The Diaper-Free Baby: The Natural Toilet Training Alternative
by Christine Gross-Loh
My Rating: 4 1/2 stars
"Believe it or not, your child was born not wanting to go the bathroom in a diaper." After reading this book and putting the suggestions into practice, I believe it.
This is what I loved about the book:
*the author has a PhD from Harvard
*the cover is cute and professional (as opposed to Infant Potty Training)
*it is comprehensive and easy to read
Gross-Loh talks about her own journey to infant potty training and some of her challenges in using this method. She includes dozen of quotes from other parents as well.
"Diaper-free" is a scary phrase; Gross-Loh explains at the beginning of the book that it doesn't mean your baby must be without anything to catch her eliminations. It means "freedom from an exclusive reliance on diapers." I can get on board with that.
The book is very helpful, including advice on starting at different ages, charts of "frequent miss situations," signs to look for, and common questions.
A compelling read.
Showing posts with label Book Review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Book Review. Show all posts
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
Book Review - Infant Potty Training
Infant Potty Training: A Gentle and Primeval Method Adapted to Modern Living
by Laurie Boucke
Rating: 5 stars
This book was very different from what I was expecting. I was pleasantly surprised.
I avoided reading this book because 1)the cover is so ugly, 2) I saw it first on a website that was poorly done, and 3) I thought it would be opinionated and preachy.
However, I found that if one can get past the cover and the unprofessional pictures, this book contains an amazing wealth of information. Not only does it describe the process of infant potty training per Ms. Boucke, it also contains a history of potty training, personal accounts of modern-day people using the method (including a physician), and a vast survey of potty practices in dozens of cultures. Some of these cultures use a similar method, some use a very different one.
It's written in a way that presents possibilities and allows for imperfections. It gives ideas for partial utilization without being judgmental.
Each part was important in my mind, since this method is completely different from everything we are taught through "modern medicine" and is almost unthinkable in our culture. The detailed research is necessary to allow someone living in an industrialized culture to slowly absorb this method and even the possibility that something like this could work.
Basically, the idea is that from birth, infants signal their need to eliminate. Caregivers can learn the signs and help the child eliminate in a proper place. As the adult responds to the child and signals back, the child learns where and when is proper to go. This creates a back a forth communication that allows even a very small infant to go only where and when he should.
This book was eye-opening, but you have to be ready to read it.
by Laurie Boucke
Rating: 5 stars
This book was very different from what I was expecting. I was pleasantly surprised.
I avoided reading this book because 1)the cover is so ugly, 2) I saw it first on a website that was poorly done, and 3) I thought it would be opinionated and preachy.
However, I found that if one can get past the cover and the unprofessional pictures, this book contains an amazing wealth of information. Not only does it describe the process of infant potty training per Ms. Boucke, it also contains a history of potty training, personal accounts of modern-day people using the method (including a physician), and a vast survey of potty practices in dozens of cultures. Some of these cultures use a similar method, some use a very different one.
It's written in a way that presents possibilities and allows for imperfections. It gives ideas for partial utilization without being judgmental.
Each part was important in my mind, since this method is completely different from everything we are taught through "modern medicine" and is almost unthinkable in our culture. The detailed research is necessary to allow someone living in an industrialized culture to slowly absorb this method and even the possibility that something like this could work.
Basically, the idea is that from birth, infants signal their need to eliminate. Caregivers can learn the signs and help the child eliminate in a proper place. As the adult responds to the child and signals back, the child learns where and when is proper to go. This creates a back a forth communication that allows even a very small infant to go only where and when he should.
This book was eye-opening, but you have to be ready to read it.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Book Review - Potty Training Your Baby
Potty Training Your Baby: A Practical Guide For Easier Toilet Training
by Katie Warren
Rating: 3 1/2 stars
This book was short, which I appreciated very much. It could, however, have been much shorter with the amount of repetition it contained. She appears to have copied verbatim the chapters for different ages and just changed some details here and there. Some of the material in those chapters was also included in the final chapter. I admit that I have a very low tolerance for anything that wastes my time, but I think this could have been edited much more liberally.
It definitely had a few good ideas. It mostly followed the mainstream thought (despite the title); it just skipped the long checklists. It included far too many instances of "never" and "always" for my comfort. I like the premise: that you can start training before the child is able to verbally tell you she wants to use the toilet.
Worth reading. This is enough of a departure from current thought to be considered a "new idea," whereas it is not so deviant as to stop it from being widely accepted.
by Katie Warren
Rating: 3 1/2 stars
This book was short, which I appreciated very much. It could, however, have been much shorter with the amount of repetition it contained. She appears to have copied verbatim the chapters for different ages and just changed some details here and there. Some of the material in those chapters was also included in the final chapter. I admit that I have a very low tolerance for anything that wastes my time, but I think this could have been edited much more liberally.
It definitely had a few good ideas. It mostly followed the mainstream thought (despite the title); it just skipped the long checklists. It included far too many instances of "never" and "always" for my comfort. I like the premise: that you can start training before the child is able to verbally tell you she wants to use the toilet.
Worth reading. This is enough of a departure from current thought to be considered a "new idea," whereas it is not so deviant as to stop it from being widely accepted.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Book Review - Potty Training 1-2-3
Potty Training 1-2-3: What Works, How it Works, Why it Works
by Gary and Anne Marie Ezzo
Rating: 1 1/2 stars
I felt confused and annoyed when I finished this book. It was poorly written and in need of copy-editing. Transitions from one subject to another were poor or non-existent.
The book opened with a couple of stories, obviously designed to impress on the reader what a great method the authors are presents. However, the stories were incomplete, unbelievable, and awkward to read.
The main theme in the book is to reward the child for being clean and dry, not for using the potty. That makes sense, and I will try it. However, if I give as many rewards as the book suggests, all she will be doing all day is eating or getting rewards. This is definitely a bribing method.
I didn't feel like I could use many of the suggestions that the book gave, and I was frustrated with the reading process.
by Gary and Anne Marie Ezzo
Rating: 1 1/2 stars
I felt confused and annoyed when I finished this book. It was poorly written and in need of copy-editing. Transitions from one subject to another were poor or non-existent.
The book opened with a couple of stories, obviously designed to impress on the reader what a great method the authors are presents. However, the stories were incomplete, unbelievable, and awkward to read.
The main theme in the book is to reward the child for being clean and dry, not for using the potty. That makes sense, and I will try it. However, if I give as many rewards as the book suggests, all she will be doing all day is eating or getting rewards. This is definitely a bribing method.
I didn't feel like I could use many of the suggestions that the book gave, and I was frustrated with the reading process.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Book Review - Early-Start Potty Training
Early-Start Potty Training
by Linda Sonna, Ph.D
Rating: 5 stars
This is my favorite so far. The beginning reads a bit like a research paper, which is exactly what I wanted (if a bit dry.) It also works harder than it should to make its case, giving the first chapters a pushy feel.
Press on! The action chapters and the appendices more than make up for the first part. Dr. Sonna lays out plans for four stages of potty training: 0-6 months, 6-18 months, 18-24 months, and after 24 months. She gives easy instructions on how to start, a procedure to follow, and what to expect.
This book made me feel like I could actually step up to this challenge and teach Katie (and Ellie) how to use the potty. I wish I had read it two years ago.
The first appendix has common questions, one which addressed a problem that we were having. When I tried what Dr. Sonna suggested, it really got us jump-started on potty training. I'm pretty sure that all progress we've made so far has been a direct result of her suggestions.
The second appendix is full of resources, and there is a listing of sources if you want to do more research yourself. An index, listed by subject, helps you find a specific topic in the book.
Overall an extremely helpful read.
by Linda Sonna, Ph.D
Rating: 5 stars
This is my favorite so far. The beginning reads a bit like a research paper, which is exactly what I wanted (if a bit dry.) It also works harder than it should to make its case, giving the first chapters a pushy feel.
Press on! The action chapters and the appendices more than make up for the first part. Dr. Sonna lays out plans for four stages of potty training: 0-6 months, 6-18 months, 18-24 months, and after 24 months. She gives easy instructions on how to start, a procedure to follow, and what to expect.
This book made me feel like I could actually step up to this challenge and teach Katie (and Ellie) how to use the potty. I wish I had read it two years ago.
The first appendix has common questions, one which addressed a problem that we were having. When I tried what Dr. Sonna suggested, it really got us jump-started on potty training. I'm pretty sure that all progress we've made so far has been a direct result of her suggestions.
The second appendix is full of resources, and there is a listing of sources if you want to do more research yourself. An index, listed by subject, helps you find a specific topic in the book.
Overall an extremely helpful read.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Book Review - Potty Training
Potty Training (Johnson's Everyday Babycare)
Rating: 4 stars
This is a short and sweet pamphlet. I got through it in an hour or so. It was to the point, but not too dry. It was practical, and written in small chunks, mostly bullet points. There was a very helpful reference page in the back, with other places to find information.
I enjoyed the book, and though it was very helpful, and just the right length for the information it gave.
The reason I gave this four stars instead of 5 is that quite a bit of the "factual" information presented was specifically stated in other books to be false. It is, however, the officially published opinion of the American Academy of Pediatrics, so I can't really fault them too much.
Rating: 4 stars
This is a short and sweet pamphlet. I got through it in an hour or so. It was to the point, but not too dry. It was practical, and written in small chunks, mostly bullet points. There was a very helpful reference page in the back, with other places to find information.
I enjoyed the book, and though it was very helpful, and just the right length for the information it gave.
The reason I gave this four stars instead of 5 is that quite a bit of the "factual" information presented was specifically stated in other books to be false. It is, however, the officially published opinion of the American Academy of Pediatrics, so I can't really fault them too much.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Book Review - Diaper-Free Before 3
Diaper-Free Before 3: The Healthier Way to Toilet Train and Help Your Child Out of Diapers Sooner
by Jill M. Lekovic, M.D.
Rating: 3 1/2 stars post 2 years old, 5 stars pre 2 years old
This book was a breath of fresh air. It is well-written and the recommendations are based on research. There are also stories from her personal experience which make the reading enjoyable.
This is a very convincing book and covers a number of scenarios. I appreciate that it does not promise the moon, but is practical in its expectations.
I think that I will apply this method to my younger daughter. However, it is too late for Katie! There is a (very short) chapter on what to do if your child is older. It is encouraging, saying that this method can by applied to older children, but knowing my daughter, this method won't get me very far. It would be much more useful for someone with (only) a new baby.
Actually, even though the book suggests that you can start potty training when your infant is first sitting, because of it I have been putting my 3-month-old on the potty. She urinates almost every time. I have no idea how she know what to do! I have also caught an entire poop in to the potty, and it is SO much less messy! I can't believe it!
Overall, a very good book when the child is an infant. I absolutely think it should be required reading for new parents. Unfortunately it is not so helpful after the child turns two.
by Jill M. Lekovic, M.D.
Rating: 3 1/2 stars post 2 years old, 5 stars pre 2 years old
This book was a breath of fresh air. It is well-written and the recommendations are based on research. There are also stories from her personal experience which make the reading enjoyable.
This is a very convincing book and covers a number of scenarios. I appreciate that it does not promise the moon, but is practical in its expectations.
I think that I will apply this method to my younger daughter. However, it is too late for Katie! There is a (very short) chapter on what to do if your child is older. It is encouraging, saying that this method can by applied to older children, but knowing my daughter, this method won't get me very far. It would be much more useful for someone with (only) a new baby.
Actually, even though the book suggests that you can start potty training when your infant is first sitting, because of it I have been putting my 3-month-old on the potty. She urinates almost every time. I have no idea how she know what to do! I have also caught an entire poop in to the potty, and it is SO much less messy! I can't believe it!
Overall, a very good book when the child is an infant. I absolutely think it should be required reading for new parents. Unfortunately it is not so helpful after the child turns two.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Book Review - The No-Cry Potty Training Solution
The No-Cry Potty Training Solution: Gentle Ways to Help Your Child Say Good-Bye to Diapers (Pantley)
by Elizabeth Pantley
Rating: 1 star
This book was mostly fluff. All of the information in 168 pages could have been contained in a short pamphlet or booklet, at the least. She explains her basic premises in the first few pages, then goes on to explain more about them in the rest of the book. During the explanation, she repeats exactly what she had already said, then gives a bit more detail.
The book is based on her experience as a parent. She gives a couple of feel-good options, then just explains that every child is different and you should do what works for you. This book does not offer a plan, nor does is give many facts. It is completely based on the opinion of the author and does not include any research to back up her opinions. I found myself continually asking "why?" to things that she says, and not receiving an answer.
Most of what was in this book is easily found on the internet with a simple Google search. The one thing that I will take from the book is a reminder that potty-training takes time, like everything else children learn. One thing I liked about the book was that it had pictures of children using the potty that I could show my daughter. I wish, though, that she had not included the picture of the boy unraveling all the toilet paper, or the girl with the potty seat on her head!
by Elizabeth Pantley
Rating: 1 star
This book was mostly fluff. All of the information in 168 pages could have been contained in a short pamphlet or booklet, at the least. She explains her basic premises in the first few pages, then goes on to explain more about them in the rest of the book. During the explanation, she repeats exactly what she had already said, then gives a bit more detail.
The book is based on her experience as a parent. She gives a couple of feel-good options, then just explains that every child is different and you should do what works for you. This book does not offer a plan, nor does is give many facts. It is completely based on the opinion of the author and does not include any research to back up her opinions. I found myself continually asking "why?" to things that she says, and not receiving an answer.
Most of what was in this book is easily found on the internet with a simple Google search. The one thing that I will take from the book is a reminder that potty-training takes time, like everything else children learn. One thing I liked about the book was that it had pictures of children using the potty that I could show my daughter. I wish, though, that she had not included the picture of the boy unraveling all the toilet paper, or the girl with the potty seat on her head!
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