For centuries, it has been believed that bonding between parent and child is as ingrained and straightforward as making an apple pie. But bonding isn't always as easy as some believe. Today, mainly because of the decline of the extended family and the general need, in the hustle and bustle of the 1990s, for both parents to work, we've lost those skills. In clear simple language, author Dr Jenny Sutcliffe pulls together the most up-to-date scientific research and the wisdom both of generations of Western parents and of contemporary traditional cultures to give down-to-earth, informed advice about the theory and practice of baby bonding: from pregnancy to the first day at school, whether as a traditional family unit or as a single parent.