Baby Ecology book is here! Learn more
Baby Ecology book is here!
Baby Ecology: Table of Contents
"A refreshing guide for new parents focused not on specific techniques but rather on the big picture elements that matter most. Highly recommend!"
-- Alice Callahan, PhD, author of The Science of Mom
Here is what you will find inside my award-winning book, Baby Ecology.
Chapter 1 will give you a sense of what newborns are like and help you prepare your home — and your mind — for your new arrival. Chapters 2 through 4 cover the major topics of sleep, feeding, and care and play during your baby’s first year. Chapter 5 will help you feel more confident and supported on your parenting journey.
Each chapter is divided into two parts. In Part I, I crystallize the scientific knowledge on each topic; all studies are fully referenced, with scientific publications listed at the end of the book. In essence, Part I is about all human babies and what science can tell us about their needs. In Part II of each chapter I offer advice on how you can create the most nurturing environment for your unique baby.
I hope Baby Ecology helps you see more, understand better, and worry less.
Table of Contents
About this book
Chapter 1. BRINGING YOUR BABY HOME
Part I: NEWBORNS: THE SCIENCE
Capable and aware
Sensitive
Ready to connect
Ready to learn
Part II: GETTING READY FOR YOUR BABY
Preparing your home
Preparing your mind
Chapter 2. SLEEP
Part I: UNDERSTANDING SLEEP
The role of sleep
How sleep works
What affects sleep
Part II: A SLEEP-SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT
A safe and soothing space for sleep
Responsive and consistent care
A balanced daily rhythm
Catch the wave: a stage-by-stage guide
When you want to make a change
Chapter 3. FEEDING
Part I: THE SCIENCE OF EATING AND FEEDING
Milk
Solid food
Part II: A HEALTHY, HAPPY EATING ENVIRONMENT
First nourishment: breast- and formula-feeding
Joining the family table: signs of readiness
A setup for comfort and mastery
Purees and baby-led weaning
Cooking for baby: a stage-by-stage guide
Responsive feeding
Chapter 4. CARE AND PLAY
Part I: INFANT DEVELOPMENT
Social-emotional development
Cognitive development
Sensory and motor development
Play materials
Babies and screens
Babies in daycare
Part II: AN ENVIRONMENT FOR CARE AND PLAY
Safe, simple spaces
Connection through care and play
Free movement and exploration
At home in the world
Chapter 5. YOUR ROLE
Part I: PARENTING KNOWLEDGE: THE SCIENCE
Maternal instinct
Evidence-based knowledge
Intuition
Combining knowledge
The work of parenthood
Part II: YOU
Supporting yourself and others
Your role in the ONE
Epilogue
Recommended reading
Acknowledgements
Bibliography
To write Baby Ecology, I analyzed 800 scientific papers.
First, I looked with the eyes of a scientist; I kept only what science finds to be true for all human babies, regardless of culture and family practices.
Then, I looked with the eyes of a mother and kept only what felt important for young families to know. Hundreds of scientific findings crystallized into 10 key building blocks of baby’s environment that are easy to put in place, yet are often missing.
A multiple-ward-winning book, Baby Ecology will show you what these 10 building blocks are and how to create them in your home and tailor them to your own unique family, so your baby has the support and freedom to sleep well, explore happily, grow into an adventurous eater, and reach their full potential.
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Using hundreds of scientific studies, Baby Ecology connects the dots to help you create the best environment for sleep, feeding, care, and play for your baby.
Warmly,
Anya
Hello! I'm Anya Dunham, a scientist with a PhD in Biology, an award-winning author, and a mom to three young kids. Here and in my book, Baby Ecology, I analyze the research on baby's first year to find the optimal nurturing environment — the (usually wide) range of good options — to help you choose what works best for your baby and your family. Welcome!
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