The parents of a crying baby are targets of a great deal of advice, much of which is conflicting and very little of it effective. In response to the rash of disciplinarian and harsh child-rearing books that instruct parents to manage crying babies firmly or ignore them, the world's best-known childbirth educator, Sheila Kitzinger, has written this book. In Understanding Your Crying Baby, Sheila Kitzinger looks at the reasons why babies cry and offers practical help to soothe the crying and ways of 'conversing' with babies to understand their needs. Building on the real-life experiences of new mothers who have successfully managed life with a crying baby, she provides real comfort and practical advice to all parents trying to do their best for their lively babies. This book: contains wise advice from a world-famous childbirth educator, who has not only successfully raised her own children but has researched child-care practices from around the world; comprehensively refutes the current position that being strict with your baby is the best approach for baby and parents; enables parents to tailor their care to their baby's individual needs, not all babies cry for the same reason; provides strategies that work and result in happy babies and empowered parents; explains how so-called baby experts, with little professional training and often childless themselves, counsel against a parent's natural nurturing instincts; and tells you everything you need to know to meet one of the greatest parenting challenges with confidence.