Ryn i do research all the time, but i have never read a parenting book apart from Protecting the Gift, which isn't actually a parenting book per se, though it is handy for parents.

I read studies and evaluate how i feel they fit in with my experiences and action or not based on that. DD didn't get tv much before being 2, because i read it wasn't good for her and when she DID get more she actually did behave differently. Ditto caffiene - i read about the effects, i observed DD (yes, she is the child who grabs your can and slugs a bit before you can stop her!) and made up my mind. For lots of things i find external advice helpful, but i know me and i can never read a parenting book and think "Yes, i'll do that" because i think "why do they say that?" first and find it's simpler to do my own research than double-check someone elses'. I suppose i do mainly what comes naturally, but i tend to check it's not a known cause of harm first. Hence DD has literally NEVER had anything but milk or water from a bottle, and hasn't had a bottle since 11.5months because i wanted to protect her teeth, BUT i felt terrible about it and would have let her keep her bottles until now even from how i felt in my heart, because i feel terrible she doesn't get booby...she sucks her thumb though (so do i!) so that sweetened the deal for me a bit.

Bx