'This book lays out the nuts and bolts of the first two years of your child's life. What your baby lears now about love, relationships and their value in the world will last them a lifetime.'

According to Dr Howard Chilton, one of Australia's most respected baby doctors, you cannot give your baby too much love. Drawing on his 35 years as a baby physician, Dr Chilton explains the science that proves what many of us instinctively know: the way we feed, hold, play with and settle our babies is what determines the kind of adults they will become. Dr Chilton challenges the current fashions of strict routines and controlled crying, and offers instead practical and caring methods that keep babies and their mothers calm and connected. With clarity and wisdom he outlines:

* the neurological processes of both baby and mother in the early bonding periods
* the reasons and solutions for colic and other excessive crying
* humane alternatives to controlled crying as a method for getting your baby to sleep
* why you need to care for yourself so as to best care for your baby, and what fathers can do to help
a feeding approach that will develop your child's palate and guard against obesity later in life
* simple discipline techniques to help your toddler learn how to negotiate his or her world.

Accessible, authoritative and compassionate, Your Cherished Baby is the essential guide to giving your child the best possible start in life.