
Beyond the Sling
A Real-Life Guide to Raising Confident, Loving Children the Attachment Parenting Way
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.99/mo for the first 3 months

Buy for $15.47
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Emily Durante
-
By:
-
Mayim Bialik
About this listen
Mayim Bialik was the child star of the popular 1990s TV sitcom Blossom, but she definitely didn't follow the typical child-star trajectory. Instead, Mayim got her Ph.D. in neuroscience from UCLA, married her college sweetheart, and had two kids. Mayim then did what many new moms do - she read a lot of books, talked with other parents, and she soon started questioning a lot of the conventional wisdom she heard about the "right" way to raise a child.
That's when she turned to attachment parenting, a philosophy and lifestyle popularized by well-known physicians like Dr. William Sears and Dr. Jay Gordon. To Mayim, attachment parenting's natural, child-led approach not only felt right emotionally, it made sense intellectually and instinctually. She found that when she followed her intuition and relaxed into her role as a mother instead of following some rigid parenting script, both she and her children thrived.
Drawing on both her experience as a mother and her scientific background, Mayim explores the major tenets of attachment parenting, including:
- Co-sleeping: How to avoid "sleep training" and get a great night's sleep for the whole family.
- Breastfeeding: Learn how to listen to your baby's cues rather than sticking to a rigid schedule - and why people on airplanes love a nursing mother.
- Baby wearing: How to “wear” your baby in a sling or a wrap to develop a closer bond with your child-it's possible even for mamas with bad backs (and with big babies)!
- Gentle discipline: How to get your child to behave without yelling, threats, or time-outs - it really can be done.
Mayim describes the beauty, simplicity, and purposefulness of attachment parenting, and how it has become the guiding principle for her family. Much more than a simple how-to parenting guide, Beyond the Sling shows us that the core principles underlying attachment parenting are universal and can be appreciated no matter how you decide to raise your child.
©2012 Mayim Bialik, Ph.D. (P)2012 TantorListeners also enjoyed...
-
Girling Up
- How to Be Strong, Smart and Spectacular
- By: Mayim Bialik
- Narrated by: Mayim Bialik
- Length: 3 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mayim Bialik, Jeopardy! host and star of The Big Bang Theory, puts her PhD to work as she talks to teens about the science of growing up and getting ahead. A must-have audiobook for all teenage girls. Growing up as a girl in today’s world is no easy task. Juggling family, friends, romantic relationships, social interests and school...sometimes it feels like you might need to be a superhero to get through it all! But really, all you need is little information.
-
-
Useful for teenage girls
- By Anonymous User on 10-07-18
By: Mayim Bialik
-
Boying Up
- How to Be Brave, Bold and Brilliant
- By: Mayim Bialik
- Narrated by: Mayim Bialik
- Length: 4 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Growing from a boy to a man is no easy task. Bodies are changing, social circles are evolving, hair is appearing in places it never was before - and on top of it all, there's the ever-present pressure to conform to the typical idea of what it means to be "manly". But it's easier to do if you're armed with facts. Using personal anecdotes as an overly observant mother of two boys and plenty of scientific information from her life as a neuroscientist, Mayim Bialik, PhD, star of The Big Bang Theory, talks directly to teen boys about what it means to grow from a boy to a man.
-
-
Missed Audience?
- By Hemmik on 05-29-18
By: Mayim Bialik
-
Sweet Sleep
- Nighttime and Naptime Strategies for the Breastfeeding Family
- By: La Leche League International, Diane Wiessinger, Diana West, and others
- Narrated by: Pam Ward
- Length: 15 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Full of mother-wisdom, reassurance, and support, Sweet Sleep is the first book on nights and naps for breastfeeding families. It is a comprehensive how-to guide for making sane and safe decisions on how and where your family sleeps, backed by the latest research in pediatric care.
-
-
Great read, especially for mothers of babies
- By Jaclyn Kaye on 03-02-24
By: La Leche League International, and others
-
Go Diaper Free
- A Simple Handbook for Elimination Communication
- By: Andrea Olson
- Narrated by: Andrea Olson
- Length: 7 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Over half the world's children are potty-trained by one year old, yet the average potty training age in the United States is currently three years old. This leaves parents wondering: What did people do before diapers? And how do I help my own baby out of diapers sooner? With this audiobook, new parents can avoid years of messy diapers, potty training struggles, diaper rash, and unexplained fussiness.
-
-
No Pressure, Non-Judgemental How to EC
- By Amazon Customer on 06-27-21
By: Andrea Olson
-
The Montessori Baby
- A Parent's Guide to Nurturing Your Baby with Love, Respect, and Understanding
- By: Simone Davies, Junnifa Uzodike
- Narrated by: Robin Miles
- Length: 10 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It’s time to change the way we see babies. Drawing on principles developed by the educator Dr Maria Montessori, The Montessori Baby shows how to raise your baby from birth to age one with love, respect, insight, and a surprising sense of calm. Cowritten by Simone Davies, author of the bestselling The Montessori Toddler, and Junnifa Uzodike, it’s a book filled with hundreds of practical ideas for understanding what is actually happening with your baby, and how you can mindfully assist in their learning and development.
-
-
Fantastic but better in book or Kindle form
- By Mary on 05-24-21
By: Simone Davies, and others
-
Raising Good Humans
- A Mindful Guide to Breaking the Cycle of Reactive Parenting and Raising Kind, Confident Kids
- By: Hunter Clarke-Fields MSAE, Carla Naumburg PhD
- Narrated by: Jennifer Gilmour
- Length: 5 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
With this book, you’ll find powerful mindfulness skills for calming your own stress response when difficult emotions arise. You’ll also discover strategies for cultivating respectful communication, effective conflict resolution, and reflective listening. In the process, you’ll learn to examine your own unhelpful patterns and ingrained reactions that reflect the generational habits shaped by your parents, so you can break the cycle and respond to your children in more skillful ways.
-
-
Great Book About Parenting and Teaching Kindness!
- By Ma P on 09-11-20
By: Hunter Clarke-Fields MSAE, and others
-
Girling Up
- How to Be Strong, Smart and Spectacular
- By: Mayim Bialik
- Narrated by: Mayim Bialik
- Length: 3 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mayim Bialik, Jeopardy! host and star of The Big Bang Theory, puts her PhD to work as she talks to teens about the science of growing up and getting ahead. A must-have audiobook for all teenage girls. Growing up as a girl in today’s world is no easy task. Juggling family, friends, romantic relationships, social interests and school...sometimes it feels like you might need to be a superhero to get through it all! But really, all you need is little information.
-
-
Useful for teenage girls
- By Anonymous User on 10-07-18
By: Mayim Bialik
-
Boying Up
- How to Be Brave, Bold and Brilliant
- By: Mayim Bialik
- Narrated by: Mayim Bialik
- Length: 4 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Growing from a boy to a man is no easy task. Bodies are changing, social circles are evolving, hair is appearing in places it never was before - and on top of it all, there's the ever-present pressure to conform to the typical idea of what it means to be "manly". But it's easier to do if you're armed with facts. Using personal anecdotes as an overly observant mother of two boys and plenty of scientific information from her life as a neuroscientist, Mayim Bialik, PhD, star of The Big Bang Theory, talks directly to teen boys about what it means to grow from a boy to a man.
-
-
Missed Audience?
- By Hemmik on 05-29-18
By: Mayim Bialik
-
Sweet Sleep
- Nighttime and Naptime Strategies for the Breastfeeding Family
- By: La Leche League International, Diane Wiessinger, Diana West, and others
- Narrated by: Pam Ward
- Length: 15 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Full of mother-wisdom, reassurance, and support, Sweet Sleep is the first book on nights and naps for breastfeeding families. It is a comprehensive how-to guide for making sane and safe decisions on how and where your family sleeps, backed by the latest research in pediatric care.
-
-
Great read, especially for mothers of babies
- By Jaclyn Kaye on 03-02-24
By: La Leche League International, and others
-
Go Diaper Free
- A Simple Handbook for Elimination Communication
- By: Andrea Olson
- Narrated by: Andrea Olson
- Length: 7 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Over half the world's children are potty-trained by one year old, yet the average potty training age in the United States is currently three years old. This leaves parents wondering: What did people do before diapers? And how do I help my own baby out of diapers sooner? With this audiobook, new parents can avoid years of messy diapers, potty training struggles, diaper rash, and unexplained fussiness.
-
-
No Pressure, Non-Judgemental How to EC
- By Amazon Customer on 06-27-21
By: Andrea Olson
-
The Montessori Baby
- A Parent's Guide to Nurturing Your Baby with Love, Respect, and Understanding
- By: Simone Davies, Junnifa Uzodike
- Narrated by: Robin Miles
- Length: 10 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It’s time to change the way we see babies. Drawing on principles developed by the educator Dr Maria Montessori, The Montessori Baby shows how to raise your baby from birth to age one with love, respect, insight, and a surprising sense of calm. Cowritten by Simone Davies, author of the bestselling The Montessori Toddler, and Junnifa Uzodike, it’s a book filled with hundreds of practical ideas for understanding what is actually happening with your baby, and how you can mindfully assist in their learning and development.
-
-
Fantastic but better in book or Kindle form
- By Mary on 05-24-21
By: Simone Davies, and others
-
Raising Good Humans
- A Mindful Guide to Breaking the Cycle of Reactive Parenting and Raising Kind, Confident Kids
- By: Hunter Clarke-Fields MSAE, Carla Naumburg PhD
- Narrated by: Jennifer Gilmour
- Length: 5 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
With this book, you’ll find powerful mindfulness skills for calming your own stress response when difficult emotions arise. You’ll also discover strategies for cultivating respectful communication, effective conflict resolution, and reflective listening. In the process, you’ll learn to examine your own unhelpful patterns and ingrained reactions that reflect the generational habits shaped by your parents, so you can break the cycle and respond to your children in more skillful ways.
-
-
Great Book About Parenting and Teaching Kindness!
- By Ma P on 09-11-20
By: Hunter Clarke-Fields MSAE, and others
-
Hunt, Gather, Parent
- What Ancient Cultures Can Teach Us About the Lost Art of Raising Happy, Helpful Little Humans
- By: Michaeleen Doucleff
- Narrated by: Michaeleen Doucleff
- Length: 11 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Hunt, Gather, Parent, Doucleff sets out with her three-year-old daughter in tow to learn and practice parenting strategies from families in three of the world’s most venerable communities: Maya families in Mexico, Inuit families above the Arctic Circle, and Hadzabe families in Tanzania. She sees that these cultures don’t have the same problems with children that Western parents do.
-
-
I wish they had a professional narrator
- By Anonymous User on 03-26-21
-
The 5 Love Languages of Children
- The Secret to Loving Children Effectively
- By: Gary Chapman, Ross Campbell
- Narrated by: Chris Fabry
- Length: 5 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Every child has a unique way of feeling loved. When you discover your child's love language - and how to speak it - you can build a solid foundation for your child to trust you and flourish as he or she grows. In this audiobook for parents, teachers, single parents, and more, Drs. Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell offer practical advice for how to discover and speak your child's love language - in dozens of ways!
-
-
"good content beware, heavy on religion "
- By Langenbergs on 02-15-20
By: Gary Chapman, and others
-
How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk
- By: Adele Faber, Elaine Mazlish
- Narrated by: Susan Bennett
- Length: 8 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This best-selling classic by internationally acclaimed experts on communication between parents and children includes fresh insights and suggestions, as well as the author’s time-tested methods to solve common problems and build foundations for lasting relationships.
-
-
Best. Parenting. Book. Ever.
- By John on 01-02-13
By: Adele Faber, and others
-
The Montessori Toddler
- By: Simone Davies
- Narrated by: Susie Berneis
- Length: 7 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This guide offers a step-by-step plan that helps parents cultivate daily routines so that they can turn life with toddlers into a mutually rich time of curiosity and learning.
-
-
A good book with a lot of ideas
- By Dewey on 07-23-21
By: Simone Davies
-
Brain Rules for Baby (Updated and Expanded)
- How to Raise a Smart and Happy Child from Zero to Five
- By: John Medina
- Narrated by: John Medina
- Length: 9 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Brain Rules for Baby, Dr. John Medina shares what the latest science says about how to raise smart and happy children from zero to five. This book is destined to revolutionize parenting. Just one of the surprises: The best way to get your children into the college of their choice? Teach them impulse control. Brain Rules for Baby bridges the gap between what scientists know and what parents practice.
-
-
The Only Baby Book I'd Recommend
- By Erik on 08-14-15
By: John Medina
-
The Whole-Brain Child
- 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind
- By: Daniel J. Siegel M.D., Tina Payne Bryson
- Narrated by: Daniel J. Siegel M.D., Tina Payne Bryson
- Length: 6 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this pioneering, practical book, Daniel J. Siegel, neuropsychiatrist and author of the bestselling Mindsight, and parenting expert Tina Payne Bryson offer a revolutionary approach to child rearing with twelve key strategies that foster healthy brain development, leading to calmer, happier children. The authors explain—and make accessible—the new science of how a child’s brain is wired and how it matures.
-
-
Several comments on the brain were incorrect.
- By Abelle on 04-18-23
By: Daniel J. Siegel M.D., and others
-
Safe Infant Sleep
- Expert Answers to Your Cosleeping Questions
- By: James J. McKenna PhD
- Narrated by: Stephen Bowlby
- Length: 6 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Why do current medical guidelines insist that cosleeping is unsafe? What is the difference between SIDS and SUID, and are they related to cosleeping? What should parents do to make a safe sleep space for their infant? If a family chooses to cosleep, how should they respond to reproach from friends, family, or medical professionals? In Safe Infant Sleep, the world's authority on cosleeping breaks down the complicated political and social aspects of sleep safety, exposes common misconceptions, and compares current recommendations to hard science.
-
-
The other side to the SIDS story
- By my humble opinion on 02-08-22
-
The Power of Showing Up
- How Parental Presence Shapes Who Our Kids Become and How Their Brains Get Wired
- By: Daniel J. Siegel MD, Tina Payne Bryson PhD
- Narrated by: Daniel J. Siegel MD, Tina Payne Bryson PhD
- Length: 7 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One of the very best scientific predictors for how any child turns out - in terms of happiness, academic success, leadership skills, and meaningful relationships - is whether at least one adult in their life has consistently shown up for them. In an age of scheduling demands and digital distractions, showing up for your child might sound like a tall order. But as best-selling authors Daniel Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson reassuringly explain, it doesn’t take a lot of time, energy, or money. Instead, showing up means offering a quality of presence.
-
-
Great Educators
- By Bored on 02-26-21
By: Daniel J. Siegel MD, and others
-
The Confident Parent
- A Pediatrician's Guide to Caring for Your Little One - Without Losing Your Joy, Your Mind, or Yourself
- By: Dr. Jane Scott, Stephanie Land
- Narrated by: Susan Boyce
- Length: 8 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
We've all heard the complaint from parents: They're more overwhelmed than ever before - juggling demands on their time as well as conflicting advice from family, friends, frenemies, and "experts" on how to achieve parental perfection, or risk jeopardizing their little one's future happiness. Pediatrician Jane Scott has seen this parental anxiety up close, and in The Confident Parent she shares advice on how to cut through the confusion.
-
-
Read by a computer
- By Megan Ormston on 11-14-18
By: Dr. Jane Scott, and others
-
Simplicity Parenting
- Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids
- By: Kim John Payne, Lisa M. Ross
- Narrated by: Arthur Morey
- Length: 9 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From internationally renowned family consultant Kim John Payne comes an eloquent guide that seeks to help parents reclaim for their children the space and freedom that all kids need for their individuality to flourish.
-
-
A worthwhile listen for new parents
- By Kathy K on 07-30-12
By: Kim John Payne, and others
-
There's No Such Thing as Bad Weather
- A Scandinavian Mom's Secrets for Raising Healthy, Resilient, and Confident Kids (from Friluftsliv to Hygge)
- By: Linda Åkeson McGurk
- Narrated by: Ann Richardson
- Length: 8 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bringing Up Bébé meets Last Child in the Woods in this lively, insightful memoir about a mother who sets out to discover if the nature-centric parenting philosophy of her native Scandinavia holds the key to healthier, happier lives for her American children.
-
-
Great concept, interesting writing.
- By Kate on 11-03-17
-
Bringing Up Bébé
- One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting
- By: Pamela Druckerman
- Narrated by: Abby Craden
- Length: 9 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The secret behind France's astonishingly well-behaved children is here. When American journalist Pamela Druckerman has a baby in Paris, she doesn't aspire to become a "French parent". French parenting isn't a known thing, like French fashion or French cheese. Even French parents themselves insist they aren't doing anything special. But French children are far better behaved and more in command of themselves than American kids....
-
-
Inspiring
- By Em on 04-15-12
Critic reviews
What listeners say about Beyond the Sling
Highly rated for:
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- cwadd
- 08-30-16
not really for me
What did you like best about Beyond the Sling? What did you like least?
I really like attachment parenting. This book, however, made it sound like "your life will be nothing but kids 24/7 and your marriage and friends will have to wait until your kids are teenagers if they want any of your attention". I'm all about baby wearing, breastfeeding, cosleeping, but when she started talking about elimination communication and not sleeping in the same bed as your spouse for years, she lost me.
What did you like best about this story?
I will give her this, she's comes off as non-judgemental. She tells you that this is the way she does it, but she knows it's not for everyone. She gives good birth, breastfeeding, and baby wearing advice.
Was Beyond the Sling worth the listening time?
Yes, the parts that weren't extreme, I took something home from. Even the extreme parts, I learned something from.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- stalloned
- 02-11-18
Great Parenting Book
I really enjoyed this book. It was a great knowledge resource for me after having my son that fit my more “natural” approach to life. Loved it.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Marilu
- 02-19-23
Everyone should read this book, even if not a parent
Excellent book. Bravo. I identified myself so much. I needed this book so much as I travel in this world so opposit of the ways I think. Thank you!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Mary
- 03-28-12
Explains her style without condemning others
I loved this book, even though I don't plan to be an "attachment parent." Mayim says a few times in this book that she doesn't judge... and it's true. She really doesn't. She just lays out her parenting style for those of us who are curious. I really appreciated the laidback philosophy. It's obvious that she loves her kids. From co-sleeping (impractical?) to baby-wearing (sorta cool - I may steal this one) to diaperless babies (ew), her ideas were interesting and educational. She drew a picture of a life that embraces a child rather than treating him like an add-on.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
6 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- B. D.
- 03-29-15
Loved it
The book gave me an explanation as to why I kept insisting on some parenting decisions (that felt so right to me ) even though they seemed unpopular with some family members' thoughts about how my child should be raised. I am glad I stumbled upon this book. Very encouraging.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- earthys
- 04-18-16
Enjoyable & non-judgemental
Listened to this while pregnant and got a lot of good information and ideas about how I would like myself & husband to raise our children. Probably won't implement every idea, i.e. still skeptical about elimination communication, but still enjoyed hearing about the idea of it. Written in a very down to earth style.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Dakota
- 12-13-15
great jumping off point
good place to start for a comprehensive view of attachment parenting. left a few questions unanswered
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- SyRuP12
- 02-21-19
Good except the anti-vax part
A lot of good anecdotal info here, but when she, as a scientist, decided not to vaccinate her children, she lost a lot of credibility with me.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- brooksiesgal
- 06-07-12
Good introduction for those unfamiliar...
I think this would be an excellent introduction to many of these principles for those unfamiliar this type of parenting.
As someone who already intends to practice many of these elements/styles of parenting, I was surprised at the number of times I was turned off by her. I read this book expecting to learn more and be taken deeper into the concepts of attachment parenting by learning from someone's every day experience.
Instead I was turned off by being educated as to what my "parental intuition" was "going to be". I guess I expected more of "figure out what works for you - here is what worked well for us" and less, "if you do it this way it will feel right to you".
I appreciated her non-judgmental stance on the various parenting styles and fully embrace her ideas about accepting that different things will work well for different families.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Azurusblue
- 10-17-15
Positive blunt perspective
The voice was calming and conversational, great for walking with. Content was well choosen by author to demonstrate the method of child rearing selected. Not an extremely in depth review of all subjects covered, but the author recommended additional research in the areas that interest the reader.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful