About the authors

Pinky McKay is a Melbourne-based writer specialising in health, education and family issues. An International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and certified infant massage instructor, she is the author of Parenting by Heart, 100 Ways to Calm the Crying, Toddler Tactics and Sleeping Like a Baby and is a popular contributor to various national parenting publications and websites including Practical Parenting, Mother and Baby, Natural Parenting, Bellybelly and Motherinc. Pinky is the mother of four young adults and a 'bonus baby' (the baby you have when your other kids can run their own baths, tie their own shoelaces and even drive their own cars!). She has seen it all from both sides of the episiotomy and knows first-hand that parents need to laugh, or some days they'd cry.

Steve Biddulph is one of the world’s best known psychologists.  His books are in four million homes and 27 languages,  and he has influenced the way we look at children and especially in recent years, the raising of boys.   He believes that as the world economy slows down, we need to rediscover community and find time to love our families, our earth, and those who share our lives. Steve and  Shaaron Biddulph together combine skills in nursing, psychology, science and social work, and have  talked to over 100,000 parents worldwide. Steve has also written the bestselling books The Secret of Happy Children, Manhood, Raising Boys and, with Shaaron, Raising a Happy Child and The Making of Love.

Robin Barker is a registered nurse, midwife and parentcraft nurse with thirty years experience with families and babies. Robin's other books include Australian Baby and Toddler Meals, The Mighty Toddler, and the Baby Love Guides to Sleeping; Feeding; Crying; and The First Three Months.

Elizabeth Pantley, author and parent educator, is frequently quoted in numerous magazines including Parents and Parenting. She and her husband live in Washington state with their four children--and all sleep through the night. She is the author of the No-Cry guides to sleeing, discipline, potty training and nap time.


Tracy Hogg was a British-trained nurse, lactation educator and newborn consultant with over twenty years' experience. Her uncanny ability to understand and calm babies led to her nickname 'the Baby Whisperer.' In 1995, she founded Baby Technique, through which she consulted with parents individually, and organized and taught group classes. She was the mother of two daughters.

Gina Ford was born and grew up in the Scottish Borders. After studying Hotels and Catering in Edinburgh, she had an opportunity to become a maternity nurse and discovered her flair with babies. Over the course of her career, she has worked with hundreds of families with babies and small children. For twelve years she was one of the most sought-after maternity nurses in the world, and specialised in caring for newborn babies and toddlers with serious sleeping and feeding problems. Gina worked for all kinds of people, from leading lawyers and high-flying bankers to newspaper editors, pop stars and other media personalities. The techniques, methods and common-sense approach that she developed over the years were so successful and in such demand, that Gina decided to offer her theories, not just to those who were in a position to hire her, but to all families who felt that her methods and routines might help them. In 1999 she published  The Contented Little Baby Book. It was a runaway success, largely due to enthusiastic, word-of-mouth recommendation. Since publication, it has consistently been the best-selling parenting book in the UK, having sold over 500,000 copies to date. Gina has continued to assist parents, adding another 7 books to the Contented Baby & Toddler range.

Harvey Karp, MD is an assistant professor of pediatrics at the UCLA School of Medicine, with a private practice in Santa Monica. Author of The Happiest Baby on the Block and The Happiest Toddler on the block, Dr. Karp is a nationally renowned expert in child development, children’s health and the environment, and breast-feeding. He lives with his wife and daughter in California.