Books
Authored By Dr Shela Hirani
Worried about your baby's sleep safety? Sleep Safe, Little One! provides trusted, evidence-informed guidance to help parents reduce the risk of SIDS, create safe sleep environments, and confidently navigate their baby's first year. Practical, easy to understand, and backed by research, this guide is an essential resource for every new family.
Written by award-winning researcher, professor, and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant Dr. Shela Hirani, this easy-to-read guide translates trusted safe sleep recommendations into clear, actionable steps that families can use every day.
Inside, you'll learn:
-
What SIDS is and how it differs from suffocation
-
Key risk factors associated with sleep-related infant deaths
-
Proven strategies to reduce SIDS risk
-
Common unsafe sleep situations to avoid
-
Safe sleep practices at home, while travelling, and in childcare settings• Guidance on rolling over, swaddling, pacifier use, and breastfeeding
-
Emergency warning signs every parent should know
-
A practical safe sleep checklist for everyday use.
Whether you are expecting a baby, welcoming a newborn, or caring for an infant during the first year of life, this guide provides the knowledge and reassurance needed to help your little one sleep safely. Because every baby deserves the safest possible start in life.
Travelling with a baby can be exciting, but breastfeeding on the road, in the air, or away from home can also bring unexpected questions and challenges. Breastfeeding While Travelling: A Parent’s Guide offers practical, reassuring, and evidence-informed guidance to help breastfeeding parents feel prepared and confident wherever their journey takes them. From planning before departure to managing feeding during delays, this guide covers the everyday realities of breastfeeding while travelling, including:
-
Preparing a practical travel feeding kit
-
Breastfeeding safely during car journeys
-
Breastfeeding on airplanes, including during takeoff and landing
-
Finding comfortable places to breastfeed in airports, stations, and other public spaces
-
Breastfeeding on trains, buses, and ferries
-
Creating a comfortable feeding space in hotels, rentals, and family homes
-
Breastfeeding in public with confidence
-
Pumping and maintaining a practical pumping routine while travelling
-
Expressed breast milk storage, cooling, hygiene, and transportation
-
Managing hot and cold weather while travelling
-
Handling delays, missed connections, and changes in routine
-
Supporting breastfeeding with older babies and toddlers
-
Managing common unexpected challenges, including missed pumping sessions, equipment problems, and lack of refrigeration
-
Navigating illness and new medications while breastfeeding
-
Knowing when to seek professional or medical support
This guide combines professional expertise with compassionate, practical advice for real-life travel. You do not need a perfect routine to breastfeed successfully while travelling.
Fatherhood is one of life’s most meaningful journeys, but many new dads are unsure where to begin. Dad’s Guide to Infant Care & Development is a practical, evidence-informed, and easy-to-follow handbook designed to help fathers confidently support their baby’s growth, strengthen bonding, and actively participate in everyday care from day one. This interactive guide goes beyond theory, bringing parenting to life through simple activities, real-world examples, and hands-on tools that fit into daily routines. From skin-to-skin contact and tummy time to feeding, sleep routines, bath time, and early communication, each chapter provides practical ways for fathers to connect with their babies while supporting their partner and building confidence in their parenting role.
Inside, you’ll find:
-
Step-by-step bonding activities for every stage of infancy
-
Practical guidance on feeding, sleep, and soothing routines
-
Father-focused tips for supporting breastfeeding and co-parenting
-
Play-based strategies that support early development and learning
-
Safety essentials every new dad should know
-
Reflective tools, trackers, and checklists to support hands-on involvement
-
Guidance on emotional well-being and adjusting to fatherhood
Written in a warm, supportive, and accessible tone, this booklet recognizes that fatherhood is a learning journey, not about perfection, but about presence. Each page encourages dads to build confidence, reduce uncertainty, and develop meaningful daily rituals with their baby. Grounded in current research and best practices in infant care, child development, breastfeeding support, and family well-being, this guide translates evidence into simple, practical actions that fathers can use immediately.
Whether you are a first-time dad or looking for a refresher, this booklet will help you feel more prepared, more connected, and more confident in your role as a father.
Building Little Minds: Brain Development Strategies for Your Infant is a practical, evidence-based guide designed to help parents and caregivers nurture healthy brain development during the most critical period of a child's life, the first year.
Written by award-winning Canadian Professor, researcher, and lactation consultant Dr. Shela Hirani, this book translates the latest research on infant brain development into simple, actionable strategies that families can use every day.
From responsive caregiving and bonding to language development, play, sleep, nutrition, and early learning, readers will discover how everyday interactions help shape a baby's cognitive, emotional, and social growth.
Inside this guide, you'll learn:
-
Why the first year of life is crucial for brain development
-
How sensory experiences build neural connections
-
The role of touch, bonding, and secure attachment in shaping the developing brain
-
Simple ways to support language development through talking, singing, and reading
-
Age-appropriate play activities that promote learning and curiosity
-
How sleep and nutrition influence brain growth
-
Developmental milestones and signs that may require professional attention
-
Daily routines that strengthen learning, resilience, and emotional well-being
-
Whether you are a first-time parent, grandparent, caregiver, or healthcare professional,
Building Little Minds provides practical, science-backed guidance to help you create nurturing experiences that support your infant's lifelong learning, health, and success.
As a parent, you spend so much time caring for others that it's easy to forget about your own needs. Between sleepless nights, endless responsibilities, and the emotional demands of parenting, self-care often feels like a luxury or even something to feel guilty about.But the truth is simple: you cannot pour from an empty cup.
Self-Care Is Not Selfish is a practical and compassionate guide designed to help parents prioritize their well-being without guilt. Written by award-winning researcher, educator, and family health advocate Dr. Shela Hirani, this evidence-informed guide provides simple, realistic strategies that fit into everyday life.
Inside, you'll discover how to:
-
Support your physical, emotional, social, mental, and spiritual well-being
-
Manage stress and prevent parental burnout
-
Let go of guilt and perfectionism
-
Build healthy self-care habits, even when time is limited
-
Practice self-compassion and resilience
-
Create a personalized self-care plan that works for you
-
Filled with practical tips, reflection exercises, and quick self-care activities, this guide empowers parents to nurture themselves while nurturing their little ones.
Whether you are a new parent, caring for multiple children, or simply looking for ways to restore balance in your life, this parental guide offers encouragement, support, and actionable strategies to help you thrive. Because caring for yourself is not selfish, it is an essential part of caring for your family.
Every journey with your baby begins with one essential step: keeping them safe.
Buckle Up, Little One! is a practical, evidence-informed guide designed to help parents and caregivers confidently navigate infant car seat safety. Whether you're bringing your newborn home for the first time or ensuring your growing child remains protected on every ride, this easy-to-follow guide provides clear, reliable information to help you make informed decisions.
Inside, you'll discover:
-
How to choose the right car seat based on your child's age, weight, and height
-
The safest location for a car seat in your vehicle
-
Step-by-step instructions for proper car seat installation
-
Common car seat mistakes and how to avoid them
-
Essential tips for securing your baby correctly every time
-
Safe ways to monitor your baby while driving
-
When to adjust, inspect, or replace a car seat
-
How to safely remove your baby and car seat from the vehicle
-
What to do in emergency situations
Written by award-winning maternal and child health expert Dr. Shela Hirani, this guide transforms evidence-based recommendations into simple, actionable steps that parents can use immediately. With practical safety checklists, clear explanations, and family-friendly guidance, this resource helps take the guesswork out of child passenger safety.
Whether you're a new parent, grandparent, caregiver, or healthcare professional supporting families, Buckle Up, Little One! is an essential resource for protecting what matters most for your child.