This book has been advised by Daniel Quinn, whom I regard highly. Besides, I might have a child myself.

This Liedloff woman strikes me as quite detached, the way she writes about people in general, and about her experiences when she was living with an Indian tribe in the Brazilian rainforest. The information on the author also states that she has no children of herself and lives alone.
But what she writes shows of a fierce love for human beings and what they need. She has observed how the Indian parents raise their children and how they turn out and makes a striking comparison with how we in western society tend to shut out our children from our life and what that might do to them.
If I listen to my instinct I am inclined to believe what she is stating - that a baby should be physically close to a parent or other grownup all the time. This is how we have evolved as a species, you only have to look at chimpanzees and bonobo's, our closest relatives, to realize how far we have strained from how Nature intended us to handle our babies. A striking example I had right in front of me: my colleague from Taiwan visitied me for a week, together with her husband and 14 month old son. I have never seen a more relaxed and easy child. About the first thing she said to me was: Have you heard of this book? It had been lying on my bedside table for months. I have read it now and I really agree with it, I feel much more confident to follow my own instincts when I become a mother, instead of trying to do what the books tell me. They change directions every two years anyway.
The experiences of my colleague - who is in the same line of work, who knows how straining that can be - has shown me that it is possible. To have your child with you all the time. Literally. No day care, no babysitters, no months or years at home, listening to only baby talk and getting bored out of your skull - just continue your life and having the baby participate in it.
It sounds outrageous, but this is how tribal life is organized. It seems to be what we need. I can't wait to exprecience it. First thing is to get pregnant...
I think this is a very important book.

Okay, that first step is taken. Now I want to share this book with other crossers. There will be a ring. First I need to get it back from my sister.

tinybear
tearsong
Dutch-flybaby
owlet
niana

Finally I got it back. I know that my sister, who is not in the habit of journalling, is trying to raise her children according to what her instincts tell her and that this is not always a success for her. Being with her baby boy as much as she is, letting him sleep in her bed and waking her up during the night is putting a lot of strain on her, too much actually.
This book has changed me already, in how I think and feel about babies in general and mine in particular. now isn't that something? I read this when I was already pregnant, I just didn't know it yet. Now I am eight weeks away from delivering my child into the world. That is if things go as planned...
Considering planning, we plan to let our son sleep with us and carry him around as much as we can. The belts, slendangs and hammocks are in store already. Still, I will have to see if this really works out the way Liedloff describes.
Another book about touch and the importance of it especially to infants will be crossed alongside with this one. I think they belong together for the interested reader. There is also the website: www.continuum-concept.org with lots of links. Enjoy!

RELEASE NOTES:

The book was sent off to Tinybear, who just delivered a baby boy into the world!

uhmmm *blush* sorry...totally forgot to journal the book...have received it though in good order...as soon as my little one gives me some time and I have some energy left...I'll gladly start to read it...have leafed through it and think it's interesting...we will wait and see ;-))