A review from someone who thought Montessori was just expensive wooden toys and tiny furniture—until discovering it’s actually a philosophy that starts from birth and changes everything
You’re holding a newborn. Everyone has advice. Sleep when the baby sleeps. Don’t hold them too much. Hold them all the time. Start tummy time immediately. Let them cry it out. Never let them cry.
The noise is overwhelming. And underneath it all, a quiet desperation: How do I do this right? How do I give this tiny human the best possible start?
Then someone mentions Montessori. You picture toddlers in linen aprons pouring their own water into tiny glass cups. Adorable, sure. But what does that have to do with a newborn who can’t even hold their head up?
Turns out: everything.
Simone Davies’ The Montessori Baby reveals that Montessori isn’t about the wooden toys or the child-sized furniture. It’s a way of seeing babies—as capable, curious humans from day one. A philosophy that shapes how you set up their space, how you interact with them, and how you support their development without taking over.
But is Montessori for babies practical? Or is it Pinterest-perfect idealism that real parents can’t actually implement? Let’s find out.
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What Is This Book? 🤔
The Montessori Baby applies Montessori principles to the first year of life. Written by Simone Davies (a Montessori teacher and author of The Montessori Toddler) with Junnifa Uzodike, it’s designed for parents who want to start Montessori from the very beginning.
The book covers:
- Understanding what babies are actually capable of
- Setting up Montessori-inspired spaces for newborns through 12 months
- Activities and materials appropriate for each developmental stage
- Observation as the foundation of responsive parenting
- Feeding, sleep, and care routines through a Montessori lens
- Supporting motor development naturally
- Language development from birth
- Building secure attachment while fostering independence
- Adjusting as baby grows through the first year
It’s beautifully photographed, practically organized, and designed to be both philosophical guide and hands-on manual. 📖
The Good Stuff ✅
It Transforms How You See Your Baby
The most valuable shift isn’t practical—it’s perspective:
The conventional view:
Babies are helpless, needy, passive recipients of care. They can’t do anything. They need to be entertained, stimulated, managed.
The Montessori view:
Babies are active participants in their own development. They’re curious scientists, absorbing everything, capable of more than we assume. Our job isn’t to entertain them—it’s to prepare an environment where they can learn and not get in their way.
The shift:
Instead of “What should I do to my baby?” ask “What is my baby trying to do, and how can I support it?”
Example:
A baby struggling to reach a toy isn’t frustrated and needing rescue. They’re working on something important. Your job might be to wait and watch, not to hand them the toy.
The result:
You start seeing your baby as a capable person from day one. You respect their efforts. You trust their process. Everything changes.
This perspective shift is worth the book price alone. 🎯
The “Prepared Environment” Concept Is Practical
Montessori’s signature contribution—adapted for babies:
What it means:
Design your baby’s space to support their development. Everything accessible, safe, and purposeful. An environment that invites exploration rather than restricts it.
For newborns (0-3 months):
- Movement area with floor mat and simple mobile
- Low mirror for self-discovery
- High-contrast images at eye level
- Simple, uncluttered space
For older babies (3-6 months):
- Reaching toys within grasp
- Materials that respond to touch
- Space for rolling and moving
- Objects to mouth and explore
For mobile babies (6-12 months):
- Low shelves with rotating toys
- Pull-up bars for standing practice
- Safe spaces to cruise and climb
- Real objects to explore (not just plastic toys)
The beauty:
You don’t need expensive Montessori materials. You need intention. A basket of wooden spoons. A low mirror. A clear space to move.
The result:
Babies can engage independently. They’re not dependent on you for constant entertainment. They develop concentration, curiosity, and confidence.
Thoughtful environment design enables everything else. ✨
It Emphasizes Observation Over Intervention
A revolutionary parenting practice:
The conventional instinct:
Baby fusses—pick them up. Baby struggles—help them. Baby is quiet—stimulate them. Constant doing.
The Montessori practice:
Before acting, observe. What is the baby actually doing? What are they trying to accomplish? Do they need help, or are they working on something?
The skill:
Learning to pause. To watch. To see what your baby is communicating before you respond.
Example:
Baby is reaching for a ball just out of grasp. Conventional response: hand them the ball. Montessori response: observe. Are they frustrated or engaged? Is this productive struggle or genuine distress? Often, the reaching IS the activity—the ball is just motivation.
The benefit:
You learn your specific baby. You respond to what they actually need rather than what you assume they need. You avoid interrupting important developmental work.
The challenge:
This requires patience. It requires tolerating discomfort. It requires trusting your baby.
Observation is the foundation of responsive parenting. 💪
It Addresses Feeding Respectfully
Montessori principles applied to nourishment:
The philosophy:
Feeding is a relationship, not a task. Babies are participants, not passive recipients.
Breastfeeding/Bottle-feeding:
- Follow baby’s cues rather than rigid schedules
- Create calm, focused feeding times
- Make eye contact, be present
- Trust baby to know when they’re full
Starting solids:
- Baby-led weaning aligns naturally with Montessori
- Real food, not purees (when developmentally ready)
- Baby feeds themselves from the start
- Trust their appetite regulation
- Family meals together from early on
The weaning table:
A small table and chair where mobile babies can sit and eat independently, fostering autonomy and concentration.
The approach:
Respect baby’s hunger cues. Offer food, don’t force it. Trust their ability to self-regulate. Create mealtimes that are calm and connected.
Feeding as relationship, not management. 🌟
The Sleep Approach Is Refreshingly Non-Dogmatic
Unlike most baby books that push one sleep philosophy:
What Davies offers:
Information about infant sleep patterns and developmental realities without prescribing a specific method.
The Montessori elements:
- Floor beds instead of cribs (when safe and appropriate)
- Respecting sleep needs rather than forcing schedules
- Creating calm, prepared sleep environments
- Following baby’s cues about tiredness
The floor bed concept:
A mattress on the floor in a fully baby-proofed room, allowing freedom of movement and independence around sleep.
The balance:
Davies acknowledges this isn’t for everyone. She discusses safe sleep guidelines while presenting the floor bed option for those interested.
What’s refreshing:
No judgment about bed-sharing, sleep training, or whatever approach works for your family. Information presented, choices respected.
Sleep guidance without sleep wars. 🛡️
It Includes Beautiful, Practical Visuals
The book is genuinely gorgeous:
The photography:
Real babies in real (beautiful) spaces. Montessori setups that feel achievable, not Instagram-perfect fantasy.
The organization:
Clear sections by developmental stage. Easy to find what you need for your baby’s current age.
The visuals:
Diagrams of room setups. Photos of appropriate materials at each stage. Visual inspiration that translates to action.
Why this matters:
You can actually see what a Montessori baby space looks like. You’re not trying to imagine it from text descriptions.
The result:
A book you’ll actually use as a reference, returning to it as your baby grows through the first year.
Beautiful and functional design. 📝
It Emphasizes “Real” Over “Baby”
A core Montessori principle:
The idea:
Give babies real objects, not plastic substitutes. Real spoons, real cups, real materials—scaled down when necessary but genuine.
The reasoning:
Babies learn about the real world by experiencing it. A wooden spoon teaches weight, texture, and sound in ways a plastic toy can’t.
Examples:
- Glass cups (small, carefully introduced)
- Metal bowls and wooden utensils
- Fabric in different textures
- Real plants to observe
- Natural materials over plastic
The caution:
This requires supervision and appropriate staging. You’re not handing a newborn a glass cup. But the philosophy is to move toward real materials as soon as developmentally appropriate.
The benefit:
Babies develop an understanding of the real world. They learn to handle objects with care. They experience authentic sensory input.
Real world, real learning. 🧠
It Supports Motor Development Naturally
Montessori’s approach to physical development:
The philosophy:
Allow babies to develop motor skills at their own pace, without “helping” them into positions they can’t get into themselves.
What this means:
- No propping babies to sit before they can sit independently
- No walkers or “activity centers” that bypass natural development
- Plenty of floor time for free movement
- Trusting the developmental timeline
The reasoning:
When babies achieve motor milestones themselves, they build strength, coordination, and confidence. When we prop them up, we create false mastery without the underlying development.
The practice:
Lots of floor time. Freedom to move. Observation of what they’re working on. Trust that they’ll sit/crawl/walk when their bodies are ready.
The challenge:
This can feel passive in a culture that pushes early milestones. But the research supports natural motor development over assisted achievement.
Trust the process of development. 💭
The Not-So-Good Stuff 😬
The Aesthetic Pressure Is Real
Let’s be honest about what we see:
The images:
Minimalist spaces. Neutral colors. Beautifully curated shelves. Natural light. Wooden everything.
The reality:
Most of us live in small spaces with too much stuff, mismatched furniture, and the brightly colored plastic things relatives gift us.
The pressure:
To achieve the beautiful Montessori aesthetic. To feel like you’re failing if your space doesn’t look like the book.
The truth:
The aesthetic isn’t the point. You can implement Montessori principles in a messy apartment with some plastic toys. The philosophy matters more than the Instagram-worthiness.
The caution:
Don’t let the beautiful images make you feel inadequate. Take the principles, leave the pressure.
Principles over Pinterest. 😬
Floor Beds Aren’t for Everyone
The signature Montessori sleep setup gets complicated:
The concept:
A mattress on the floor in a fully baby-proofed room, allowing baby to get in and out of bed independently.
The challenges:
- Requires an entirely baby-proofed room (harder than it sounds)
- May not align with safe sleep recommendations for young infants
- Some babies wander constantly and never sleep
- May not work in shared bedroom situations
- Not practical in all living situations
The controversy:
Safe sleep guidelines generally recommend firm, flat surfaces with nothing else in the sleep space. Floor beds in larger rooms introduce variables.
The reality:
Many families find cribs work fine. The independence of a floor bed isn’t necessary for healthy development. It’s an option, not a requirement.
The balance:
Davies presents floor beds as one approach, not the only approach. But the Montessori community can be dogmatic about this.
Take what works, leave what doesn’t. 🚩
The Materials Can Get Expensive
Despite claims of simplicity:
The reality:
Montessori-specific materials can be pricey. The beautiful wooden toys, the low shelf, the weaning table, the floor bed setup—it adds up.
The trap:
Feeling like you need to buy special Montessori products to “do Montessori right.”
The truth:
You don’t need any of it. A cardboard box, wooden spoons from your kitchen, a blanket on the floor—these are Montessori materials if used with intention.
The marketing:
There’s now a Montessori industry selling expensive products to parents who want the aesthetic. The philosophy itself requires almost nothing to buy.
The reminder:
Maria Montessori developed her approach for impoverished children. It was never about expensive materials.
Philosophy is free; products are optional. 💰
It Assumes Significant Time and Attention
The approach requires presence:
What’s needed:
- Time to observe
- Attention to prepare the environment
- Presence for unhurried care routines
- Availability for responsive feeding
The challenge:
Working parents, parents with multiple children, single parents—the time simply isn’t always there.
What’s missing:
More acknowledgment of how to apply these principles when you’re not the primary caregiver, when you’re juggling multiple kids, or when you’re exhausted and just surviving.
The adaptation:
You can apply Montessori principles imperfectly and still benefit. But the book doesn’t fully address the constraints real families face.
Idealistic about time availability. 🩺
Some Developmental Claims Aren’t Universal
The approach assumes typical development:
The timeline:
The book organizes by developmental stages with approximate ages. But development varies widely among healthy babies.
The pressure:
When your 6-month-old isn’t doing what the “6-month-old section” describes, anxiety creeps in.
What’s missing:
More explicit acknowledgment of developmental variation. More guidance for parents of babies who aren’t following typical timelines.
Neurodivergent considerations:
Absent, as usual. Babies who will later be identified as autistic, ADHD, or having sensory processing differences may not fit the expected patterns.
The reminder:
Developmental ranges are wide and healthy. Don’t compare your baby to the book’s descriptions.
Typical development assumed. 🧠
It Can Feel Overwhelming to New Parents
For exhausted first-time parents:
The challenge:
When you can barely keep yourself and baby alive, reading about “prepared environments” and “observation practices” can feel like too much.
The guilt:
Not having the perfect Montessori setup. Not having energy to observe when you just need to get through the day. Feeling like you’re already failing this approach.
The reality:
Survival mode is real. The fourth trimester is about getting through. Montessori principles can be added gradually as you find your footing.
The permission:
You don’t need to implement everything at once. Start with the perspective shift—seeing your baby as capable. Everything else can come later.
Survival first, optimization later. 😬
Cultural Specificity Is Present
The Montessori approach reflects certain assumptions:
The values:
Independence, autonomy, individual achievement—Western, often upper-middle-class values.
The tension:
Some cultures prioritize interdependence, community caregiving, and different relationships to autonomy.
The assumption:
Baby will have their own space, their own materials, their own developmental trajectory separate from siblings or extended family.
The reality:
Many families sleep together, share spaces, involve multiple caregivers, and have different cultural values about child-rearing.
The adaptation:
Take what aligns with your values and culture. Leave what doesn’t. Montessori isn’t the only path to healthy development.
One cultural lens among many. 🌍
Not All Advice Ages Well
Some recommendations feel dated:
Examples:
- Specific materials or setups that have been superseded
- Advice that doesn’t account for current safety research
- Approaches that assume circumstances less common today
The consideration:
Montessori philosophy is over 100 years old. While core principles endure, specific applications need updating.
The approach:
Use this as one resource among many. Cross-reference with current safety guidelines and developmental research.
Cross-check with current guidance. 📉
Who Is This For? 🎯
Perfect if you:
- Want to understand your baby as a capable person from birth
- Are drawn to intentional, mindful parenting approaches
- Have time and space to prepare a thoughtful environment
- Appreciate beautiful, well-designed parenting resources
- Want practical guidance from birth through 12 months
- Are curious about Montessori and want to start early
- Can separate principles from aesthetic pressure
Not ideal if you:
- Need survival-mode guidance for the newborn trenches
- Are overwhelmed by aspirational parenting content
- Want heavily research-cited developmental guidance
- Have a neurodivergent baby needing specialized approaches
- Are looking for sleep training advice
- Don’t have space or resources for environmental setup
- Prefer prescriptive schedules over observation-based approaches
Alternatives Worth Considering 🔄
The Montessori Toddler by Simone Davies: The companion book for ages 1-3. If you like this one, you’ll want the sequel. Same beautiful approach for the next stage. 🏆
The Wonder Weeks by Frans Plooij: Developmental leaps framework for the first year. Different approach, complementary information about what’s happening in baby’s brain.
Precious Little Sleep by Alexis Dubief: If sleep is your main concern, this is more practical and comprehensive than the Montessori approach to sleep.
The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel Siegel & Tina Payne Bryson: Brain science foundation for child development. More research-based complement to Montessori philosophy.
Hunt, Gather, Parent by Michaeleen Doucleff: Cross-cultural perspective that challenges Western assumptions including some Montessori premises. Valuable counterpoint. 📚
The Final Verdict 🏅
The Montessori Baby is a beautiful, thoughtful introduction to applying Montessori principles from birth. The perspective shift—seeing babies as capable, curious people rather than helpless dependents—is genuinely transformative. The practical guidance for creating supportive environments and activities is accessible and well-organized. And the emphasis on observation over intervention offers a refreshing alternative to the constant doing of modern parenting.
For parents drawn to intentional, mindful approaches who have capacity to implement environmental changes, this book offers a valuable framework for the first year.
However, the aesthetic pressure is real, some approaches (like floor beds) aren’t for everyone, and the time requirements may not fit all family situations. The book assumes typical development and certain cultural values that won’t resonate universally.
The useful parts:
- Perspective shift: seeing babies as capable from birth
- Prepared environment: practical, achievable setup guidance
- Observation emphasis: responsive parenting foundation
- Stage-by-stage organization: easy to find relevant information
- Beautiful design: inspiring and functional
- Respectful approach: to feeding, sleep, and care
The problematic parts:
- Aesthetic pressure: Pinterest-perfect images can intimidate
- Floor bed complications: not universally practical or safe
- Material costs: can become expensive despite simplicity claims
- Time assumptions: requires presence many parents can’t offer
- Typical development assumed: neurodivergent considerations absent
- Cultural specificity: Western values embedded throughout
The best approach: Read this book for the philosophy and perspective shift. Take the principles that resonate with your family situation and values. Don’t pressure yourself to achieve the aesthetic or implement everything perfectly. Start with one thing—maybe a simple movement area, maybe just the practice of observing before intervening.
The bottom line: The Montessori Baby isn’t really about wooden toys and tiny furniture. It’s about respect—respecting your baby’s capabilities, their developmental process, their natural drive to learn and grow.
That respect changes how you set up their space. It changes how you interact with them. It changes what you see when you look at them—not helpless need, but active curiosity.
Your baby is already doing the most important work of their life: building a brain, developing a body, learning about the world. Your job isn’t to make that happen or to entertain them through it. Your job is to prepare the environment, observe carefully, and get out of the way.
That’s Montessori in essence. Everything else is just implementation details.
And those implementation details? They can be wooden or plastic, minimalist or messy, perfect or imperfect. The respect is what matters.
Start there. The rest will follow. 👶✨
Have you tried Montessori approaches with your baby? What worked for your family? What didn’t fit? Share your experience below!
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