Secrets of the Baby Whisperer: How to Calm, Connect, and Communicate with Your Baby
The last thing new parents can find time for is quiet reading, so many  helpful books on infant care rely on bullet points and a "let's get to the  point" writing style. Tracy Hogg, a neonatal nurse, teacher, and mother of two,  uses these techniques to good effect inSecrets of the Baby Whisperer.  Focusing on newborns and their parents, her simple programs are a blend of  intelligent intuition and methods based on years of experience. The first half  of the book is devoted to E.A.S.Y--her name for creating a structured daily  routine for you and your baby that makes the most of your baby's awake times and  also leaves time just for you. These concepts aren't designed to force your  bundle of joy into not following her body's needs, but rather to create a  feasible middle ground between total rigidity and on-demand food and sleep (and  no time for mom to shower). If it still strikes you as too regimented, keep  reading. The author makes room for differences in personal style and includes  short quizzes to determine whether you're a "planner" or a "winger", and what  level of daily structure you are likely to find helpful. In the same chapter,  she identifies five general temperaments of infants, how to get an accurate feel  for yours, and what methods of care are likely to be the most effective for his  temperament. Her statement that babies prefer routine is backed up by research  from the University of Denver. While most of the book relies on anecdotes to get  the points across, Hogg does find room to back up some of her statements with  quotes from various researchers and institutions. Included at the end of the  book are assurances that E.A.S.Y. can be followed even with a colicky baby or  one who's been ruling the roost for the first few months. Frustrated parents  might like to read the last page first: "all the baby-whispering advice in the  world is useless unless you're having a good time being a parent" is an  excellent reminder to enjoy this time with all of its ups and downs.--Jill  Lightner