This book is aimed at parents, helping to provide them with information on several subjects that are relevant to parenthood, with the evidence base to support the advice given. There are several common topics discussed within the text, such as risks and benefits of delayed cord cutting, the microbiome, Vitamin K, bonding, vaccines, sleep and infant feeding. The explanation of the research process in the first chapter is relevant and interesting. However, there is an assumption of some prior knowledge of research by the use of language such as hypothesis and methodology.
Each of the chapters has anecdotal descriptive narratives to provide a reality base to the issues being discussed. The evidence base is then added to support choices and give advice on decision making. The book is aimed at the US and Canadian market, as there are several examples of practice not related to practice in the UK. The discussion about ‘eye goop’ is based on practice within the US, as it is not recommended practice in the UK for babies to be given Erythromycin eye ointment as routine after birth. Similarly, giving a sugar solution on a pacifier when giving intramuscular Vitamin K is not relevant to practice in the UK. In the US, many babies are offered Hepatitis B injection within 24 hours of birth, again not a practice offered in the UK. Therefore, some of the information and advice may cause confusion to readers in the UK.
The information about vaccines is particularly useful and details the history of vaccine programmes along with evidence about testing and safety procedures, all supported by current research. The risks and benefits of vaccinating are explored in detail and the outcome of the advice to vaccinate is detailed and reliable.
There is a detailed chapter about sleep that relates to the current evidence regarding sudden infant death syndrome. The information is reassuring and gives practical recommendations that use the evidence base and historical narrative to support the context. The physiology of sleeping close and bed sharing is particularly interesting and includes cultural aspects to support reflection at the end of the chapter. The next chapter explores aspects of achieving a good night's sleep, with advice on practical elements. The advice is supported by personal experiences and the chapter concludes that there is no evidence to support that one choice is better that another where sleep is concerned.
The chapters regarding infant feeing are detailed, but this is expected as the author is a nutritionist. The information about breast or artificial feeding is mainly based on two studies and the author acknowledges that as randomised controlled trials are not ethical, the studies were observational. Two studies were compared in detail over a period of time. The evidence gave conflicting results and attempted to cover several topics within the chapter. The conclusion states that more research is required in this area as feeding is more important than food — baby cues, love and trust are equally important. The final two chapters concentrate on weaning and explore many aspects in detail, with personal experiences offered.
Overall, the book is clearly written and may be useful for new parents to dip into when the timing of the decision-making process is relevant. Evidence-based parenting examines the risks and benefits of the choices available and the decision-making process. Some of the research offered is dated and based in the US or Canada; the book is clearly aimed at these regions. The personal descriptive narratives are interesting and relate to the subject being discussed in each chapter. This is a limited literature review that supports the authors advice offered at the end of each chapter. The quote from chapter 8 ‘parenting is a balance between ideals and practical realities’ sums up the book well.