The first time my husband and I opened Dr. Sears’ The Baby Book, it was a few days after we brought our son home from the hospital. We looked up “How to bathe an infant.” As first-time parents, it was the kind of thing we didn’t think to ask at the hospital. And as intelligent, educated, well-traveled professionals, we figured this was something we could do with our bleary eyes closed. Until we actually had to give him a bath.

We kept putting it off and putting it off until we feared social services showing up at our doorstep. Quick, turn off the lights and pull down the shades! So on a whim, and without much confidence, my husband looked up the topic in the book’s index. Lo and behold, it was there. From that day on, we looked up everything: poop color, sleep patterns, feeding times, co-sleeping, gas, vaccination, babywearing, you name it. The book seemed to be an endless fountain of information. It had everything we could dream of asking. And we seemed to have an endless fountain of questions. People talk about wishing their babies came with instructions manuals. I believe this is the closest we’ll ever get. It should be given out with each delivery, like those scratchy, worn white blankets and gender clarifying knit hats, to new and experienced parents alike.

The last time we opened the Dr. Sears book was a few months ago when our now 2-year-old was waking up drenched in sweat. In true Dr. Sears fashion, we found the answer: teething! Though it’s been awhile since I glanced through its pages, I’m sure that with baby number two, this book will once again take its rightful place on our plastic dinosaur-laden coffee table. I’m hoping that once teenage drama hits, Dr. Sears, with all of his infinite wisdom, will walk me through it.

Neveen is a copywriter by day, a superhero wrangler by night and a mommy products tester the rest of the time. She has a sweet toddler who battles villains on a constant basis, and she's due to deliver a little princess who's sure to help her big brother on his eternal quest for justice.