What's Going on in There? : How the Brain and Mind Develop in the First… (1999)

Very good and very thorough. It is packed with biology though, so if you are one of those, "Why does it have to sound so technical?" types, then find another book. Otherwise, a great way to know and understand what is going on development-wise with your baby's brain. ( )

Just about every day as I was reading this book, I would flag an interesting sentence or paragraph to share with my partner. I found it fascinating, and before it goes back to the library I'm going to type up a few quotes to keep around for reference.

A few interesting things I learned:
* The flavor of your breast milk changes depending on what you eat.
* For optimal language development, it's important to have conversations with even young infants. You can do this with face-to-face contact and taking turns so your child gets to hear you speak but also gets a chance to practice herself. Even babies need to know that they are being addressed *and* that they are being heard.
* Sensitive parenting can improve a child's temperament. This means being aware of a baby's signals and responding promptly to her needs. And no matter how busy you are, they should feel that you are available and not ignoring them.
* Babies prefer novelty--new places, toys, experiences. It helps their brains grow.
* Daily infant massage improves a baby's motor skills development.

I like how the author structures each chapter--starting with the biology up front and then ending with how you can encourage that particular area of development, whether it's a sense, motor skills, social-emotional growth, memory, language, or intelligence. (I have to admit that I skipped over some of the biological details, and that structure made it easy for me to do that!)

The book did leave me with a few unanswered questions. For example, I wanted to know what impact baby sign language has on overall language development. And the author mentions that children in bilingual homes start talking later, but she didn't talk about the optimal age for starting to introduce a second language.

But I would highly recommend this book to any parent interested in how their child's mind is developing. ( )

Written by a neuroscientist, this fascinating book describes how a baby's brain is formed and how each sense develops. She looks at the role genetics and environment play in brain development and discusses what parents can do to help their babies be smarter and happier. (Hint: breastfeed and get them piano lessons!) ( )

perfect book to read during baby's first month. I now give it as a shower gift to new moms. ( )

Very good for anyone raising a child, but especially good for pregnant mothers. Lets you know what developes in the brain at what points & when you can enhance these processes. Alot of the "windows" are after birth. It won't help us much with an adopted child as far as being able to take advantage of many key times, but it is very useful in explaining how important things like touch, sight & sound are - gives a baseline for understanding if they have a problem in an area - and if we can or cannot enhance that area. It is a big book, full of information - but also an easy read. Recommend for anyone having children or adopting a child up to about 3 years old.