Your First Baby. By Anne Medley. (Faber. 6s.) Tins book
purports to answer all the questions that may occur a woman expecting and bringing up her first child. In general,11 follows the Truby King method for feeding and training and fairly adequate, if sketchy in parts and rather confusingly arranged ; there are too many general statements followed by directions to refer to another page for details. In addition, it lists all the equip- ment required and gives patterns. (drawn to scale) for maternity and baby clothes. This is conveniem and unusual. Equally unusual, but less desirable, is the author's lengthy description of the process of birth and the mixture of mysticism and chattiness with which she analyses the emotions suitable to birth and suckling. She is anxious that one should recognise them for unique experiences, but, if failure here is possible, over-emotional anticipation is the way to it. And is the "Complete relaxation and mute vegetative- ness " so sensibly enjoined while nursing really likely to be achieved by concentration on " the expression the old painters gave to the Madonna holding to her breast the Son of Man "? It must be admitted, though, that Mrs. Medley, however irritating her style, has confidence and common sense, and does convey a good deal of the excitement and unexpected pleasure to be had from a child. All the same, it is difficult to tee why valuable paper was used for her book. It cannot take the place of a more technical work such as the Cromwell House Mothercraft Manual, and the additional ground it covers is mostly that best left for individual discovery.
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