The Bottom Line for Baby: From Sleep Training to Screens, Thumb Sucking to Tummy Time—What the Science Says

Psychotherapist Bryson (No-Drama Discipline) offers a splendid guide to help parents and caregivers “wade through the cacophony” of sometimes conflicting information and opinions about baby care. Bryson’s goal is to provide guidance “based on the latest science.” The book addresses topics alphabetically, with each entry organized into three main sections: “Competing Opinions,” “What the Science Says,” and “The Bottom Line.” There are topics that were certainly in baby care books a generation ago, such as spanking, though “the bottom line” (pun aside) here is probably different than what older books would recommend—Bryson is against the practice. There are also many topics new to the world of baby care, like screen time and digital privacy, and so much in between, including co-sleeping, food allergens (and early exposure), and pacifier use. The only possible caveat for readers might be that the alphabetic organization splits big topics across a number of pages (breastfeeding, for instance, is addressed separately with “Alcohol and Breastfeeding” and “Breastfeeding vs. Formula,” among others), but the detailed table of contents makes it easy to jump to the issue of interest. Parents, grandparents, and caretakers would do well to pick up this comprehensive work. Agent: Doug Abrams, Idea Architects. (Sept.)