Book Review: Secrets of the Baby Whisperer by Tracey Hogg

Title: Secrets of the Baby Whisperer: How to Calm, Connect, and Communicate with your Baby
Author: Tracey Hogg
Publisher: Ballentine Books
Publication Date: 2000
ISBN: 9780345479099

Synopsis from Goodreads:
At the heart of Tracy’s simple but profound message: treat the baby as you would like to be treated yourself. Reassuring, down-to-earth, and often flying in the face of conventional wisdom, Secrets of the Baby Whisperer promises parents not only a healthier, happier baby but a more relaxed and happy household as well. 

Hogg’s book has to be one of the most reassuring parenting books I’ve read to date. Full of her blunt voice and her wry humour, this guide was easy to read and follow. It came with clear, straightforward instructions, relatable anecdotes, and simplified charts and side notes that provide quick reference guides and summary for easy access later on. I’ve marked so many pages that I know will be incredibly helpful once baby arrives. Hogg has a very calming and to-the-point perspective on her instructions–this manner of writing is incredibly useful for those who don’t have a lot of time to hunt down a reference or sift through advice. Just bookmark it and flip straight to it when you’re in a pinch.

Hogg’s advice ranges from getting baby on a flexible, but regular schedule, helping baby to sleep through the night, feedings–whether it’s breastfeeding or formula feeding, taking time out for you, letting dad step in and giving him the freedom and confidence to operate on his own, and so much more. I’ll be returning this book more than a few times, I’m sure, to gain helpful and reassuring advice. As a mom herself, plus someone who’s been helping mothers and families for years, Hogg establishes herself very successfully on an authority. I would highly recommend this book to expecting and new moms who are looking for advice on what to expect and how to create a sense of normalcy once baby comes home. As always with these parenting books, everything should be taken with a grain of salt and every mother should do what works her her in her own unique situation, but I personally found this to be a fantastic resource that has stood out from everything else I’ve read so far.