From Publishers Weekly
L.A.-based pediatrician Natterson wisely taps into parents' need for practical medical information during the first year of their child's life, providing a comprehensive, straightforward guide. The first section deals with the hospital experience, including everything parents should know about delivery, Apgar scores (which determine a newborn's health) and problems that may arise. Natterson goes on to address caring for a baby literally from head to toe, discussing each aspect of an infant's anatomy. For each topic, she includes a section on what parents can do, when a doctor needs to be involved, tests that are required, what the results mean, treatments and possible complications. Finally, Natterson covers tests and vaccines, giving basic information on when and why they're necessary. Natterson's style is parent-friendly yet professional, and she's terrific at tackling universal parenting questions that may be especially compelling during the first days and weeks of a child's life. Both veteran and parenting newcomers will find this a worthy resource, with solid advice and information (including up-to-date Web sites).
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About the Author
Cara Familian Natterson, M.D., practices medicine at Tenth Street Pediatrics in Los Angeles. She graduated from Harvard and the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and she completed her pediatric residency at the University of California at San Francisco.


Book Description
This one-of-a-kind primer explains to new parents, in a clear and comforting tone, precisely what is happening inside their new baby's body, the reasons behind various standard post-delivery hospital procedures, and, once baby is at home, what parents can and should do before they call the doctor. In the age of managed care, many pediatricians are unable to find the time to impart even basic medical information--the very information that might reassure parents and help them understand the difference between danger signs and normal development. At the same time, many parents are unable to distill the information they get from the pediatrician, because, even when baby is perfectly healthy, visits to the doctor's office tend to be chaotic and parents may not have their wits about them, may fail to ask the very questions that are on their mind, or may feel reluctant to waste a doctor's time. For any new parent who has left a delivery room or a pediatrician's office with unanswered (and perhaps even unasked) questions, YOUR NEWBORN: HEAD TO TOE will be an essential resource.