Review by BRIGITTE ROZARIO

IT'S A BABY GIRL
By The Gurian Institute, Stacie Bering and Adie Goldberg
Publisher: Jossey-Bass

This book provides parents with the facts on how girls really are different from boys. If you are expecting a baby girl, this book will enlighten you on how your daughter will react and develop as opposed to your son.

The authors, Bering – an obstetrician-gynaecologist – and Goldberg – a social worker in women's health – with The Gurian Institute, go out of their way to point out facts and help parents tell fact from fiction.

The book also outlines how a “girl pregnancy” will differ from a “boy pregnancy”.

Apparently, girl pregnancies produce more of the hCG (human chorionic gonadotrophin) pregnancy hormone. Researchers believe that high levels of hCG could be related to severe morning sickness. So if your morning sickness is worse for this pregnancy you'll know why.

There are even factoids on what to do and how to help your baby girl develop well from the time she's a foetus!

According to the results of a study from Harvard Medical School, the more fish pregnant mothers ate during the second trimester, the higher the babies scored in a mental development test done at six months.

In the chapter on “Her first year”, you will find out how girls study faces much more than boys do. There's even a real-life story on a mum's observation of how her son was fascinated with everything around him but her daughter tended to scrutinise faces.

Did you know that girls also have superior hearing from birth? This explains why your daughter might detect the slightest tension in your voice.

Here's something interesting and curious about your daughter's sense of taste: Seventy-five per cent of what she perceives as taste comes from her sense of smell. That's why when she has a cold she won't be interested in food.

Are baby girls fussier than baby boys?

According to this book they are. While boys are generally happy, girls tend to fuss about their clothes and how they look.

While the tidbits in this book are interesting, I would take it with a pinch of salt because we all know that not all girls are fussy about how they look nor do they all insist on being dressed pristinely.

There are also tips on how to encourage your baby girl to play hard – take her for outdoor sports and really have fun with her; don't tell her she throws like a “girl”.

Interestingly, girls play differently from boys. For girls, it's all about relationships and sharing, while boys will be more focused on achievements and excelling.

Here's another interesting factoid: In the first month of a newborn's life, the dad's testosterone levels decrease by as much as 33%! This decline is said to be responsible for helping dad bond with baby and brings out dad's nurturing aspects.

I liked the note at the end of the book for mothers and fathers.

For dads: “Your daughter needs you. Even though the lion's share of early parenting tasks may fall to your wife, especially if she is breastfeeding, you play a significant role.”

For mums: “Give up trying to be the super mum. There are no perfect mums. There are, however, 'good enough' mums.”

This is not a large or thick book. It's small and easy to read with enough factoids and real stories peppered in to sustain your interest. You can probably finish reading it in a day or two. If you want to know how your unborn child will be or even how your baby girl functions differently from boys, then this is the book to get.

You would probably pick up a lot of her characteristics on your own but the book still makes an interesting read.

Again, this doesn't mean that all girls will turn out to be girly girls who are so prim and proper. But generally you will find most of them leaning in that direction.