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/

What is an Informed Parent? A parent who collects information from every available source and then analyses it, seeking the truth behind the hype, the marketing and the angles, before making a decision. An Informed parent applies critical thinking to every piece of advice, every parenting method and every emotional and instinctive reaction, to ensure that they are making decisions based on truth. An Informed Parent need not be highly educated or experienced. They simply need to be willing to get to the truth. This book will show you how.

Pregnancy and parenting involve making potentially life-altering decisions daily. Because bad choices can have severe consequences affecting the health and well-being of one s child, it is vital that parents base their decision-making on the latest research but hitherto, this has been inaccessible to the average parent. Generally, advice made available to prospective and new parents is subjective, frequently based on opinions and personal experiences, and whilst often good, doesn t equip a parent to make an informed decision. Government bodies, baby friendly hospitals and advertisers, also may not provide key information. Therefore, if parents are to make the best decisions they can for their children, it is essential they know what the experts in the particular fields have demonstrated. This book places all the facts at a parent s disposal so that he or she can make considered, well-informed decisions.

Provides advice on the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases in children, including everyday prevention methods, recommended immunizations, and the appropriate use of antibiotics and other medicines.

Argues for a return to instinct-driven parenting, debunks parenting myths, and empowers parents to put down the flashcards and follow their instincts.

From the author of Expecting Better and The Family Firm, an economist's guide to the early years of parenting. “Both refreshing and useful. With so many parenting theories driving us all a bit batty, this is the type of book that we need to help calm things down.” —LA Times “The book is jampacked with information, but it’s also a delightful read because Oster is such a good writer.” —NPR With Expecting Better, award-winning economist Emily Oster spotted a need in the pregnancy market for advice that gave women the information they needed to make the best decision for their own pregnancies. By digging into the data, Oster found that much of the conventional pregnancy wisdom was wrong. In Cribsheet, she now tackles an even greater challenge: decision-making in the early years of parenting. As any new parent knows, there is an abundance of often-conflicting advice hurled at you from doctors, family, friends, and strangers on the internet. From the earliest days, parents get the message that they must make certain choices around feeding, sleep, and schedule or all will be lost. There's a rule—or three—for everything. But the benefits of these choices can be overstated, and the trade-offs can be profound. How do you make your own best decision? Armed with the data, Oster finds that the conventional wisdom doesn't always hold up. She debunks myths around breastfeeding (not a panacea), sleep training (not so bad!), potty training (wait until they're ready or possibly bribe with M&Ms), language acquisition (early talkers aren't necessarily geniuses), and many other topics. She also shows parents how to think through freighted questions like if and how to go back to work, how to think about toddler discipline, and how to have a relationship and parent at the same time. Economics is the science of decision-making, and Cribsheet is a thinking parent's guide to the chaos and frequent misinformation of the early years. Emily Oster is a trained expert—and mom of two—who can empower us to make better, less fraught decisions—and stay sane in the years before preschool.

"This book is a pragmatic introduction to evidence-based parenting. The second edition provides details of the latest advice from the American Academy of Pediatrics and includes enhanced coverage of allergenic foods and genetically modified organisms, breast versus bottle feeding, plastics as endocrine disrupters, vaccinations, and the co-sleeping debate. An all-new chapter reveals the real facts behind the benefits of both paid childcare for working parents and staying at home with babies"--