{ Review & Giveaway - Help my baby came without instructions }

ISBN13: 9781573443906
ISBN10: 1573443905

My baby instruction manual gives parents over 100 quick, easy-to-do lists of proven, mom-tested, pediatrician endorsed tips. Included are chapters on eating, sleeping, crying, bathing and a myriad of other subjects. There are no lengthy paragraphs to read, just fast, reliable help when over-stressed parents need it!

Excerpt:

TURNING OFF THOSE TEARS

Babies cry for lots of reasons. They cry when they're tired, hungry, too hot, too cold, over-stimulated, not stimulated enough, wet, soiled, or sometimes just for no reason at all. What makes it difficult, especially if you're new at parenting, is that they can't tell you. If they are tired, they don't act sleepy; they act cranky. If they are wet, they don't point to their diaper; they act cranky. The following tips may help your cranky, crying baby feel better.

Put a receiving blanket into the dryer for a few minutes to get it nice and warm. Swaddle the baby and lay her down in the crib on her side so her back is touching the crib or use a wedge (see Glossary) or a rolled-up receiving blanket. (Note: While babies do come in two genders, my usage of "her" and "she" throughout this book is merely for simplicity.) Babies are accustomed to close quarters and feel secure when they are in small spaces.

• Put the baby into a swing. Get a receiving blanket (again, you may want to warm it up in the dryer first) and pull it up between the baby's cheek and hand so she can touch it and feel the soft fuzziness next to her cheek. This is very comforting. You may want to put another rolled-up receiving blanket against her ear to hold it in place.
• Put the baby into the Exersaucer (see Glossary ) and show her all the fun toys mounted on the tray. If she is almost sitting up by herself, she is old enough to play in this type of toy. You may want to put a rolled up receiving blanket behind her back for more support, especially when she is first starting to play in this toy.
Place the baby on her tummy lengthwise on your knees. Gently rock your legs while rubbing her back or patting her bottom.

Gently stroke the baby's forehead and cheeks with your fingertips as though they were feathers.

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This is another must have book for new parents, it really makes me wish I had a little one of my own where I could apply these new learned tidbits to.

I so vividly remember bringing Jasmine home and having this overwhelming feeling of fear, not knowing what to do and how to do it and just wishing I could have brought the doctors and nurses home with me.

At the time, back in 1999 there were a few books but I never really found them that insightful and helpful, pretty much everything I learned was on a trial and error basis, which is quite a scary thought when you're thinking about a newborn baby in your arms.

Now this book I could have really used. Blythe Lipman puts forward tons of ideas and advice that will leave you feeling confident when taking care of your baby.

With a little imagination, an exercise ball becomes a burping aid (just sit on the ball and bounce Baby in your lap to help loosen up those bubbles), and your clean finger becomes a great way to feed a baby who is still a little intimidated by the spoon. Lipman, who is headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., adds that parents shouldn't have too much trouble inventing ideas on their own. "Sometimes, just thinking about what makes them feel better will help them come up with a tip to help their baby," she says.

The book includes easy to do lists and guides on how to make your home safe for the baby, choosing the perfect preschool, making the holidays easy especially if you're traveling, it even has an adorable diagram showing you how to swaddle your baby.

I mean, I really really find myself wishing I had another baby just to use this book LOL

One of my favorite quotes is right at the end of the book, it says:

Don't forget to take care of yourself. Be proud of who you are as a wife, mother, and as a woman; or as a husband, father, and as a man. Make your heart smile by enjoying each and every minute you spend with your baby.
Life is wonderful!

But alas, I don't, so this is where you come in. I'm going to give away my copy because as much as I love it and as cute and informational as I find it, I really can't put it to practice and I know that a lot of my readers have little babies or grandbabies or know someone who could benefit from this book.


Here's what I want you to do:

• Leave me a comment with a way to contact you.
• Let me know who this book is for.

That's it!

The contest is open to everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, not just the US or Canada because I know I have readers from all over the country and someone out there may just be destined to receive this copy.

I will draw a winner on Friday the 16th. Good Luck!