How to Stimulate Your Baby's Mental Development and Help Him Turn His 10 Predictable

This book helps to give you perspective on all the changes your baby is going to go through. It gives reason to the sudden mood changes and promises that they aren't forever. It's not a baby 101 but a really great companion read.

I'm thankful to have found this book! It lays out in simple language the cognitive leap your baby is going through, including what he/she learning, how might affect behavior, and ways you can "help."

There are so many books after you have a baby, about sleeping, feeding, settling - but here's a book which can actually help you understand your baby's unsettled behaviour, what you can do to help and when it will pass. I found that the book's chart on when the fussy weeks are and when the sunny weeks are were spot on. It was highly recommended to me by a very experienced birth educator here in Australia and I highly recommend it to all those I know too. An essential read!

Wow. What an insightful read. I wish I had read this with my first son; it would have made things far easier. The book is pretty much spot on in terms of timing. A definite must read for moms with babes! It will make things far easier once you understand what your baby is going through and what you can do to help them.

Put your mind at ease with your little one by reading this book. Helps to guide you through your child's fussy periods as you learn what is happening with them in each "leap." Great book, especially for new moms.

Wish I had read this with my first baby. This book has helped to make sense of my baby's growth patterns and has turned previously bewildering swings in behavior to predictable growth spurts. Even better, it guides me through turning these frustrationing growth spurts into exciting learning experiences. Loved the book so much I downloaded the app.

I am due in a few weeks so it was great to get an insight into the things to look out for when baby becomes needy or cries more. I dont have much experience with babies and this one is my first so really helpful book. Friends and websites recommended it to me and I was really happy with it.

Holy Moly this book answers so many questions.
My DS had been a pretty chill baby -- sure, there were feeding issues and being EBF he wasn't anywhere near to STTN -- but he was generally happy. Napping well. Being cute. All of that.
Then along came week 8 and by god, he became a monster! And me, being the type A mom that I am, frantically tried to find a 'problem' i had to 'fix'.
I looked high and low, asked everyone, then eventually, someone said 'oh he's probably going through a wonder week.'
I was like what the *** is a wonder week? So I googled. And found this book. And 2 days later it arrived via prime. And I read it. And LIGHT BULB.
He was, indeed, in the dreaded 8-9 wonder week... and like the authors said, by week 10 - almost to the day -- he was back to his old self.
Sure, those weeks were tough, but being told "hey, this is normal, here's why..." sure helped.
Strongly recommend.

This book is so interesting and helpful in understanding the fussy phases of your baby. It's totally worth the read. It gives me more patience and understanding because I know something (growth) is going on in that little baby brain. Get it. You won't regret it!

I only started reading this book when my baby was about 14 weeks old. Wish I got it sooner. With that said, it is very interesting to read about how and what skills are developing. My baby's development does coincide with the time frame the book says might be happening which helps me understand and respond to his needs better.

Don't bother purchasing if you have a colicky or high needs baby. My son had horrible colic the first 3 months and none of the "leaps" or "fussy periods" applied to him because he was fussy and screamed all of the time. After 3 months when he got significantly better, I thought this book would apply to him more, but it didn't. During the scheduled "fussy periods" he actually appeared more happy and content than the sunny weeks. The only thing I find useful about this book is the lists of different milestones that are reached at certain weeks and different skills that are mastered. Besides that, I'm very disappointed in this book.

bought this book after h was having her 4 month moody spell, it gives great insight into the developmental process, good tips and suggestions on how to help/ handle them. So far shes hit all of the stormy spells down to the week they say most babies do. I love being able to help her learn through these periods now instead of stress myself out!

I am so very grateful for this book, and the info it provides. It is absolutely wonderful being able to understand what my baby goes through at each stage and how I can help him through it. It is easy to read and enjoyable as well. I especially love the 'games' that you can play with your baby at the different stages of his mental development, but more importantly, my baby loves the games too!

It was really relieving to start understanding those fussy phases my baby goes through. Also, the activities suggested for each pinnacle of development are excellent. It really helps us to get the most of each phase. I'm reading it and sharing it with many friends. It's a great book!

Absolutely love this book! It definitely help me understand the stages that my son would be going through and how to help him cope with the changes. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK IF YOU HAVE A NEWBORN!!

Interesting book but very, very repetitive. After reading the initial explanation of the "Wonder Weeks" and going through several of the chapters, it just seems like your baby could be fussy for the entire first year. For example, right now my babies are 33 weeks and approaching the 37 week "wonder week." The book says fussiness could start weeks 32-36 but could be 1-3 weeks earlier or later than that. Additionally, in each section parents are quoted from ages that don't seem related to that week, as in, they are 5-6 weeks after the "wonder week." Overall, again, this book is just really repetitive. For 4-6 weeks before and/or after each wonder week, your baby will be fussy, sleep less than usual, be more clingy, etc...and seemingly the second that is finished, he/she will be on the next wonder week. I have not found this book's theory to be true for either of my twins--and I have considered both their expected due date and actual birthday (they were 2 weeks early). And it seems that the milestones are a little early than has been true for mine or is in other baby books--like babies pulling themselves to stand around week 25?
I do like the suggested activities for each stage and find myself using them often, so it is worth keeping around.

Are you going to be a new parent or know someone who is? Buy this book. I learned about this book in my new mom's group. It's been so helpful. When my baby has been fussy for no reason (and we have exhausted all options of calming), I look to this book and sure enough it's because she is going through a leap, also known as hitting a milestone. Once I know this, everything else just clicks and we deal with the fussy. I have been buying this for my friends who are also pregnant and they have been loving it as well. Being a parent isn't easy as kids don't come with instructions, but when you at least have a little bit of help as to why your kid is fussing it makes it a lot easier.

This book is awesome! It's helped us understand why our baby boy has fussy times and how to help him understand the world around him. We no longer dread the "great fuss" and instead look forward to him making great leaps forward!

I think this book is fantastic. It has really helped me to understand what my daughter is learning and new developments that are happening in her brain. Really helps to explain those difficult times when you just don't understand why she is crying and cranky, and gives ideas on how to help her through these developmental stages.

I was extremely disappointed with this book. I want his group that I'm in is always talking about it. However I find it very uninformative. I was hoping that it would give me more things to do with my baby to help her development.

This book was the BEST baby book purchase I made. It gave you valuable insight into what was going on in your baby's development and how it affected things like sleep, eating, etc; right down to the week. This is the only book I would receommend to new parents! This is not a 'how to' book, just information.

So helpful in understanding what my daughter is going through and how to help her. Very useful to know upcoming fussy periods, and I love the checklists about signs the baby is growing and what skills she is working on.

Oh, if only I had this at the beginning......my baby girl is just now 5 months, and I dove right into this book, and it has already been extremely enlightening. We had a painful failed induction which turned into an emergency c section, and I went home with a 5 lb baby who could not nurse and had jaundice. Needless to say, the first few months were rough. It was very hard to feed her, and I came down with some wicked post partum depression. Through it all, my baby was a very sweet girl, but I could not understand what was going on with her or why. She wasn't colicky, or even difficult, I was just so out of it in terms of her stages of development. And I was too out of it myself, that aside from feeding, changing and sleeping, there was very little I was able to do. I WISH WISH WISH I'd had this book from the start, it would have explained so much, and been encouraging, and even made it easier for me to be a smarter, more loving mommy, during my difficult moments. If only I had known then what I know now......luckily I got great treatment, my baby nurses like a champ, she sleeps like a wonder, and she is the sweetest, most resilient, best natured baby we know. Having this book will just make our lives better, and her stages easier, and I can see how she fits right into these descriptions. Even if you can not stop the little difficulties along the way as they grow, please do yourself a favor, and get it early! Nothing has explained my baby to me like this book. Oh ~ and I read about 30 baby books, brain, developmental, emotional, parenting styles, psychological, etc etc etc ~ this one has been more help to me than ANY other book. Just saying!

This book had me looking for "wonder weeks" and their multiple weeks of lead-up crankiness every time my daughter was fussy or had trouble sleeping. In reality, it doesn't account for other catalysts, like teething or growth spurts. I'm a lot less stressed after I've stopped looking at it.

When my baby had a fussy period, I would always start to doubt myself. Now I consult this book and it is so great to know that I'm not the only one out there who is going through this. The fussy periods are always spot on. The information is accurate and helpful without being too overwhelming. Good book

This book has helped me deal with my fussy baby better, i no longer get angry as i have a better understanding of what his going through and the book shows ways to help and guide him through these transitions. Saved me many a teary night!

Wonder Weeks is a wonder book! Information is spot on and a huge help for new mums on all the stages in development for new babes up to 20months. Highly recommended by this grandmother, wish it had been around 30 years ago.

Hey I got this book to help with understanding my sons development. It is really too basic, all advice can be found on open baby development websites. There was no great insights, no real knowledge gained from reading it. Basically I wouldnt bother buying it. Booking like what to expect in the first year is much better with valid examples. The "case studies" are condesending, and boring with no real relevance for normal parents with basic levels of cop-on! Disappointed I spent money on this book after all the great reviews!!

Questionable "scientific" explanation for any fussiness your baby is displaying by coming up on a wonder week, in a wonder week, or just out of a wonder week. So, basically no real info. Gave it two stars for being interesting in its possibility, but that's about it. Would not recommend.

A bit repetitive if you read it from start straight through, but each chapter has some really interesting nuggets. It's helpful and fun to watch baby develop and understand her stages as she goes through them.

I had heard about this book but hadn't ever looked into it until my daughter was almost 6 months old and her behavior was throwing me for a loop! This book described EXACTLY how she was behaving right at the 26-27 week range and looking back at the other leaps, I realized how helpful this book would have been! I like that it is easy and fun to read but still explains what is going on in those little heads of theirs!

This book sheds light on a lot of things related to newborns. I'm reading it as my little one hits each, "Wonder Week" phase. It gives me peace of mind. Highly recommended to parents with their first newborn.

Seriously. A lot of “older” generations will laugh at this but it explains so much of infant behaviors that will save you a lot of stress, heartache and sleep deprivation. The app and this book are the best!!!

I like the concept of this book, I'm not sure I've bought the theory. It is fun for an over analyzing mother to read and follow her baby's development but it is more of just a guide than an exact science.

It's an interesting theory, but there seems to be some repetition of the symptoms marking each developmental leap. I like learning about the cognitive changes in my child and his ability to understand the world differently as well as the physical accomplishments, such as rolling, babbling, etc. that tend to get more attention from other sources. There are checklists that are fun to view and see how much my baby's grown.

Love this book as a first time mom. My dad is also reading it since he watches my daughter and finds it very useful! The vendor got the book to me quickly and in pristine condition - I'm actually ordering 3 more copies of this book for friends!

Got this book and have enjoyed it. It has helped me to understand the fussy phases of my baby more. I like that it doesn't tell you what to do but rather normalizes the experience. I'd recommend it for first time moms

I though that this book would be great however I am really turned off by it.

Pro - The description of stages and when to look out for a developmental change are helpful.

Cons -

1) It would seem that the description of actions that babies are expected to do at each stage are the actions of super-babies. What child do you know at 55ish weeks is sitting on a potty and going to the bathroom? I don't remember the exact quote and maybe I'll go find it and edit the review.

2) While the quotes are meant to show you that you are not alone I agree with the one reviewer who says that it sounds like the majority of them don't even want to be parents. Or are parents of super brilliant children who are talking at 11/12 months.

I appreciated knowing, through the reading of this book, the ways in which my child was mentally developing. It allowed me a greater understanding of what he was going through, what he was learning and why he was acting a certain way.

Fantastic book for understanding what baby's development stages are. I love the science behind it. With understanding and information comes a different way of handling things. Out baby happens to follow the signs of her wonder weeks almost to a team. Extremely helpful. Doesn't necessarily tell you HOW to deal with it(use happiest baby in the block and what to expect 0-1year for that) but sure puts what she does in perspective. With that, I think you can have way more patience and understanding and less frustration. When you know better you do better.

A friend suggested this book and with twins I was already worried and this book just made it worse. When they were 6 months old I read a section quoting a mum saying her 4 month old baby loved to fill and empty baskets. I was so terrified mine where delayed I ran to a physio who said they were perfectly normal if a little advanced in some areas, whew! The book clearly states they mention things that might be happening at the EARLIEST possible time you might see it...so this might worry you if your baby is normal! Also the "leaps" they talk about seem to be pretty continuous the first year so hard to know what is happening anyway. A leap that happend in the 5th week might start in the 3 week and end in the 6th, one in the 8th weeks might start as early as the 5th and end in the 12th, etc. When you link it together it just keeps going...roll with it!

This is one of the few books I read as a new mom that built me up instead of making me feel inadequate. The point of the book is to describe the mental growth spurts that your little one will go through, to help you recognize the signs of those "mental leaps," and to help you cope. Growth spurts have great after effects but they are pretty stressful at the time and as a new parent it can be so daunting to feel like you finally figured your baby out and then here she goes changing again. This book helps you understand her behavior and confirms what your instincts are probably telling you to do but which other sleep/feed training books may be advising against.

The authors have a nice website too with some of the same information, but for me, the additional information in the book was well worth the purchase!

I love this book so much. I have the app but found I wanted more information and am so glad I bought the book. We are currently going through the 19 week leap and it has been very challenging (baby crying all the time, more needy and fussy, sleeping badly etc) and I was getting very upset and stressed about it until I consulted the book and realized her behavior was completely normal and meant that she was developing well! It's great to be able to measure your baby's progress against the milestones they should have reached after a leap is over. So far I have found it to be very accurate with my nanny's development, and she was induced 2 weeks early

I've read a lot on developmental milestones and this book is off-base as far as I can tell. Maybe if your baby is a genius... or perhaps they're just a whole lot smarter over there in Europe!! Also chock-full of useless page-filler anecdotes by "frustrated" parents. Save the $20 and peep the book's message right here: don't get all mad when your kids get fussy -- they're just working through some stuff and everything'll be fine. Fin.

Turns out this is a bunch of bunk. Who knew?? HA!

Also, even if it was real, this is hard to track with a preemie. They SAY it's by due date, but then they "leap" earlier than they're supposed to.

This book has an interesting concept and though extremely repetitive it does seem to have useful information to reference when your child is going through a difficult period. The personal stories included throughout the chapters are ridculous and the book would have been much better without them. I would not buy this book again nor would I recommend it to a friend. The information can be easily found online and I don't think I gained anything by buying this book. Hopefully I'm mistaken and in the future when my son experiences another "wonder week," I'll find the book more useful. He is four and a half months.

The personal stories interjected are incredulous and as one reviewer already note sensational. They show a ignorant selection bias of views against health-care professionals both nurses and physicians.

The structure of the Week's issues, signs, and solutions are poorly laid out.

Then finally there's the downright no-value advice like, "do what you child likes best." No Sh** Sherlock.
And follow ups to "How Can You Tell What She Likes Best?" with "Your baby will smiles when given the things she enjoys most."
Brilliant!

Luckily I got a refund through the store's Kindle 7 day return policy.

As a new mom kinda freaked out by my two month old's sudden cranky, clingy, crying phase, this book seemed perfect. As an avid reader (and a clinical psychologist -- who works with older kids, not 0-3 year olds) this book was poorly written and ... didn't put the research out there. I know many readers may not want a book that is very research heavy or jargony, but I think it is insulting to the reader to just say "we did the research" but never actually talk about it. [And this is European research that I don't hear US developmental psychologists talking much about... not too sure why.]

Okay, but here is the criticism that I think most readers would find helpful:

The book is WAY bigger than it needs to be and is very repetitious... They use similar sections for each "leap" (which makes sense), but the content just feels like it is a near cut and paste of the other leaps. I kept on wondering where is the "meat" or the useful information was. Also, this book should be interesting - and it wasn't.

The website has the helpful (reassuring!) information available for FREE! Go read the website. And take to heart that if you baby hits a weird, sudden clingy, crying, cranky spell he or she isn't necessarily sick and you aren't necessarily doing anything wrong.

I thought this would be scientific/research-based insight into the psychology and brains of infants. Instead, it's just a bunch of commonsense tips you would know if you had read any other parenting book. Nothing new or interesting, just some obvious points about how your child is developing and how to interact with him or her. Children are trying to find boundaries by testing limits, interact with them to stimulate their growth, things like that. I love books on psychology and this one failed to interest me at all, mostly due to its lack of anything informative or the least bit scientific. I'm returning it.

Oh one more thing - it's not a "week by week" guide as described here. It is a selection of 10 different weeks over 20 months, lumping together advances made before, during, or after that time.

I expected this book to provide research-based information on my baby's development. Instead the bulk of the book is quotations from parents who, frankly, sound as if they are tired of parenting and think their children need to be controlled or taught a lesson. In one case a parent is quoted as sending her child to bed because she wouldn't eat her dinner - at 27 WEEKS!

From such supposed child development experts I would hope that there would be information about what is an appropriate expectation of a baby's behavior, not tacit approval of such actions by parents by including such a quotation without qualification.

I am sorely disappointed after reading such glowing reviews.

I had been enjoying this book until I came to this quote: "boys seem to take up more of their mothers' time than baby girls do during the first months. This probably happens because boys cry more and don't sleep as well as girls. Also, mothers of baby girls are much quicker to respond to the sounds produced by their daughters than are mothers of baby boys. Mothers also tend to "chat" more to their babies I'd they are girls."

Seriously? I'm the mother of a boy and this comment alone has made me stop reading the book. How does this opinion have anything to do with the wonder weeks.

This should not be a book. Here is the premise: there is a certain order and chronology to babies' neurological and motor development. That development makes babies fussy and needy. When their babies are fussy and needy, mothers* should comfort them.

That's pretty much it. All of this information is available from a zillion websites and in much greater, peer reviewed detail from the AAP and Mayo Clinic. Maybe that wasn't true in 1992 when this book first came out, but it is now, and its paucity of detail and format (which relies on first-born anecdotes from "real" mothers*) makes the whole thing feel like an anachronism.

By and large, the premise of this book seems to be: "Mothers*, don't get so emotional about your baby crying. It's for a reason. Trust us, the medical community." Which reads as condescendingly and sexist as it sounds there. And speaking of which:

* I say "mother" deliberately, because that's all the book says. Apparently only mothers would read a baby book, can comfort their baby, and should show their babies how they bake a cake (not making that up!).

In short: The fifties called. They want their baby advice book back.

This, along with Happiest Baby on the Block, have been the two greatest discoveries for our daughter’s first year. It has been so helpful to know that her developmental leaps are not times that she is trying us, but times when ahe actually needs more support. It does not make the difficult nights easier, but it is so great to know why it is happening, and that it will pass. Can’t recommend this enough. The app with calendar reminders is worth the $5 as well.

I was searching for a book which would explain why I felt as though he would make progress forward (aka sleeping!) only to fall back into a pattern of waking & crying! My husband & I were so elated when he slept through the night for the first time .... we thought we had climbed Mt. Everest, giving each other high 5's & hugs ... only to find that a couple nights later he was back to fussing & crying in the night. So, I went on a search. When I came across this book, it was ~week 11 (right before the week 12 leap) and it all made sense. Since that time, I followed the book through week 75. As others have mentioned, he was 'off' a bit on timing but for the most part it was right on the mark. I greatly appreciate the research, insights, stories as we were able to get a glimpse into his brain development. SO many other books focus on the physical side ... sleep, breast feeding, growth, tummy time, rolling over, crawling, etc. which are all important as well; but this book gave me a new perspective to not just his physical BUT mental development. Thank you for providing me some sanity as well as a window into what he was learning & how he was seeing the world!!! Now that he is 4 years old, he still gets cranky/clingy occasionally ... then he will all the sudden be doing amazing new things. Maybe it doesn't stop??

This book is 99% filler. The Wonder Weeks does contain a few bits of useful information, but to extract the useful bits from the filler and repetition you had better have the patience of Job.

The book does not even have a useful structure from which you could easily extract the information that you are interested in. Chapters begin with a vague reference to what your baby is going through, followed by irrelevant filler, quotes and anecdotes from various mothers about their children, repetition of vague references, more filler, a few ideas on how to sooth your child (which you probably already know), another item your child may or may not be experiencing, a checklist of things you might or might not notice about your child, and more filler.

I had gotten this book years ago after hearing friends online rave about how fantastic and helpful it is to parents. I had always heard about growth spurts and I am sure most of us have but having them explained so well with a heads up as to when they will happen and what to be aware of is fantastic. It was right on the mark too. When ever baby seemed different or we started to have some difficult nights my husband would ask if it was a wonder week and we would check. I gifted this book to a friend after my baby got big and then when my sister had a baby I ordered this book to be sent to her. Now I have another baby and I went looking for another copy and saw they have a new edition and I am going to get it. The Wonder Weeks is a perfect gift for new parents!

This book has been one of my best parenting tools. The app is great, it is right in the money with telling me when she is going to be fussy and why. It keeps me from trying to falsely guess what is wrong with her and gives me some piece if mind knowing these stages are normal and an important part of her development. Watching her discover all the new abilities is more fun knowing what to look for and expect with each Wonder Week. But where the app is great the book expands on it. It gives suggestions on how to help your baby develop their new skills, toys to get, games to play, etc. It gives more detail on what to expect, signs to watch for, and a very comprehensive checklist on what new skills to watch for, much more thorough then the app. I almost didn't buy the book because the reviews said it's redundant with the app, but I think the book was definitely worth purchasing, and for a few extra $ you can add a digital copy which is great to have if you need to reference it in the go (but the hard copy is still better.)

I loved the idea of this before having my first and signed up for the email alerts, too. It’s all good on paper and was interesting to read, but honestly the leaps never lined up with my babies’ fussy periods and I never was able to match up what I read with what they were doing. I wouldn’t recommend this. Just know that sometimes when your baby is fussy he may be going through a leap. That’s really all you need to take away from this book.

My son is famous among parents of similar-age babies we know for being the most cheerful, non-fussy baby there ever was. But even he gets more challenging during the wonder weeks. We're going through the week 46 one now (which actually starts earlier than that and can last several weeks) and it's the worst one yet. He normally falls asleep within 5 minutes with no fuss and now it takes him 30 minutes to 2 hours to fall asleep. And no, not because he's not tired. He's totally tired, in fact he's overtired due to his sleep troubles. He's regressed in some of his physical abilities too, wanting to just lay around and chew on things a lot of times. He's moody. All of this would have concerned me so much I'd have gone to the doctor if I didn't have this book a friend loaned me. I didn't read every word cover to cover, like others I think this book could be half the size, but it's been so helpful even just to know there's nothing wrong that I would encourage parents-to-be to get this book and be aware of what to expect before the baby arrives. If we'd had this book from the start we would not have been going so crazy during those first couple cognitive spurts when things went haywire.
Note added later: Now that I've experienced the cognitive spurts (and related sleep regressions) of the 18-24 month period I just need to ask the authors why they stopped where they did with this book. They ran out of time? Because there absolutely continue to be "Wonder Weeks" throughout the 2nd year. Weeks I myself really could have used some guidance!

I wish I bought this book earlier. My baby is only 9 weeks, but her 5 week fussy phase was downright awful. I thought she suffered from awful gas or was in pain. I'm a pediatric resident, but this info is way more detailed than the developmental milestones they ask about at each well visit. 'Fussy baby' is absolutely a real diagnosis (in an otherwise healthy baby). I know that now.

We were gifted a baby calendar with little milestone stickers on it. I love writing when we notice a new skill. I'll be printing and putting up signs to watch for at the 12-week phase so my husband can clue me in when I'm not home. I love her.... and I love this book!!!

I received this book as a gift from a friend who swears by it. In my case, I did not find the book helpful at all. As some reviewers have pointed out: (1) The material is very repetitive. The authors repeat the same thing (which is not even informative) over and over. You get the sense that they wanted to fill some space. When you have a baby to take care of, you just want people to cut to the chase.
(2) The authors initially claim that all babies basically follow the same developmental pattern, hence you can have certain expectations for certain weeks (as the title suggests). However, throughout the book, they point out what we all know -- each baby is unique and develops at his/her own pace and such baby's development may be a week or more off what's laid out in the book.
(3) The material is not well organized. For example, when I was reading the chapter on week 8, I become a bit concerned that my baby was behind on the schedule that all babies purportedly are on. However, when I got to the end of the paragraph in question, the authors were talking about week 11. This is just one specific example; the book is filled with misleading weekly descriptions.

The material presented in this book could have been done in a more concise manner. Had the authors taken that approach, the book may have been worth reading and might have been useful. After reading the first few chapters, there is not sufficient information within the pages to make me want to continue reading this book.

The woman who reviewed this book for the Library Journal has clearly never had an infant who acts fine one week and then crazy the next. If she had, she'd love this book as much as I did, and the 3 friends I've given this book as gifts to did. The reason the authors don't refer to other research studies is that they're the only ones who've specifically been studying this, and they use plenty of examples from their own research. Yes, it's true that it's not written in a really scientific way, but is that what you want to read when you're just trying to figure out why your child stopped sleeping and eating all of a sudden? Not me. I'd rather know what developmental leap is coming up so I know how long the cranky phase will last and what I can do to help my child through it. This book is so easily worth the money and time spent reading it, just because it gives you the patience to be able to wait out difficult periods when you know why they're happening and when they'll stop. No things you should and shouldn't do, just a sort of refernce manual of what's going on and why. Buy the book and your life with your infant through 12-month-old will improve immensely.

I imagine most new moms have had the thought, "I'm just not doing this right." They wonder why their baby is fussy, cranky, needy, crying, and not sleeping well. Even worse is that just last week everything was getting so much better. We wrack our brains trying to figure out what magic we were doing last week. Was it playtime then nap? Was it the banana at exactly 2pm? As if our baby's behavior couldn't make us crazy enough, we drive ourselves crazy.

Finding this book was a magic moment for me. I was introduced to it by a pediatric RN, and from the moment I started reading, I couldn't put it down. Yes, my daughter is 8 weeks. WHAT?! It's NORMAL during this "mental leap" to behave this way. The book explains something that anyone living with a baby in the first year can tell you; babies brains are BUSY. There is so much to figure out in this new world, and a baby doesn't come into the world able to see it like you do. The way they perceive the world changes as they develop more skills, and as you can imagine, this can be overwhelming and rattling for a baby at first. This book also takes into consideration that it can be overwhelming and rattling to the parent as they experience the outside behavior from the inside changes. It's comforting to read the feelings of other parents and know you aren't alone. It also helps to know that it will pass, and you will be able to do even more fun things with your child when it does.

The book gives activities that are developmentally appropriate during each leap. It's amazing to see how your baby's ability to do these activities changes before and after the leap. It actually turns what can be a frustrating and difficult time into an opportunity to witness and help your child during these times.

I recommend this book to everyone, and I give it at baby showers. It's my one "must read" book in my stack of parenting books.

This is an incredibly insightful book on stages of child development! Reading it helped me figure out what really was going on in the brain of my little guy and how I could help him. It provides experiences of other parents and what symptoms and leaps their little persons were going thru and emotional effect on parents. It helps to know that you are not the only person who sometimes feel like our little guys are trying out our patience. It provides with helpful games to play and activities to do to facilitate and help our little people to learn their lessons.

It was truly very helpful book to refer to when your guy is fussy and to also know WHEN to expect your fussy periods.

I had heard about this book from a friend and couldn't wait to read it. At first, I felt it was really interesting and helpful, but the more I read the more repetitive everything was. As the child gets older, the things the children are "supposed to be doing" can be very far-reaching. As a new mom, this was disheartening. In parts of the book, they say your child will be doing these things. My child wasn't doing any of those things. For example, on page 314, it talks about "Top Games for this Wonder Week." One of the activities says to "tie a large apron in your child and put him on a chair I front of the sink" to let him help you wash dishes. It may work for some, but my one year old wasn't ready to be put somewhere high. One of the other suggestions for a one year old was to ask the child to pull the groceries out of the bags as you ask for them and ask him where you should put it. There may be children out there who can do this at one, but mine was nowhere near benign able to do this task. When I read it, although I knew it was ridiculous, I also had a tinge of "is my child developing like other children? Is he behind? Should I be worried?" This book enhanced my paranoia and lacked enough "meat" to make up for it.

And where is this "research?"

The Wonder Weeks is in my top three for books parents of infants and toddlers should own. I received the print edition as a gift shortly afer my son was born. Without it's help understanding the developmental leaps my son was making, and the reason behind fussy periods preceding a leap, I might have leapt off of a cliff myself. While reading the book at each stage, I began to see my son with new eyes. Instead of a whiny, crying, fussy baby, I saw a little person who was learning new cognitive skills at a staggering pace, and who needed my comfort and assurance while navigating his new world. It was uncanny how I could turn to the pertinent section of the book and read the explanation of his new skillset, the signs of the leap and the testimonies from other parents and feel not so alone...to feel hope that my son wouldn't always be fussy and that he would gain independence from me at the appropriate time. I own both the print edition and the Kindle edition...love having the information at my fingertips when traveling, or just when I need to refer to the fussy phase chart to remind myself that this won't last forever. The Wonder Weeks is a must for moms and dads whose babies are discovering the wonders of their new world and for moms and dads who wonder if it will ever end!

I enjoyed reading the explanations of the neurological "leaps" and could see them taking place in my baby roughly around the time specified. I also found the recommended activities for each age useful. However, as others have mentioned, much of the content is highly repetitive and the parent comments included throughout are ridiculous. Additionally, the milestones the authors specify at each period can be off base.

My wife and I received this book as a gift. While some parental opinions in a text may be helpful (so we know we're not alone... heh) I found the majority of the information in this book to be extremely poorly laid out, confusingly organized and repetitious.

When reading "The Happiest Baby On the Block," there were these same type 'stories,' included, but those were actually quite helpful and described the calming techniques the book was written about.

This book seems to make false generalizations about babies and parents alike and it's interludes often have NOTHING to do with the "milestone," that's supposed to be happening. There's not a clear list of "milestone behaviors," either!

Most of the blurb for each week (P.S. why isn't it broken up into MONTHS when the kid is over 4 weeks old?) is a bunch of vague generalized statements and really says nothing about what could be truly happening in said milestone.

The friends who gave us this "swear by it," and good for them. Glad it helped them figure out their son.

We are not finding it helpful and aren't really needing to use it to figure our son out anyway, so off it goes to our local used bookstore.

As a first-time parent and proud book-aholic, I think I must have read every single popular book on infant sleep and development and this one is the best. It provides insight into your child's mental process and helps you understand how they perceive the world around them. And it provides a great deal of comfort on those nights when your once blissfuly-slumbering baby just can't or won't sleep. I think it encourages parents to be patient with their fussy or sleepless babies by explaining to them exactly what their child is going through and why these changes are so monumental. It allows parents to share their baby's worldview, and it is fun to anticipate and track all the wonderful progress in your child's behavior and abilities. My baby hit every single wonder week. I didn't get the book until she was 6 months old, and even when I went back and considered previous "unexplained" periods of fussyness or lack of sleep, it turned out she was right in the middle of a wonder week.
One note: each baby is different, and the authors clearly say so. For my baby, some wonder weeks lasted a couple of days, and some (week 23-26) a few weeks. But most babies fall in the range that they suggest. They also state that the skills that follow wonder weeks will take a while to develop. Not every baby will try to pull up at 27 weeks. But after the 26 wonder-week leap, they have the mental ability to try that behavior, and you can expect them to lead up to that skill. Babies choose what skill to practice, one or two at a time.

This book was recommended to me by our local parenting center - and I'm so glad I picked it up! There are lots of books that will describe your baby's physical development (in great detail), and talk about what baby should eat, how they sleep. This book comprehensively and clearly covers what sort of behavioral, mental, and emotional changes your baby might be experiencing, including how you can tell they might be going through a new "wonder week," and what you can do to encourage their growth! I especially loved how it lists specific activities and even toys that would be a good fit for baby at each stage. If not for this book, I would've forever thought my baby was hungry, tired, or worse - just a very difficult or moody baby. Seeing these patterns laid out in the book helped us to see that he's simply growing just as he should!

I wish someone had told me that babies have a fussy phase around 5-6 weeks. I got this book when my son was about 8 weeks old and it was comforting to know that his seemingly out of the blue crying was very normal. For each "leap" the book tells you fussy signs to look for, things your baby may be doing, and things you can do to help them flourish. The last week or so, my son has been craving more attention, having trouble settling down before sleeping, and turning away at times when being fed. I picked up the book again and sure enough, we have hit the next wonder week at 19 weeks and all of these things were listed under fussy signs. It's nice to have an idea of when these weeks are, instead of wondering why things have changed so much!

I am giving 4 stars only because this book is really really essential to a new mom. You need to know what these phazes are so you can react in a calm loving way to all the crazy ups and downs of the first two years.

Now if only the Wonder Weeks crew would hire a good writer... It really is like reading someone's first draft. Repetitive, a bit patronizing and poorly laid laid out. You have to really dig. The information in the iphone app version is quite concise. You can almost forgo the book itself.

I can keep this review very breef. The book is well written and as a dad of a baby it can be a help in desperate times. But, the main theory of growth jumps has simply been disproven. By Plooij's own PhD student none the less . looij's refusal to acknowledge this led to his resignation as a professor. Amongst scientists no one takes him serious anymore. There's also a danger to this book: if your baby doesn't follow the patterns described in this book, it may make parents even more uncertain.

I still think of this book and my kids are now 12 and 9! It was so helpful!! I wish I could find a similar book for relating to my 9 year old’s current grouch fest, I know she is about to have a developmental breakthrough— Ha!

I love the concept of developmental leaps and how they help you understand, support and empathize with your baby during his or her fussy periods. That said, I find the information in the book poorly organized and repetitive. If this book had a good editor, I'd give it 4 or maybe 5 stars. It's about twice as long as it should be due to repetitive information and poor organization/editing.

The premise of this book is that there are 8 "leaps" that your child makes in the first year of life. The book reveiws these leaps, by explaining what's going on during them, how they will affect baby's behavior and and what you should see in baby after the leap.

So far, the leaps have been pretty accurate with my daughter. And I must say that having the information in the book has been both helpful and insightful. It has been nice to get a leg up on what to expect so that when the fussiness hits, I can be better prepared to deal with it.

I definintely reccomend this book to any new parent.

My son was born on his due date and I have to say that these milestones are pretty much spot on! I recommend this book for ALL new moms because its helped me prepare for what my baby has gone through, is going through or will be approaching in the near future!

Out of the many baby books I've read this is hands down the most useful. The information is excellent and makes me wonder why it's not readily available (outside this book ie on websites). Wow, when read it it's like I got the AHA moment and a glimpse into my daughters brain.

Some have complained that the dates are off for their child. They give a range/approximation and as well one thing to consider is that you need calculate from your baby's due date. So parent's of preemies or late babies, keep this in mind.

What I really enjoyed was: (a) The activities listed that you can play with your baby during each stage to help them learn faster, and (b) the parents' experience which helped me realize that I'm not alone in how I feel.

I will say though if anyone is for the CRY IT OUT method they need to read this book. Even though this isn't a sleep book it gave me the insight to realize that I will never use the cry it out method when I know that my baby is going through a developmental phase and needs moms comfort and support more than ever; that would just be torture.

Have recommended this book to several friends who also loved it and will continue to recommend to new parent's as the one must read.

I did not read this book, so sorry but, I did download the "Wonder Weeks" iphone app and I love it! For me, the app is very helpful and right on when my otherwise super happy, sweet, easy going baby suddenly starts acting fussy and clingy. I just check out the app and there ya have it! He's starting another developmental leap. The app gives you the summary of the leap, the signs, what is going on, and how to help your child through them. I love the chart on the app to that tells you how long the leap will last and the "stormy" phase. I honestly do not have time to read many books, both my husband and I work full time jobs and then spend our evenings and weekends with our baby boy. So for those of you who are in the same boat as me and have an iphone, check out the app, it's wonderful.

At its core, Wonder Weeks has useful information. Unfortunately, the reader has to wade through a lot of pointless and redundant reading to get to it. It could probably be 30-40 pages and convey the stuff you actually want to get from it.

To save readers a lot of time, here's a tip - the first 20ish pages of each chapter can be summed up as "Your baby is entering a growth spurt. He or she will be cranky and clingy. You will be tired and frustrated." That's 50% of the book. Another 25% are testimonials from moms reinforcing those three sentences. The rest is the actual meat - how you can help your baby through this particular spurt, and how the spurt is changing your baby's brain and skill set.

My other complaint is that dads don't exist in this book. We're apparently absent from the parenting process. These days, that has to have been a conscious decision on the author's part, and I just don't get it.

One of the best baby books out there! I love that this book gives you a list of skills that your baby will reach in each "leap." The timing of each leap is almost spot on. I will notice my baby being a bit fussier or mastering a new skill just as the book talks about it. I recommend this book to any parent.

I work as a doula, helping laboring and post-partum women as they navigate this time in their lives. Part of my job is educational, and I enjoy having a vast library of books and information that I can pass along to expecting and new parents.

When I read this book, I immediately put it into my list of resources for new parents. It's invaluable when it comes to understanding your baby. It saved me so much frustration because looking ahead, I can prepare for a fussy time, and during that fussy time, I can remind myself to be extra gracious with my little one as he is going through a 'wonder week'! I also have the iPhone app and it's a great 'on the go' tool - if I notice a little extra fussiness, I consult the app to see where we are in the timeline. The games and tools the book and app provide to work with/through the developmental leaps are great.

If you are an expectant parent, buy this book. If you are a new parent, buy this book. If you know someone who is either of those things, buy them this book!

A friend recommended this book to me shortly after I had my son, and I loved the clarity it gave me on certain "leaps" I didn't previously understand. That said, since my best friend has just become pregnant, I'm buying a copy for her as it's the perfect "instruction manual" for figuring out how to understand your kid.

Of all the parenting books I read during the first year of my daughter's life, this one was my favorite. It isn't necessarily a guide, but provides so much valuable information about how your child is developing. There were many hard days where reading Wonder Weeks reassured me. This is my go-to gift for new parents.

I don't think I've ever bothered to do a review here before, but this book made me take the time to do it. I got this book when my daughter was a few months old and I recommend it to all parents. Each chapter discusses a "fussy phase" and explains the developmental leap that accompanies it. The book offers suggestions of how to handle it, how to cope when things get frustrating, what toys are especially useful during the phase, what games to play with your child at that time.

I love the way it's organized. It's very readable. Without fail, every time my little girl was acting...not herself...I would open up the book and sure enough, we were right in the middle of a great developmental leap. I feel like this book helped me understand my daughter better, and be a better parent. I WISH they would write a book for the second year as well.

The first thing parents need to know about this book is that it is NOT a "how-to" book. You will not find controversial information, what you will find is research based information on what your baby is going through and why. I absolutely believe that lives can be saved with this book. Many new parents experience the frustrations of not knowing why their baby is crying. This book helps the parents understand what is going on. It also prepares parents for upcoming fussy periods.

To see my full review of this book please see my blog at [...].

I found this book quite helpful for both of my children. I wrote down the start of all of the fussy periods on my calendar, then I would read that section when the fussy period started. It was a relief to have an answer for some of their behavior when I thought nothing should be wrong.

This book was recommended by many of my friends and they were right: it is such a relief to finally understand that it is not your fault that your baby may have some pretty tough days and cry and fuss, but that it is a normal part of his or her development. Especially having our first baby and going through the first few weeks of being insecure about things, this book was a huge help. When we reached week 5 and she would not stop crying for hours a friend told me about this book and I felt like all the weight had been lifted of my shoulders and that I can handle her "attacks" much better now that I understand what's going on. Having studied psychology myself I also appreciated the authors' background and scientific information which is packaged in an easy to read way making the cognitive theories accessible to everybody.I also bought the handbook for games and activities by the same author and love it.

In general, the wonder weeks is easy to read and offers some helpful (albeit obvious) advice on helping your children through developmental changes. However, this book joins a long line parenting advice books that seem to place high value on anecdotal, and probably fictional, accounts to support their claims. I would much rather read an overview of the research that was used to develop these developmental "leap" timelines. The book is OK, but I have no idea why it is so beloved by so many parents.

What I like about this book is that it is not a parenting book, per se, and it doesn't lecture on how to raise your baby. Instead, it really gets to the core of what's happening with my baby by explaining mental developments (they call them leaps), pinpointing when my baby will go through these leaps based on what week he's in and what I/we can expect. It also doesn't say you HAVE to do this or that, but it does make suggestions of games and ways to help my baby (and me) through the transitions and make the most of them.

I also like that it includes comments and experiences from other parents. There is something really comforting to read them and know that what my baby is going through is normal. I'd definitely recommend it.

Of all the books I read in preparation for our baby's arrival, this is hands-down the most helpful. Yes, we wanted to build good sleep habits for him; yes, we wanted to make responsible health decisions for him. But this book explains why all of that goes out of the window at certain points and my cooing darling is suddenly screaming unconsolably, fussy and barely sleeping for days on end.

When you're pulling your hair out, the facts that a) the fussy time was predicted, and b) the positive developmental changes are recognizable in your baby enable you to hang on through the phase. And at three in the morning, it is comforting to know that this is happening *to* my baby, it's not something he somehow dreamed up to make my life miserable. =)

This is a reference you will want to have on hand, so you can read each section as your child reaches that stage.

If I wasnt already unsure about what to do as a new mom, my baby began throwing me for a loop---I picked this book up and sure enough, he was in a wonder week! He is now 14 months and I can honestly say that every difficult stage we went through was a "wonder week". So nice to be able to read through the stage and find that my concerns were almost word for word described in the book and completely normal. I just wish they wrote a similar book for toddlers....this book ends at about the 1 year mark

It is absolutely delightful to anticipate the next wonder weeks and then watch which developmental leaps my grandson takes when those little neurons in his brain make a new connection. Now I understand why, what he could not do yesterday, he can do today. Now my daughter is more relaxed when he seems to regress a bit in his independence. She knows it is temporary and will pass when he reaches the next mile stone. I wish we had information about the later wonder weeks, the ones beyond the scope of this book.Pain Banishment, Not Pain Management:Non-Invasive Treatment for RSD/CRPS and Other Chronic Pain: Such As Neuropathy, Migraines, Arthritis, and Fibromyalgia ~ EVEN WHEN NOTHING ELSE WORKS ~

SO happy they reprinted it!!! I had to borrow a copy from my sister but now I'll order my own... yes it's THAT good.

Okay...so maybe a tad simplistic and repetitive (it tells you not to shake the baby every chapter)... BUT as a new mom it was nice to know that it was NORMAL for my happy boy to turn into a fussy clingy non-sleeper. I like that the book encourages moms to pick up their babies, to respond to their cues, and reinforces that their crying indicates a NEED not manipulation.

All during my pregnancy I dreaded hearing the words colic, fussy, not a good sleeper...and then it happened...I had a fussy baby. I kept thinking it was something I was doing so I tried everything. Just when I thought there was nothing I could do, I found this book. What a lifesaver! It was as if the authors were talking just to me personally. If you just had a baby, or know someone who is pregnant, buy this book. It will keep you sane!!!

So I have read the Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, The No Cry Sleep Solution and part of The Wonder Weeks (and others) and an left rather frustrated. I feel like some of these books act like EVERY child should be the exact same way - their way. Especially this one it really annoys me to no end. My baby is not even CLOSE to their schedule and I also find that someone may just start thinking negatively assuming/expecting/thinking that their baby in coming upon a "fussy period" and cause more problems for some people rather than helping them. I really wonder how they really find this stuff out...I mean babies cannot talk so how do they know when they are learning about relationships, distances, categories, etc.?

Glad I got this from the library and did not buy it!

I'm a first- time mother and admit to being slightly overwhelmed by the challenges of parenthood - as soon as I think I've figured out what my little baby needs something changes in her world and we have to start all over again. This book helps identify and explain the developmental reasons behind the changes in babies' behaviour in their early years and I have found that my baby's "wonder weeks" have, to date, occurred in line with the schedule described in the book. The recommendations for age appropriate activities which parents and carers can enjoy with babies to help them get through the difficult weeks are very useful, as are the lists of age appropriate toys. My only criticism is that the book sometimes repeats information in the different chapters. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book.

Being so unsure with what to do for a new baby, this book was the perfect buy for a new family. I knew what to expect and how to handle my new baby girl. I used it again with my boy two years later. This was money well spent!

I have read many of the more highly recommended baby book (Baby 411, What to Expect..., the AAP guide, Healthy Sleep habits, etc.), and we bought this book because my wife heard the authors give a talk. I have gotten quite frustrated reading the book because it seems that my 4.5 month son is only mapping to about 25% of the authors' stated developmental milestones. Yet in the aforementioned books, he's tracking between 50 and 75% to the stated milestones. Maybe babies in the Netherlands are just a lot more advanced than ours - but their developmental milestone calibration seems to be way off.

This book really opened my eyes to the reasons my baby was so clingy and insecure - and then a week later so happy and delightful! I received it as a gift and never read it until my baby was 5 months old - I so regret that! There were so many times I really needed some solid reasons and research describing what was happening in my child's development! The other thing I really like about this book is that there are great suggestions for games you can play, toys you can buy (or make) that coincide with your child's developmental age. I just wish they had a series for the toddler years too!!

The stories throughout the book from other moms were horrible. I don't know how many times I read (in so many words) "I was feeling agressive when my baby was irritating the sh!t out of me so I put him to bed". Like another reviewer said, some of it was borderline abusive. Otherwise some helpful information.

Every time my daughter went through a developmental stage I was thrown for a loop until I bought this book and was better able to understand what was happening. I thought I was going to lose my mind and now I can prepare for each new phase. Nobody tells you about these things. This book is just wonderful if you truly want to understand what is going on in your baby's mind, and what parent wouldn't?

This book is fantastic. When you think your bub is acting out of the ordinary you look up this book and discover its a wonder week. I had no idea there were such things. As a new mum it makes you feel better that there are valid reasons for your baby's change in behaviour. Definitely recommended for all mums.......especially first timers like me.

NEW EDITION ROCKS!

What I like about this book is that it is not a parenting book, per se, and it doesn't lecture on how to raise your baby. Instead, it really gets to the core of what's happening with my baby by explaining mental developments (they call them leaps), pinpointing when my baby will go through these leaps based on what week he's in and what I/we can expect. It also doesn't say you HAVE to do this or that, but it does make suggestions of games and ways to help my baby (and me) through the transitions and make the most of them.

I also like that it includes comments and experiences from other parents. There is something really comforting to read them and know that what my baby is going through is normal. I'd definitely recommend it.

I had heard great things about this book. But it really isn't all that helpful. I think if I had a fussy child it might be more useful. Some of the parents quoted in the book seem a little neurotic to me. The "weeks" are hard to pin down... there's a big window, if your kid was born early or late it changes the counting, so basically, if your kid is fussy there's a good reason. I couldn't find it at the library so I bought a copy. I think I might just donate it to the local library.

This book has some good information on what to look for during growth spurts and developmental leaps however, I can not believe some of the comments they published in this book! It really upset me. One stated how the mother gave her baby a "good shake". New moms read this for advice! There is a box on the page that says "shaking CAN be harmful". Can??? Shaking IS ALWAYS harmful and NEVER ok. The very next page begins to describe how a mother admits to SLAP her baby not because she doesnt like him, but because she wants him to be happy and she feels alone! What a horrible message to give to mothers. I am not even finished reading this book not even halfway done, but I don't know if I want to now! Im afraid that someone will read this at their wit's end and think its ok to do these things.

Note: I read the intro to this book and the section related to my child's age and skimmed other sections.
I am glad I checked this book out from my library before purchasing it. While the information about what your child is experiencing is somewhat interesting (otherwise I would have given it 1 star), the tone of this book is downright awful. Some of the information also is just plain contrary to what we know about child development. For example, when the authors (anthropologists and behavioral psychologists - not child development experts!) say that babies might experiment with rough and gentle touch, and things like pinching they say, "If she experiments like this she knows perfectly well what she is doing." I don't think so. It is appropriate to teach your baby that it hurts, but they are not hurting you inentionally. They also talk in other sections of the book about babies being "manipulative." But what I like least about the book is the parent comments. I know they are supposed to help you feel like you are not alone if you get frustrated sometimes, but the tone of the comments is overwhelmingly negative and sometimes bordering on abusive. There is one where a mother gets so frustrated with her 37 week old baby she shouts "Now shut up!" at him. She goes on to say "his head drooped, as if he was genuinely ashamed of his behavior." There is no way that a 37 week old feels "shame" and if you are so frustrated that you are shouting at your baby you need some help! There are also multiple comments in the book about getting so frustrated or "disgusted" with a baby's behavior that the baby was just put to bed. I get that sometimes parents need a break, but again if this is a regular occurence for you, you should be looking for more support. By including all the comments it is almost as if they are normalizing or condoning this type of interaction. I recommend getting your child development information elsewhere.

I give this book to every new mother I know, it's that good. However, the used book prices are insane. I emailed the author in the Netherlands and he said they are in negotiation with a new publisher to reprint the book.
There is no reason to pay $80.00 - $175.00 for a $20.00 paperback.
People all over the world have written to him asking to have it reprinted and he's very anxious to do so.
Tricia

If I have only enough money to buy one book for a new parent, this is the book I get them. I have yet to meet a parent who didn't wonder why their baby suddenly got fussy, stopped sleeping 'right' (or slept worse!), refused food, seemed to want to be held constantly... were they 'spoiled?' did we do something WRONG? AHHHH! And here, the answer - it isn't you, it is normal brain development, hang in there and watch for the fantastic new things your baby will understand in just a few weeks!

I first learned about this research back before it was translated to English, and scraped by with my sanity (and less fretting!) on just a few notes translated online. Having the book available is so much better! Being able to look ahead on the calendar and say 'oh, shoot, two weeks from now may not be a good time, hmm, adjust schedules'? So much better than being blindsided by the sudden-who-took-my-baby-and-left-me-this-changeling reaction! :)

It's even nicer to be able to see how long the fussy stage is likely to last. I can hang on better if I know it isn't a permanent condition. I can't emphasize enough how useful it is (especially for first-timers) to know that I didn't do something wrong. I've had people see my baby in a fussy stage all clingy and say 'oh, do you stay home? you've spoiled him, he's not used to being put down!' and then when they find out I was working turn around and say 'oh, so he just MISSES you' - uh, guilt trips either way you go? Nice to be able to say, 'nope, just the normal fussy stage for X weeks, his brain is learning about Programs (or whatever), there's a lot of changes going on inside there!'

Nothing parents need more than more sanity and less guilt. Bonus, ideas on how to play and interact in ways that 'fit' easily into the phase going on, supporting the development underway. (And no, not 'go out and buy' or 'spend hours focusing on...' but 'hey, this is a good time to just sit on the floor with them' or 'telling them about what you're doing is interesting for them right now' type stuff - we'd figure it out eventually, but a few hints don't hurt!)

LOVE LOVE LOVE this book, and so very glad it has extended - I remember getting to the end of the previous one and going AAHHHH WHAT ABOUT THE NEXT STAGE?! I need more! :)

So, full disclosure... I have not read this book. I know. I wouldn't usually review something I have not read but this is just some thoughts for anyone considering purchasing of it. I don't think anyone who is not currently feeling smacked upside the head with the incredible task that caring for a newborn would buy it. Here is the thing. Newborns turn your whole life upside down and can astound you with the amount of care and soothing they need. The intensive bouts of crying can feel endless and when someone tells you not to worry because "colic" will subside by 3-4 months that can seem like a million years. Especially when you are exhausted. I found it more helpful to learn that infant fussiness/colic/whatever will peak around 6 weeks. It does get easier after that. I promise. And then harder. And then easier again. And somehow you seriously almost won't remember it anyway. I am not saying that Wonder Weeks don't happen. But if they can last up to six weeks and happen 10 weeks apart aren't they always almost happening? Also, mix them in with growth spurts, teething, separation anxiety, illness, and everything else and there is almost always something that could be causing a problem. As the parent of a newborn I remember spending a lot of time trying to figure out what that was and there really isn't a point unless it is something you can maybe do something about like illness. Babies have difficult days and phases and more easy ones. I think you just accept that at some point and move on. So, read the book if it interests you but your money would probably be better spent on a babysitter to give you a break and a chance to miss your little wonder for a few hours. :)

I was very disappointed by this book. After doing hours of research on the internet to find a book that would help me nourish my baby's intellect, this was the worst text I ended up purchasing. My main problem with the book is that it did not deliver on its claims.