The Wonder Weeks. How to stimulate your baby's mental development and help him turn his 8 predictable, great, fussy phases into magical leaps forward

Book Description: Original, groundbreaking way of looking at the baby s brain growth and linking it to the difficult clingy, cranky, crying periods where they want to be close to their caregiver. This connection had never been understood or described until now. Usually, these difficult periods drive parents crazy and guilt-ridden. This book reassures parents that they are not to blame and that these difficult periods are part of normal development all babies go through. Knowing that their baby can t help being so difficult at times, parents can tolerate their baby s irritable behavior much better. Based on extensive scientific research, The Wonder Weeks describes in easy-to-understand terms the incredible developmental changes that all babies go through during the first 60 weeks of their lives. Now this book, which has sold more than 1 million copies throughout the world in 12 languages, can help parents predict -within a week or two- when to expect the behavior that marks a new change. They will learn what is going on in the baby's brain and read examples of how other parents react at this stage and what they can do to help the child during this transition.It includes: -Week-by-week guide to baby's behavior -An explanation of the markers for cranky, clingy, crying (The three C s) behavior and how to react -Fun games and gentle activities you can do with your child -A description of your baby's perspective on the world around him and how it can help you understand the changes he's going through Research background: The authors studied chimpanzees in Africa with Jane Goodall and found evidence for distinct regression periods where infant behavior changes dramatically. This confirmed research that others had found previously in 12 more primate species. They returned to Europe to see if these regression periods could be established in human infants. There, they started to interview and observe mothers and their newborn babies in their homes weekly during the first 20 months of life. They found and reported on 10 regression periods. The first study was based on 15 families. Later these findings were confirmed in 32 more families in the Netherlands, 20 families in Spain, 17 families in Sweden and 30 families in England. The findings were reported in scientific journals and presented in this general book for parents.Reviews: "This is a very practical and entertaining window into the baby's first year and a half. Vanderijt and Plooij have observed and found the vulnerable times in an infant's development that I independently came to in my book Touchpoints (Perseus). The authors' observations and practical suggestions are wonderful." -T. Berry Brazelton, M.D., professor emeritus, Harvard Medical School. Vanderijt and Plooij s work on infant development has enormous value for clinical use and scientific application. Not only have they explained the periods of puzzling, difficult behavior in infancy which so worry parents, they have also shown how these behaviors mark developmental leaps and have described the stages in the infant s understanding. Together, this gives parents and professionals soundly based insight into babies developing minds. What s more, Vanderijt and Plooij have described the play and communication that work best with babies at different ages and thus helped parents understand and connect sensitively with their babies. This parent-child connection is the major prerequisite for the development of secure, well-adjusted children.The Wonder Weeks is essential reading for everyone who works with infants pediatricians, social workers, psychologists, and, of course, parents. -John Richer, Ph.D., Dip. Clin. Psychol., consultant clinical psychologist and Head of Pediatric Psychology, Department of Pediatrics, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, England.