Parenting Resources

Books

The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby from Birth to Age Two
by James Sears, Martha Sears, Robert Sears, William Sears "Parenting, in a nutshell, is giving your children the tools to succeed in life..."

Amazon.com Product Description:
Brought thoroughly up-to-date-with the latest information on everything from diapering to daycare, from midwifery to hospital "birthing rooms," from postpartum nutrition to infant development-THE BABY BOOK remains the one must-have resource for today's new parents.
In this perennially bestselling and encyclopedic guide, Dr. Bill and Martha Sears draw from their vast experience both as medical professionals and as parents to provide authoritative, comprehensive information on virtually every aspect of infant care. THE BABY BOOK focuses on the essential needs of babies-eating, sleeping, development, health, and comfort-as it addresses the questions of greatest concern to parents today.

The Essential Guide for Parents of Premature Babies
by Dana Wechsler Linden, Emma Trenti Paroli, Mia Wechsler Doron M.D.

From Publishers Weekly
”… Divided into four sections (Before Birth, In the Hospital, A Life Together and Other Considerations), the book covers risk factors, the first day, the first week, surgery, taking the baby home and many other topics. Each section contains personal observations from parents of preemies, insightful comments from "the doctor's perspective" and information on procedures, equipment, common problems and other issues. While medical information is presented in detail, the book maintains a personal, reassuring tone, explaining that, though their organs and body functions are immature, most preemies are basically healthy. Since parents can't always plan ahead for the possibility of a preemie, this book provides a valuable crash course and serves as a useful tool for communicating with medical staff. Includes a helpful resource guide and glossary. (Aug.) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.”

The Happiest Baby on the Block: The New Way to Calm Crying and Help Your Newborn Baby Sleep Longer by Harvey Karp

From Publishers Weekly
Karp, a pediatrician in Santa Monica, Calif., and assistant professor at the School of Medicine, UCLA, offers a new method to calm and soothe crying infants. While nursing or being held satisfies some babies, others seemingly cry for hours for no reason. These babies suffer from what Karp calls the Fourth Trimester. When you bring your soft, dimpled newborn home from the hospital, you may think your nursery is a peaceful sanctuary.... To him, it's a disorienting world part Las Vegas casino, part dark closet! Karp recommends a series of five steps designed to imitate the uterus. These steps include swaddling, side/stomach position, shhh sounds, swinging and sucking. The book includes detailed advice on the proper way to swaddle a child, the difference between a gentle rocking versus shaking and more. According to the author, virtually all babies will respond to these strategies although some trial and error may be needed to find the most effective calming method. A number of the steps letting kids nurse more frequently or encouraging babies to use pacifiers, for instance contradict other childcare experts. However, parents who are at their wits' ends because of a baby's incessant crying will find this book invaluable. In fact, expectant parents may want to read it before they bring their newborns home from the hospital. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc

The No-Cry Sleep Solution: Gentle Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night by Elizabeth Pantley, William Sears

Product Description:
A breakthrough approach for a good night's sleep--with no tears There are two schools of thought for encouraging babies to sleep through the night: the hotly debated Ferber technique of letting the baby "cry it out," or the grin-and-bear-it solution of getting up from dusk to dawn as often as necessary. If you don't believe in letting your baby cry it out, but desperately want to sleep, there is now a third option, presented in Elizabeth Pantley's sanity-saving book The No-Cry Sleep Solution. Pantley's successful solution has been tested and proven effective by scores of mothers and their babies from across the United States, Canada, and Europe. Based on her research, Pantley's guide provides you with effective strategies to overcoming naptime and nighttime problems. The No-Cry Sleep Solution offers clearly explained, step-by-step ideas that steer your little ones toward a good night's sleep--all with no crying.

The Pregnancy Book: Month-by-Month, Everything You Need to Know From America's Baby Experts by Martha Sears, William, Linda Hughey Holt

Amazon.com
The Pregnancy Book is an excellent all-in-one guide to pregnancy from William and Martha Sears, creators of the concept of "attachment parenting." Each of the book's chapters represents a month, and deals with physical and emotional changes, describes the growth of the fetus, and discusses common concerns. The authors also focus on nutrition, exercise, information and support for home births and birthing centers, traveling while pregnant, how to avoid episiotomy, and so on. The approach is gentle, thorough, and includes more information than some month-by-month guides, which makes The Pregnancy Book an excellent choice for pregnant couples.

What to Expect When You're Expecting, Third Edition
by Heidi Murkoff

Product Description:
Introducing a completely Revised & Updated Third Edition of America's bestselling pregnancy book, What to Expect When You're Expecting. Two years in the making, it's a cover-to-cover, chapter-by-chapter, line-by-line revision and update. Incorporating the most recent developments in medicine, and responding to the many queries and letters received from readers, the book contains both the most accurate information available, and the most reader-friendly. The Third Edition includes more information on working while pregnant. It offers more in-depth coverage of complementary and alternative birthing. Greater attention is paid to pre-conception, alternative families, second pregnancies, HMOs, the role of the father, and lifestyle. There's a completely new look at the Best-Odds diet, which is better suited to the needs of busier women with less time. An updated cover and all-new black-and-white illustrations give the classic a fresher look.

What to Expect the First Year, Second Edition
by Heidi Murkoff, Sandee Hathaway, Arlene Eisnberg

Product Description:
America's bestselling guide to caring for a baby is now better than ever: announcing a two-years-in-the-making, cover-to-cover, line-by-line revision and update of the 6.9-million-copy What to Expect the First Year, the bible for taking care of a newborn through the milestone of his or her first birthday. The Second Edition incorporates the most recent developments in pediatric medicine. Every question and answer have been revisited, and in response to letters from readers, dozens of new Q&As have been added. The book is more reader-friendly than ever, with updated cultural references, and the new material brings more in-depth coverage to issues such as newborn screening, home births and the resulting at-home newborn care, vitamins and vaccines, milk allergies, causes of colic, sleep problems, SIDS, returning to work, dealing with siblings, weaning, sippy cups, the expanded role of the father, and much more. An updated cover and all-new black-and-white line illustrations complement the fresher book with a fresher look.

What to Expect the Toddler Years
by Arlene Eisenberg

Product Description:
They guided you through pregnancy, they guided you through baby's first year, and now they'll guide you through the toddler years. In a direct continuation of What to Expect When You're Expecting (over 9.6 million copies in print) and What to Expect the First Year (over 5.6 million copies in print), America's bestselling pregnancy and childcare authors turn their uniquely comprehensive, lively, and reassuring coverage to years two and three. Organized month by month for the second year (months 12-24) and quarterly through the third year (months 24-36), What to Expect the Toddler Years covers each growth and development phase parents are likely to encounter-when they're likely to encounter it. Hundreds of questions and answers treat everything from eating and sleeping problems to day care, tantrums, bottle mouth, shyness, self-esteem, and more. An entire third section of the book is devoted to toilet training, safety, and health, and a fourth covers special concerns-the exceptional child, siblings, and balancing work and parenting. Remarkably thorough, caring and intelligent, What to Expect the Toddler Years is as valuable for the seasoned parent as it is for the new parent. 2.4 million copies in print.

Articles

(click on link to read article)

“High Anxiety: American Baby Care: Advice Over the Past Century” by Howard Markel, MD, PhD

“What A Child Needs” By Leo Leonidas, MD

“Key Messages for Parents of Infants and Toddlers” by Gladys Richardson

H2>Websites

www.ksu.edu/wwparent
Welcome to The WonderWise Parent, an award winning, informative, ad banner-free site on parenting and parent-child relationships. The WonderWise Parent is designed for parents, grandparents, foster parents, stepparents, caregivers, teachers, and parent educators. It was created and is maintained by Dr. Charles A. Smith, extension specialist with Kansas State Research and Extension in the School of Family Studies and Human Services at Kansas State University.
Becoming WonderWise means being open to learning about the humanity of children--what they bring into the world and how they grow. It means becoming more trusting of one's intuition as a parent and accepting the uncertainty and magic in all relationships. Parents are treated here as intelligent and caring human beings capable of making their own decisions about child rearing.

www.raisingcourageouskids.com
“In simple language that informs without being overly pedagogical, Dr. Smith (of Kansas State University) shares wisdom on character building that should greatly assist parents, educators and those who work to bring out the best in children.” Publishers Weekly

www.knowbully.com
This website will introduce visitors to a fresh perspective on bullying that will stimulate further exploration.
Visitors will find a Yahoo online message board here where they can join in an online discussion of bullying with other parents and professionals. Continuation of the board depends on participation

www.sweetjoy.com/main/main.html
The purpose of this site is to provide practical suggestions for life, whatever your circumstances. Right now the site is heavily weighted in parenting; however, the basic principles shared herein can be translated to apply in any walk of life. We hope you will revisit the site often; we frequently add new material

www.rootsofempathy.org
Roots of Empathy is an innovative classroom-based parenting program that aims to reduce aggression through the fostering of empathy and emotional literacy. The program reaches children aged 3 to 14 years.

www.mainelykids.com
The online magazine for families who love, live and visit Maine.

www.zerotothree.org
The nation’s leading resource on the first years of life

www.fcctf.org
The Franklin County Children's Task Force is a private, not-for-profit corporation committed to strengthening families and preventing child abuse and neglect through mobilizing community resources and advocating for and providing services that promote healthy children and families.

www.hardygirlshealthywomen.org
To create opportunities, develop programs and provide services that empower girls and women.

www.skcdc.org
SKCDC is dedicated to providing, sponsoring, and facilitating the development of quality early care and education programs in Kennebec and Somerset Counties .

www.matchingmoms.com
For Moms with babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children who want to meet other moms for friendship, support, and child playgroups.

www.cdc.gov
Website for the centers for disease control and prevention.

www.maine.gov
Official website for the state of Maine.

www.mainehealth.org
MaineHealth is a non-profit health system whose members and affiliates – including hospitals, physician practices, long-term care facilities, home care agencies, and support services – are working together to make our communities the healthiest in America. Building on its growing membership, MaineHealth works to ensure quality, locally-governed health care for southern, central, and western Maine.

www.mainefamilies.com
Maine Home Visiting Programs help new parents and parents-to-be get their children off to a healthy start. Trained visitors come to the homes of mothers, fathers and other caregivers to share new and helpful ways to parent. Home visitors also connect parents to the health and social supports they need to be happy, healthy families in Maine.

Services

Child Development Services of Southern Kennebec
263 Water Street
Augusta, Me. 04330
(207) 622-9798
e-mail: cdssk@gwi.net
Hours 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Monday through Friday

C.D.S. of Southern Kennebec is committed to providing a family focused approach in serving preschool children with special needs. Child Development Services welcomes referrals from parents and providers. C.D.S. Screens, Evaluates, and Coordinates the following services for Children with disabilities, aged birth through five:

• developmental screening
• evaluation(s) in the area(s) of concern
• early intervention services for eligible children
• service coordination to support the family and monitor the child's progress
• transition planning and assistance with public school entry
• family focused approach in serving children with disabilities and their families
• financial assistance for approved services