CONTENTS

13 Coming to the world

13 Giving birth

17 Gestation doesn’t end with birth

21 Straight to the breast

26 The nursery

27 Born at home

29 Right after birth

30 The first meeting

30 Unique and different from everyone else

32 Washing and dressing a newborn

34 Colostrum, a baby’s first food

26 Back home

37 Adapting to a new environment

40 Premature? Immature?

43 The ‘quarantine’

49 First days

49 A new life together

49 Bonding

50 Familiarity little by little

51 Closeness and quietude

56 Loving a newborn

57 Getting started together

59 A protective and present father

60 How much room does a newborn need?

60 First tears

64 First sleeps

66 Milk: the vessel of motherly love

70 The older sibling

81 Life with a newborn

81 Sticking to habits

81 Diaper changing: a moment of play and    tenderness

82 Mums nurse. And dads?

84 What does our child perceive?

90 Breastfeeding or bottle?

98 Bath time

103 If they’re crying, let’s comfort them

105 Helping your baby in its new existence

105 How to dress them?

114 The newborn’s slumber

125 So little, yet so eager for new sensations

125 An attentive observer

127 A great enticer

130 Light, air, sun and new friendships

136 Are they eating enough?

137 Spoilt baby?

139 A world to discover

139 First timid steps towards independence

139 Progress is well underway

141 First sounds

141 Little everyday hurdles

147 The pacifier

149 Desire and appeasement

152 Grandparents, very important people

159 Turning three months old

159 Mastering self-development

160 Routine activities, with flexibility

161 For dad

162 Feeding outside of the home

163 Parents working away from home

171 Step by step

171 With older children

173 First stages of growth

177 From tender care blossom positive sentiments

179 Growing interests

180 Baby massage

184 Different roles and tasks

184 When parents go out

185 Single mums

193 An assiduous observer

193 Handling, exploring, discovering

194 Twins

197 Cats, dogs, little birds…

198 A good enough parent

200 Is the child ill?

203 The journey of speech

203 Swimming in a sea of words

205 Dialogue with babies

215 The evolution of movement

216 Let it be your child’s initiative

217 On all fours

233 Sleep baby, sleep

233 Biological rhythms

238 The baby is tired: understanding the signs

240 Supporting the baby’s tranquillity

245 Slumber, fears, dreams

247 Games and cuddles

247 Needing mum

247 ‘Normal’ development: what is it?

248 What fun is to play!

251 Games, toys, songs and nursery rhymes

258 The father: a marginal figure?

265 A ‘different’ baby?

265 Who is different?

270 The hospital

271 Fear: so soon?

275 Humour and laughter, learning’s closest allies

277 First teeth, first meals

277 Eating and suckling

278 Time for weaning?

281 A good will to start with

285 Aiding the transition to the spoon

286 One change at a time

288 The individual’s wellbeing is crafted from early years

289 How to prepare foods

293 Eating is a pleasure

294 Sometimes flavours are combined…

294 Table and chair: for eating, and playing

295 Are you coming to eat with us?

303 From the heights of the baby’s chair

305 First moments of independence

308 Let’s make room for our child

309 How to say ‘no’

312 Patience, and patience again

315 Relentless exploration

315 Laughter and repeated syllables as form of speech

319 Towards their first steps

320 Using hands to understand

332 Is it boredom?

328 Safety and trust

330 Day-to-day organisation

332 Sometimes accidents can be prevented

335 First birthday!

335 Noise or music?

337 Children and their friends

338 The ‘no’ phase

341 Undressing is easier than getting dressed

341 Too soon for potty training!

342 Another head banging

343 What is your child capable of?

346 ‘Soft’ activities for the hands

347 Eyes and hands: he marvellous instruments of development

347 Bathing

348 Bicycle outings together

350 What awaits us in their second year?

335 BLUE PAGES

356 First Aid

359 Mums and dads online

362 Suggestions for further reading

368 Films and story telling

370 Index of contents