The latest scientific research on home birth, breastfeeding, sleep training, vaccines, and other key topics—to help parents make their own best-informed decisions.
In the era of questionable Internet "facts" and parental oversharing, it's more important than ever to find credible information on everything from prenatal vitamins to screen time. The good news is that parents and parents-to-be no longer need to rely on an opinionated mother-in-law about whether it’s OK to eat sushi in your third trimester, an old college roommate for sleep-training “rules,” or an online parenting group about how long you should breastfeed (there’s a vehement group for every opinion). Credible scientific studies are out there – and they’re “bottom-lined” in this book.
The ultimate resource for today’s science-minded generation,
The Informed Parent was written for readers who prefer facts to “friendly advice,” and who prefer to make up their own minds, based on the latest findings as well as their own personal preferences. Science writers and parents themselves, authors Tara Haelle and Emily Willingham have sifted through thousands of research studies on dozens of essential topics, and distill them in this essential and engaging book. Topics include:
Home birth * Labor induction * Vaginal birth vs. Cesarean birth * Circumcision * Postpartum depression * Breastfeeding * Vaccines * Sleep training * Pacifiers * SIDS * Bed-sharing * Potty training * Childhood obesity * Food sensitivities and allergies * BPA and plastics * GMOs vs. organic foods * The hygiene hypothesis * Spanking * Daycare vs. other childcare options
Full reference information for all citations in the book is available online at http://theinformedparentbook.com/book-references/
"Clear, comprehensive, and resolutely evidence-based,
The Informed Parent is a fabulous resource for science-minded parents. Haelle and Willingham have tirelessly compiled the evidence on so many questions that cause parents to worry and wonder, and with all of this science at their fingertips, they'll be able to make confident and informed choices for their families. From pre-conception to preschool, you'll find yourself returning to this book again and again."
--Alice Callahan, PhD, author of The Science of Mom: A Research-Based Guide to Your Baby's First Year "The Informed Parent is a beacon of science-based sanity for new parents caught in a blizzard of dubious child rearing advice. Tara Haelle and Emily Willingham are sure-handed guides, distilling the most up-to-date, reliable research into sensible advice that neither patronizes nor terrorizes. Circumcision? Television? Nipple confusion? Relax, Tara and Emily have got you covered."
--Dan Fagin, Director of the Science, Health and Environmental Reporting Program at NYU, and Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Toms River: A Story of Science and Salvation “In
The Informed Parent, Emily Willingham and Tara Haelle, two widely respected science writers (and parents), explore key questions about child health, beginning with fetal development and continuing into toddlerhood. The result is engaging, conversational, deeply researched, and smart, a book that should be considered a necessary resource for all 21st century parents.”
--Deborah Blum, Director of the Knight Science Journalism Program, MIT, and Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Love at Goon Park: Harry Harlow and the Science of Affection "Finally! An amazing, informed, evidence-based tour through the most common questions and concerns of parenthood that I can recommend without hesitation. A must for any science minded new parent, or for anyone who thinks Google doesn’t replace expertly curated information."
--Yoni Freedhoff, MD, Assistant Professor, Family Medicine, University of Ottawa and creator of the Weighty Matters blog "Parents in the internet age have to navigate their way through a maze of confusing information and misinformation. Tara Haelle and Emily Willingham are the perfect guides to what's fact and fiction when it comes to the science of parenting."
--Seth Mnookin, Associate Director of MIT’s Graduate Program in Science Writing, and author of The Panic Virus "Science-based. Judgment free. A perfect guide for evidence-based parenting!"
--Ari Brown, MD, pediatrician and author of Baby 411 book series "In
The Informed Parent, journalists Tara Haelle and Emily Willingham manage to answer everything a parent could possibly be worried about during pregnancy, birth, infancy, and toddlerhood. What makes this book different from every other book on this subject (and there are many) is that the authors take on not only the science of what concerns us, but encourage us to think along with them—giving us the tools to answer other questions in the future. It was like reading the answer sheet before the test."
--Paul Offit, MD, Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia "With
The Informed Parent, Tara Haelle and Emily Willingham have gifted today’s neurotic parents with fuel - and ultimately antidote - for their obsessive researching. Unlike most parenting books, the authors never preach, condone or praise. Instead, they report the science on all possible parenting controversies in a lay-friendly (and often pithy) style, allowing the reader to come to her/his own conclusions. Well-written, impeccably researched, and brilliantly suited for millennial parents,
The Informed Parent should be on the top of everyone’s baby shower list."
--Suzanne Barston, the "Fearless Formula Feeder" and author of Bottled Up: How the Way We Feed Babies Has Come to Define Motherhood, and Why It Shouldn't “Is it confirmation bias to say that anyone who decides to look at scientific facts instead of hectoring parents is doing the world a service? If so, consider my opinion biased: This book will help a lot of folks!”
--Lenore Skenazy, founder of the book, blog and movement Free-Range Kids "As a mom, I can confidently say that
The Informed Parent will be a lifesaver for all moms and dads going through the anxiety and excitement of raising a young child. From autism to organic food, the authors demystify modern parents’ most prevalent fears for the first four years, and effectively arm them with a critical thinking cap for years to come. If you’re tired of the mommy (and daddy) wars, or simply need help separating the credible wheat from the misinformation chaff on the internet, look no further."
--Kavin Senapathy, science advocate and author of
The Fear Babe“Accessible and informative…For anyone headed into parenthood, this is a must-read, as it answers so many questions new parents are bound to ask.”
--Kirkus Reviews"The book shines with clear explanations of the reasoning behind common hospital practices such as labor induction, vitamin K shots, and taking Apgar scores, including up-to-date summaries of the sometimes overwhelming-data surrounding giving birth and infant care choices. Subjects of controversy, such as allergies and sleep training, receive in-depth, scientifically minded treatment."
--Publishers Weekly
