In Understanding Your Crying Baby, Sheila Kitzinger explores the emotional and physiological needs behind infant crying, reframing it not as a problem to be fixed but as a vital form of communication. With her trademark empathy and deep respect for the parent-baby relationship, Kitzinger supports parents to respond confidently and compassionately, while challenging the cultural narratives that promote detachment or dismissal of infant distress.

Raising Attention explores the increase in attention-related difficulties among children and offers a grounded, compassionate alternative to the conventional medicalised approach. Sarah Ockwell-Smith blends neuroscience, psychology, and practical parenting advice to help families understand the root causes of attention challenges — including sensory processing issues, trauma, and the modern environment — and respond with empathy rather than labels.

This deeply affirming book explores the invisible, emotional, and instinctive work mothers do every day. Drawing on real conversations with mothers, Stadlen gives voice to the complexities of early motherhood—the tasks that don’t come with checklists, the feelings that don’t always make sense, and the identity shifts that are often overlooked. Rather than offering advice, she validates the unique, moment-by-moment nature of being with a baby and reminds mothers that what they do—especially when it looks like “nothing"—is profoundly meaningful.

This compassionate, insightful guide helps parents understand and soothe their own emotional responses and triggers. It offers practical tools for becoming a calmer, more regulated parent, while exploring topics like stress, childhood wounds, self-care, and realistic expectations — all rooted in a gentle, connection-based framework. By addressing the parent’s own healing and growth, it empowers families to move toward more peaceful, connected relationships.

Babies Celebrated is a beautifully curated journey through the ways different cultures around the world welcome, carry, and care for their babies. Drawing on rich photography and accessible, heartfelt text, Béatrice Fontanel highlights the universal joys and challenges of infancy while celebrating the astonishing diversity of traditions. From intricate beadwork to simple cloth wraps, from cradleboards to hammock carriers, the book offers a tender glimpse into the first months of life across continents and centuries.

Good Inside is a compassionate and practical parenting guide written by clinical psychologist Dr. Becky Kennedy. Known for her warm, relatable approach, Dr. Becky empowers parents to see both themselves and their children as inherently good — even during the most challenging moments. The book blends evidence-based insights with concrete tools to help families navigate big feelings, difficult behaviors, and everyday struggles, all while building strong, trusting relationships.

In Punishment-Free Parenting, Laura Linn Knight offers a practical and compassionate guide to raising children without resorting to punishment, yelling, or threats. Grounded in neuroscience and emotional regulation, the book helps parents shift from reactive patterns to connection-based strategies. Rather than trying to control behaviour, Knight shows how to support children’s development through calm presence, clear boundaries, and co-regulation.

The Perfectly Imperfect Family is a thoughtful and encouraging guide for parents striving to raise emotionally resilient, mindful children in the face of today’s complex challenges. With a gentle and supportive tone, Ameneh K. Bakhtiar addresses topics such as screen time, school stress, identity, mental health, and the overwhelm of modern life. The book focuses on realistic, compassion-based parenting that recognises the impossibility of perfection and the importance of connection.

This book offers a thoughtful and accessible introduction to secure attachment parenting. Grounded in current developmental science and written in a friendly, encouraging tone, Kristen Harding provides a practical guide for parents who want to raise emotionally connected children through attuned, responsive care. It serves as both a philosophy and a toolkit, making it a great resource for those new to gentle parenting or seeking reassurance about the choices they’re making.

This foundational text from the co-founders of Attachment Parenting International outlines eight core principles for parenting with empathy, respect, and deep connection. Attached at the Heart weaves together research, practical suggestions, and personal reflections to offer a roadmap for nurturing secure relationships with children from infancy through to adolescence. Rather than offering a rigid program, it invites parents to trust their instincts and make responsive choices that honour both child and parent.

This book presents a compassionate, evidence-based guide to breastfeeding, structured around seven “natural laws” that reflect the biological and instinctive behaviors of mothers and babies. The authors, both experienced lactation consultants, provide practical advice to help mothers initiate and sustain breastfeeding, addressing common challenges and offering solutions grounded in current research.

This popular book outlines ten predictable developmental “leaps” in the first 20 months of a baby’s life. Each leap is associated with cognitive growth and often coincides with periods of fussiness, sleep changes, and clinginess. The authors offer insight into how babies experience the world as their brains develop new abilities.

In this part memoir, part parenting manifesto, Swedish-born journalist Linda Åkeson McGurk explores the Nordic philosophy of friluftsliv — open-air living — and how it shapes childhood in Scandinavia. Contrasting this with her experiences of parenting in the U.S., she advocates for outdoor play, fewer structured activities, and trust in children’s natural rhythms.

In this groundbreaking book, Richard Louv introduces the concept of “nature-deficit disorder” — the growing disconnect between children and the natural world. Drawing on research from education, health, and environmental studies, he explores how outdoor play supports physical, emotional, and cognitive development, and offers solutions to rekindle children’s relationship with nature.

Journalist Susan Brink approaches the newborn period through a scientific and developmental lens, describing the first three months as a “fourth trimester” — an extension of gestation. Drawing on research in neuroscience, anthropology, and paediatrics, she shows why newborns thrive on closeness, responsiveness, and warmth, and why conventional advice around feeding schedules, sleep training, or early independence is often at odds with biology.

This scholarly yet accessible book traces the rich and complex history of milk from ancient times to the modern era. Deborah Valenze delves into milk’s evolving cultural, nutritional, spiritual, and political roles across different societies and historical periods. From early religious symbolism to industrialised dairying and infant feeding practices, Milk uncovers how this once sacred substance became a global commodity — and a site of fierce debate and control.

This compact but information-rich book distills decades of clinical experience into a practical and empowering guide to breastfeeding. With clear explanations, myth-busting facts, and strong advocacy for parental confidence, Dr Newman reinforces the normalcy of breastfeeding and the importance of skilled support.

This compelling book explores the emerging science of the human microbiome and how the earliest moments of a baby's life—particularly birth and breastfeeding—lay the foundations for lifelong health. Harman and Wakeford draw from interviews with leading scientists to highlight the importance of seeding a baby’s microbiome through vaginal birth and nourishing it through breastmilk.

Written by a lactation consultant with a warm, inclusive voice, this practical guide supports parents through the emotional and physical ups and downs of breastfeeding. It combines evidence-based information with personal anecdotes and real-world tips, including advice for mixed feeding, self-care, and finding support.

This edited collection brings together anthropologists, biologists, and cultural researchers to explore breastfeeding as both a biological process and a cultural act. Covering a wide range of topics—from evolutionary biology and public health to cross-cultural feeding practices—it encourages readers to question dominant norms and rethink infant feeding through a broad, interdisciplinary lens.