Finding your way with your baby: the emotional life of parents and babies

Abstract

Reviews the book, Finding Your Way with Your Baby: The Emotional Life of Parents and Babies by Dylis Daws and Alexandra de Rementeria (see record 2015-11670-000). This book seems to be a bit different, in that the authors state at the beginning that they will not tell parents what to do. Instead, they speak to the complexities inherent in the experience of becoming a parent. They emphasise the importance of not knowing, of wondering, of being curious, of observing the baby, getting to know her/him and of reflecting upon what is seen, felt and thought. The book is organised in three parts. In the first part, issues inherent in the process of becoming a parent are addressed: from pregnancy, birth, first weeks and months of being a new parent or parent to a new baby. This part of the book addresses mainly internal experiences and states of mind of the mother and father and the way these may impact on how they relate to each other and to their baby. Although the book is aimed at parents, I think it is also valuable for professionals, both in terms of offering knowledge and understanding, but also in offering a model of how to talk to parents. The tone of the whole book is kind, respectful, compassionate and patient and it is likely that while reading it, parents will have a feeling of being understood. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)