which Hogg calls "EASY." This acronym stands for Eat, Activity, Sleep, Your time. Essentially, Hogg maintains that a newborn will be most content when his or her basic needs are met. If a baby is fed and stimulated when awake, then he or she will sleep peacefully, and the parent or caregiver will be allowed some private time.

Most of the book's content may boil down to common-sense parenting ideas, but they are organized in a useful way, particularly for brand-new parents.

The best advice in the book is probably this statement: "all the baby-whispering advice in the world is useless unless you're having a good time being a parent."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR/S:
Tracy Hogg is a British neonatal nurse and teacher. She has two daughters. In 1995, Hogg founded Baby Technique, a baby care and lactation consulting firm based in Los Angeles, California.

Melinda Blau is a journalist, who specializes in health and family issues. She has two grown children.

SECRETS OF THE BABY WHISPERER is widely available in paperback for a retail price of $13.99 (US).

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