What to Expect the Second Year: From 12 to 24 Months by Heidi Murkoff

What to Expect the Second Year: From 12 to 24 Months Reviews

• 
  Leticia

  Re-read. I guess with my second child this one is a bit common sense, which is probably why I would have rated it lower this time. That being said, I'll keep it at 5 stars because with my firstborn it clearly must have helped me last time around?
• 
  Emily Dybdahl

  A helpful and informative guide to all the developmental milestones and issues a parent will come across with their child from age 1-2.
• 
  Bartosz Majewski

  Classic repository of answers to frequently asked questions about various aspects of being a parent of a small kid.
• 
  Sandra

  I was so happy with What to Expect the First Year that I was a little concerned that I didn't have that reference any more... so I was happy to read this book which was a little more laid back than its predecessor, organized by topic instead of monthly milestones. It gave a lot of valuable information on milestones and what to watch out for, as well as a comprehensive guide to childhood illnesses and injuries. Of course now I am super panicked that my house is not child proofed enough, but that can be remedied and is probably a good reminder.
• 
  Amber

  Lots of great information here for first time parents. Unfortunately, it's not quite structured right. It's seems like it's more stream of conscience, and it skips around rather than dealing with stages of development. Meaning, you have to flip through the book to hopefully find answers to what you are currently going through with your child. More than half the time, the answer I found wasn't entirely adequate and the pediatrician is rarely any help. Honestly, this book is a take it or leave it kind of situation. Yes, I did find some things to help me with my son's development, but this book seems to center more on their style of parenting. I hate flipping through a book, because it means that you miss out on a lot of stuff when you're having to search for one thing. Overall, the vibe I'm getting from the pediatrician and this book is that any behavior your toddler is displaying is temporary and there's no best way to get through it... What a huge help, right? Lol
• 
  Jim Syler

  Just what you'd expect. Plenty of useful info on raising your one-year-old in the author's traditional light and slightly cheeky tone.
  
  My only real issue with this book is that the advice it gives is wholly mainstream and traditional. This is not a book that tries to break new ground or keep up with the latest science; it gives the standard, American Academy of Pediatrics version of what's supposedly best for your child (although it doesn't shy away from pointing out popular alternative views on occasion). That's…fine, and what you'd expect, but it means that some of the information is probably outdated even as it's being written, and the book almost never challenges the conventional wisdom.
  
  Still, a useful guide and reference. I particularly like the grey-barred section at the end, which provides useful quick-reference medical info applicable to toddlers.
• 
  Jason Strayer

  I was a huge fan of the "first in the series," if you will. I read it cover to cover. This time around I still read cover to cover but I barely finished before my daughter's second birthday. I'd highly recommend treating this as more of a reference manual: "Oh god, she's whining again, what are we supposed to do?" It was comforting, though, to read and re-read and re-read the section on language delay and be reminded over and over again that kids develop at different speeds. All parents need something different from their parenting books, I suppose.
  
  I won't be continuing in the series. I think at this point I'll rely on web advice and parent-to-parent, but I don't regret the time I invested in this book.
  
• 
  Darin

  Read ahead!
  
  This was a great book that I always found very helpful in alleviating anxiety. Reading about things as normal that you're bothered by from new parent ignorance is really calming and reassuring. My only regret was I was often behind in reading the material relevant to the month of age. I would then get to a key point and think, "man I wish I would have known this a couple months ago!" The only thing that keeps me from giving it a 5 star is that I wish the author would have had more references supporting the assertions.
• 
  Audra Murzycki

  This book was great. The only reason I didn't give it five stars was that it was not as helpful as the "expecting" and "first year" books, which was not the fault of the authors. In the aforementioned books one can follow along as baby develops while also using it as a reference book. This version does not follow development, but rather divides chapters into sections on topics such as eating or movement. I used it more as a reference guide. I would recommend it to a parent of a toddler.
• 
  David H.

  One of the unfortunate things about moving past the first year is that none of the toddler books are organized month-by-month, but tend to be by subject. Oh well.
  
  This book was and will be pretty useful. I've just finished reading/skimming it straight through, but I expect to reference it often for the rest of the year. It's helped confirm some of the stuff I was already doing and given me some pointers about dealing with my son's eating and playing.
• 
  Erin Nudi

  I read about three quarters of this cover to cover, but unlike What to Expect When You're Expecting I think this is more of a, looking things up when you have questions or want to learn more about something, kind of book. I'm sure I'll continue to use it as my little one heads towards the end of his second year.
  
  This is an extremely helpful, good to have around book.
• 
  Tanya

  Finally, finished another book that I've been reading off and on. Definitely another book that takes some time to get through as you read it as they get older. It helps with the milestones and helps to give you a heads up on possibly what's coming and what to expect. I very much liked having this book as a super helpful resource. Definitely helpful for new parents.
• 
  Danielle Lardeo

  I really appreciated the sections on discipline and feeding as I've already run into these challenges with my 1 year old. However, the cutesy, punny writing that had me rolling my eyes in "What to Expect When You're Expecting" is still prevalent in this book and had me skimming through to get to the point. **My edition was published in 2011 so some recommendations may have changed.**
• 
  Brianna Brown

  Toddlers for dummies
  
  I love that the author goes into such exhaustive depth on every aspect of toddlerhood. It can be tedious at times, but there are areas I really need the extra detail and I really appreciate that someone took the time to spell out every detail. Having this resource can be life changing for someone who didn’t grow up with this knowledge.
• 
  Elizabeth Tye

  4/5 stars. Physical book. Always a wonderful reference to have around the house. I have finished reading the book, but I often go back and reference the appendices, when needed, for solutions and advice. It is much better than googling something and falling into a rabbit hole. The What to Expect series is so wonderful for moms/parents. I have enjoyed the three I have read.
• 
  Kyla

  Commonsensical, organized well, comprehensive in scope. As with the First Year book in this series, I like that the pages of the “what to do for injury or illness” chapter are outlined in grey for easy locating.
• 
  Shelly

  I liked that there was no timeline for everything. I just read what I needed or what my cutie acted like/did and then I was good. Information easily accessible and navigation was a breeze to just read what you needed.
• 
  Steven Vandenburg

  Not as Helpful as the Earlier Versions
  
  Not as Helpful as the Earlier Versions. There’s a few good tips but I’d recommend just using this as a reference book vs. reading the whole thing.
• 
  Laura

  Helpful! Consulted throughout my daughter Hannah’s second year of life- can’t believe she will be 2 in a matter of months. Also helpful for work since I work with 12-24 month olds daily and have my class of 18-24 month olds.
• 
  Joyce

  Comprehensive, as usual. Very informative. I like that it was grouped by theme rather than by age.
• 
  Shannon

  A nice overview of what to expect in the 12-24 months. A very useful section on common ailments and when to call the doctor.
• 
  Heather Jo

  adult, children, two-year-old, advice
• 
  Erin

  I love this series, and I’m sad because I think this is the last one. I wish it went through age 18! (Maybe 22?)