In 1992, Evelyn Goldstein left Greenwich Village and an advertising job for a career as a mom in Silver Spring. But as her husband plunged into the thicket of Washington politics, she learned that raising her 5-month-old son, Cooper, would be no peaceful idyll; she found herself “freaked out by hearing the birds chirping so loudly” and by feeling alone in a strange, new place. “I had a real rough transition,” says Goldstein. “But I met a lot of other parents who were also confused, so I got inspired to write a book.” The result, Beltway Baby: A Guide to Life in Washington’s Baby Lanes (Washington Book Trading Co., 192 pp., $10.95, paper), lists metro Washington’s pre- and postnatal resources. Goldstein delivers the information new parents need most—addresses, phone numbers, and opinions—in the patient tone of a friend who’s been through the same experience. Beltway Baby‘s topics range from out-of-hospital birthing options to the locations of breast-pump rental stations to places to meet others who are in the family way. Goldstein visited most of the hospitals and shops listed in her book, and she met with the professionals she recommends—this personal touch is the book’s selling point. Her real-life research has led her to conclude that first- time parents in the D.C. area are fortunate to have so many resources at their disposal. The paperback is available in area bookstores.