Your child’s first few years are a wild ride. This book is your essential guide to the key stages of early childhood development, with comprehensive information on infant and toddler health from top Mayo Clinic pediatric experts with real-life parenting experience.

Inside, you'll find expert recommendations and practical insights to help you care for your infant and toddler with confidence, from sleep routines and safety tips to family media use and mental health (yours!). Month-by-month chapters cover your child's growth and movement, as well as their sensory, mental, and social development.

You’ll also find guidance on:

Bonding with your new baby

Bathing and comforting your child

Feeding your baby and toddler as they grow

Diapering and toilet learning

Finding a pediatrician and healthcare for your child

Childcare, traveling and emergency care

Challenges for parents and other family members in the transition to life with a new baby

Special circumstances such as adoption, caring for multiples, premature babies, autism spectrum disorder and more

In this revised third edition, key updates address the questions and issues facing today's parents. To help you make the best decisions for your family, you'll find information on screen time, vaccines, new devices, and parental depression and anxiety. Other additions help you navigate toddler nap transitions, picky eating, big feelings, and behavior issues.

From birth to your child's third birthday, this guide is your trusted companion through the great adventure of infant- and toddlerhood.

Mayo Clinic Parenting Guides provide trusted expertise for every step of your journey.