1. Ehrenreich, B. and English, D. (1979) For Her Own Good: 150 years of the experts’ advice to women (London: Pluto Press).
2. Chapters 6 and 7 of this book, ‘The Century of the Child’ and ‘Motherhood as Pathology’, are most directly relevant for the study of parenting culture. They form part of a larger study of the relation between experts’ advice and women, which stands as the seminal feminist history of the relation between scientific expertise and gender.
3. Hardyment, C. (2007) Dream Babies: Childcare advice from John Locke to Gina Ford (London: Francis Lincoln).
4. This is the most recognized ‘must read’ for those who want to find out about the history of advice to parents. While written for a wider market, it contains both excellent historical material going back to the eighteenth century, and social analysis.
5. Hulbert, A. (2004) Raising America: Experts, parents, and a century of advice about children (New York: Vintage).