At last - an antidote to the current vogue for leaving babies to cry! Many parents have felt intuitively that this cannot be the way to deal with their infants but too often they are encouraged to ignore their feelings and to ignore baby's distress signals as well.' Prof. Carolyn Quadrio, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales. This is a beautiful book, rich with empathy for babies and parents, and also practical and down-to-earth.' Sheila Kitzinger, social anthropologist of birth, author of 24 books, including Understanding Your Crying Baby. 'I can't imagine any parent reading this informed, wise and powerfully argued book, and ever wanting to use controlled crying again.' Steve Biddulph, author of The Secret of Happy Children, Raising Boys and other major parenting books.

Anni Gethin is a health social scientist with special interests in early childhood development and health equity. She runs a research and planning consultancy, lectures in public health and social science, and is a mother of three boys. Beth Macgregor is a psychologist who trains health and welfare workers in infant mental health, child development and child protection. She has worked as a child protection caseworker, specialist and researcher, and is an active member of the Australian Association for Infant Mental Health. Her work as a specialist educator is devoted to creating happier children, families and societies. Beth is the mother of a delightful little boy.