Babymoves, by Marianne Hermsen-van Wanrooy

It has finally arrived - a penetrating, yet amazingly accessible book on the subject of the natural unfolding of infant developmental movement, from birth through eighteen months of age. This book is inspired by the author's thirty years of experience helping children with disabilities. Along with her training as a neuropaediatric physiotherapist and sensory-motor integrationist, Marianne Hermsen-van Wanrooy's therapeutic practice is strongly influenced by the philosophies of Dr. Emmi Pikler and Dr Vaclav Vojta. Marianne's trust of the infant's natural propensity towards healthy movement makes this a unique and very important book.

Exquisite photographs of infants are used to illustrate each movement sequence. Detailed suggestions on how to invite, rather than manipulate and instruct, the infant's self-initiated mastery in her movement are easy to understand and quite doable. This book should be #1 on the gift list for the expecting family, and in the library of those of us who work with families with children from birth to three.