Pregnancy/Childcare

Why do: Dutch babies seem so content, and sleep so well? Dutch parents let their kids play outside on their own? The Dutch trust (read more)

Why do: Dutch babies seem so content, and sleep so well? Dutch parents let their kids play outside on their own? The Dutch trust their children to bike to school? Dutch schools not set homework for the under-tens? Dutch teenagers not rebel? What is the secret of bringing up the happiest kids in the world? The secret of bringing up the happiest kids in the world. In a recent UNICEF study of child well-being, Dutch children came out on top as the happiest all-round. In Growing Up Happy, Rina Mae Acosta and Michele Hutchison, both married to Dutchmen and bringing up their kids in Holland, examine the unique environment that enables the Dutch to turn out such contented, well-adjusted and healthy babies, children and teens.

So what is the secret? Is it that babies are given a strict routine, or that children cycle to school and are allowed to play outside on their own? Is it that they don't get homework until they are ten, or that they seem content with secondhand toys? Does the fact that home births are popular have anything to do with it, or that Dutch parents have nailed the work/life balance?Is it because Dutch kids are seen and heard - or because they get to eat chocolate sprinkles on buttered bread for breakfast? Read this book if you want to find out what lessons you can learn from Dutch parents, to ensure your kids turn out happy! (hide)

Answers to the questions real mum and dads have during the first year. There isn't one perfect way of parenting: every single baby (read more)

Answers to the questions real mum and dads have during the first year. There isn't one perfect way of parenting: every single baby and family is unique. Feeling confident, authentic and positive about your role as a parent is key to building a loving relationship.

This book helps you find your parenting style so you can be the parent you want to be. Written by Sarah Beeson MBE, who has over 40 years hands-on experience of working as a health visitor, this book is full of the author's secrets and tried and tested strategies on breastfeeding, sleeping, weaning, calming your baby and forming a secure attachment . Nurturing, practical and refreshingly honest, this book embraces the idea that one-size parenting doesn't fit all, but with Sarah Beeson's book to hand you have a best friend with great advice and a gentle approach to guide you through the first. (hide)

A positive and uplifting book about what it is to be a mother and all things mum and baby by Celebrity Mum of the Year and phenomenally (read more)

A positive and uplifting book about what it is to be a mother and all things mum and baby by Celebrity Mum of the Year and phenomenally popular vlogger, author, TV presenter and actress Giovanna Fletcher. Being a mum is an incredible journey, a remarkable experience that changes how we look, how we feel, who we are. As mothers we are strong, protective, proud.

We feel a love like no other. But being a parent can be hard too. It challenges us physically, mentally, emotionally.

There are the days where just managing to fit a shower in amidst the endless feeding, entertaining young children and surviving on a lack of sleep feels like an achievement. With so many people ready to offer 'advice' on the best way to parent, it can feel like you are getting it all wrong. Since Giovanna and her husband Tom Fletcher have had their sons Buzz and Buddy, they have been sharing glimpses of their family life.

With an infectiously positive outlook and happy take on all things mum-related, Giovanna has developed a following of fellow parents and mums-to-be. This is not a book about how to have the perfect family experience - Gi would be the first to admit she is winging it just as much as the rest of us - instead it is an honest, upbeat and incredibly personal account of her own experience of having a family. In Happy Mum, Happy Baby Giovanna shares her own journey through parenthood and in doing so, she looks at what it is to be a mother today, encourages you to be confident in yourself as a parent and celebrates how putting a focus on being a happy and confident mum can really make for a happy baby. (hide)

'The expert's expert. Simplicity is the key with this technique.' The Times 'Do you guys know about Headspace...? It's kind of genuis.' (read more)

'The expert's expert. Simplicity is the key with this technique.' The Times 'Do you guys know about Headspace...? It's kind of genuis.' Emma Watson The best start for your baby begins with your mind Widely acknowledged as one of the world's foremost experts on mindfulness, Andy Puddicombe, co - founder of Headspace, is your friendly guide in this wonderful new approach to pregnancy, birth and new parenthood. Whether you are trying for a baby, are mid-term, or have already arrived home with your new baby, this practical and reassuring guide will teach you and your partner how to calmly navigate the anxieties and demands of this epic adventure.

With helpful exercises for both mother to be and her partner, Andy shows how to live mindfully and get the most from pregnancy and the early days of parenthood. The Headspace Guide To...A Mindful Pregnancy provides you with tools to live mindfully during this rare and precious opportunity to nurture a healthy happy mind. Imagine creating the most peaceful environment possible for your child and this book will show you how. (hide)

A practical guide for parents and guardians on how to support and prepare your child for their Year 6 SATs. SATs can be daunting (read more)

A practical guide for parents and guardians on how to support and prepare your child for their Year 6 SATs. SATs can be daunting for both parents and guardians, and children, who may find themselves experiencing exam stress for the first time. Help Your Kids with SATs gives you a complete overview of the KS2 SATs system with tips and advice on caring for your child's wellbeing during this pressurized time.
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A must-have for parents, here is everything you need to know to help your child with their homework. Every parent will be familiar (read more)

A must-have for parents, here is everything you need to know to help your child with their homework. Every parent will be familiar with the cry for help that comes from their child when it's homework time. Many parents find themselves having to help a great deal with all subjects - yet with teaching methods having changed so much since their own schooling, it's often the parent who could use a helping hand.

Homework Help for Mums and Dads provides parents with tips, from teachers and other parents, on how to get to grips with each subject and, most importantly, on how to pass that knowledge on to their child during primary school. From reading to literacy, science to history, this book includes shortcuts and tricks that will make subjects easier to grasp. It even includes tips on homework layout, writing practice, learning habits and on how to make some subjects more fun by thinking creatively about each task set. (hide)

Mothers describe falling in love with their babies and then, more slowly, learning to understand them. Children flourish when their (read more)

Mothers describe falling in love with their babies and then, more slowly, learning to understand them. Children flourish when their mothers love and understand them. For over 20 years, Naomi Stadlen has listened to hundreds of mothers talking at her weekly discussion groups.

In 'How Mothers Love' she offers unique insights into how mothers and babies learn to communicate intimately with one another. When adults relate to one another, they are building on the foundations usually laid down by their mothers. 'How Mothers Love' is a study of how mothers start to build those foundations and covers areas such as: how to create emotional 'space' for your unborn child; how to maintain a close relationship with two or more children; the transformation into motherhood and your role as a mother in wider society.
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This book is not a how-to-guide. It won't tell you how to get your baby to sleep, how to deal with toddler tantrums, how to be a (read more)

This book is not a how-to-guide. It won't tell you how to get your baby to sleep, how to deal with toddler tantrums, how to be a good parent, a cool parent or even a renegade parent. It is a book about parenting that contains absolutely no useful advice whatsoever.

Instead it shares beautifully honest anecdotes and illustrations from the parenting frontline that demonstrate it is perfectly possible to love your children with the whole of your heart whilst finding them incredibly irritating at the same time. From pregnancy to starting school, Hurrah For Gin takes you through the exciting, frustrating, infuriating and wonderful whirlwind of parenthood, offering solidarity and a friendly hug after a tough day. Best served with gin. (hide)

Arriving 17/4/15: Thousands of Names and the Blessings They Can Impart This unique guide includes 6,000-plus names from all corners (read more)

Arriving 17/4/15: Thousands of Names and the Blessings They Can Impart This unique guide includes 6,000-plus names from all corners of the globe, and each entry illuminates the name's distinctive spiritual, historical, and cultural background -- its poetry. Names, from the traditional to the newly coined, are fully explained. Pronunciation guide, origin, alternate spellings, and meaning are enhanced by the affirmation carefully chosen for each name.

Lists of names by meaning, names by ethnicity, and most popular names by decade provide easy reference. Whether your aim is to honor ancestors, capture a child's essence, or convey parental hopes, "Inspired Baby Names from Around the World" will help you greet and bless your new baby with heartfelt meaning. (hide)

Living with diabetes is a balancing act of monitoring blood glucose, food intake, and medication. It makes sense that individuals (read more)

Living with diabetes is a balancing act of monitoring blood glucose, food intake, and medication. It makes sense that individuals who have diabetes do best when they understand their condition and how to control it. The Johns Hopkins Guide to Diabetes is a comprehensive and easy-to-read guide to this complex condition, answering questions such as: What are the differences between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes? How are the different forms of this disease treated? Can gestational diabetes become a permanent condition? Can diabetes ever be managed successfully with diet and exercise alone? The second edition of this valued resource includes up-to-date information on: how diabetes is diagnosed; the two types of diabetes; the role of genetics; improvements in blood glucose measurement; good nutrition and regular exercise; insulin and non-insulin medications; insulin pumps; the emotional side of diabetes; how families are affected and how they can help; what to do if diabetes affects your work; and complications from head to toe.

Written by a team of Johns Hopkins diabetes specialists, this authoritative guide will help people who have diabetes work effectively with their care team to control their diabetes and maintain good health. (hide)