Rating: 
Summary: why can't wee treat babies like babies?
Review: Why is everyone so eager to find a way to make the baby sleep without rocking or carrying or singing or nursing??? I always thought that was exacatly how to get a baby to sleep! Why else did they invent lullabies? We family bed and plan to do so until daughter decides she wants her own space. Whether that's at 2, 3, or 7 or whatever. I guarantee she will not sleep with us "forever." As for those who think family bed wrecks your sex life, well, you just aren't very creative, now, are you? Anyway, we believe that rocking or singing or carrying or nursing our baby to sleep and then sleeping with her are NOT "bad habits" as the author suggests but in fact are teaching her that relaxing and going to sleep are enjoyable, good things. Getting to sleep has always been a pleasant experience for her and that will mean good sleep habits through her life. Babies are COMPLETELY dependent creatures, why do people expect a little person who can't walk or talk or feed herself or go to the bathroom herself to be expected, even forced, to put herself to sleep? They are only dependent for such a relatively short time. Rocking my baby to sleep has been one of the greatest joys of my life, why would you want to miss that? Oh yeah, our baby has been sleeping through the night beautifully since six months (goes to bed at eight, gets up at seven). Before that, she only woke up once twice and then only to eat (very easy to nurse and go back to sleep when she is right beside you.)
Rating: 
Summary: Like the philosophy
Review: This book offers a similar overall approach as BabyWise but with a much nicer philososhy and without the condescending tone. We've had success with the overall approach - assessing what the baby needs, aiming for a loosely structured routine so the baby knows what to expect. Her approach to the baby crying at bedtime (pick the baby up long enough to calm him down, then put him back down) is great and has worked wonders for us.One caution: THE BREASTFEEDING ADVICE IS PRETTY AWFUL! One sided feeding should not be recommended, especially when a new mom is trying to establish her milk supply. So take that with a grain of salt. If you can get past the "mum"'s and "love"'s of the "English accent," most of the advice is good.
Rating:
Summary: Awful!
Review: Someone gave me this book while I was pregnant and by the time my son was born, I tried to implement the schedule suggested by "the baby whisperer", it had me in tears every day! Her method was very routine and when a baby comes home, there is no routine until about 8 weeks old! I have friends that have used her method and their babys had failure to thrive issues. This book made me feel like a failure because she seemed to "know" all the secrets and since I did not I felt so bad about myself and my confidence as a mother! She also does not encourage breastfeeding which made it even more difficult to relate to the book. She also has you rate your baby, textbook baby, angel, fussy etc. and if your baby comes up fussy it makes you feel even worse! I think this book is very dangerous for new Moms, it encourages parent directed feeding which is not good in the first few months and does go against the APA! Tracey also says you must have an eat, awake, sleep routine called EASY. I thought it was anything but easy! I spent more time stressing out about this routine and did not enjoy my baby! I finally had to throw this book out! It was awful and it went against everything I felt in my heart. I love my son and I felt like this book prevented me from getting to know him instead of forcing a schedule on him at such a young age. Once I got rid of the book and went with the natural rythem of my son, life was fun again and we got peace, sleep and less crying, YIPEE!
Rating: 
Summary: I LOVED THIS BOOK!
Review: I loved this book! There may not be a manual for raising babies, but this book helped me so much by helping me understand my baby. I wish Tracy Hogg had a website for daily encouragement and help--she gives practical suggestions and explains things so that it all makes sense. Most of all, she helps you enjoy the baby you have instead of telling you how to make your baby into the baby you think you should have. I've been buying this book as a baby gift for everyone I know when they have a baby! The book is easy to read in bits and pieces--which is great since most new moms don't have long periods of time available for reading.
Rating:
Summary: Must Have for all New Parents
Review: I highly recommend this book for all new parents (especially if you have twins!) If you don't buy any other parenting book, get this one!! I have twins, and this book was such a big help in deciphering what they needed! A friend of mine also had twins and said she wished she had read this book before her first child. So, even if you already have a child, this book is for you! Unfortunately, I didn't read the book until they were 1 month old (when I was on my own all day long with no help!), but it helped so much! They were on a schedule early on and slept through the night at 6 weeks! This is so important when you have twins! I recommend reading the book before your child is born so you can start right away communicating with your baby. The book puts all babies in different categories according to temperament, which really helps figure them out. My girls are now almost two, and they are the happiest kids! Everyone comments on how independent they are and how happy they are all the time. I'm not going to give this book all the credit (I think their parents have a lot to do with that), but it did help to get them off to the right start. One note: I DO NOT agree with her philosophy about twins because she thinks they should be on different schedules so as to have time with each. If you do this, you never get ANY time to yourself. I nursed my twins, and I did so simultaneously (like most twin moms), so they were on the same schedule and still are!! My girls are still very independent and have their own personalities. This is a great book if you want to communicate with your baby, treat your baby as a unique human being, and keep your sanity!! The best thing for me was all the advice on schedules, how to calm your baby, how to give a bath (sounds silly, but her way works), and getting baby to sleep (eventually without a pacifier -- we got rid of ours at 6 months). As with all books, take what you want and leave what you don't. Not everything is perfect for every parent or child.
Rating:
Summary: an even tempered opinion
Review: I felt like this book would be partiucarily helpful for a new mom who didn't have many friends around at the same stage. The information was helpful and loving. I have several friends with babies older and at the same stage and from our grouping (a very well read one!) this book seemed middle ground to me. I appreciated that she encourages you to learn your baby's temperment.
Rating:
Summary: Very annoying
Review: I was recommended this book by an aquaintance and I can't imagine why! It is very preachy and judgemental of other points of view. It reminds me of jaded organized religions that can't just believe what they believe, they have to rant about other people's perspectives. No one person has all the answers, I like to pick and choose what I agree with, not be told by someone else why it's wrong.
Rating:
Summary: Secrets of the Baby Whisperer
Review: I bought this book when my baby was 3 months old and I didn't think I could survive another month. I was exhausted from carrying my dear son around all day and not getting any sleep. The Baby Whisperer is the only book I could find that gave me real answers on how to help my son get what he needed to be happy. Not just vague ideas like let him cry it out- the author is not for that but how to kindly help your baby sleep in his crib and also be on a schedule so you can better interpret his needs. The Baby Whisperer helped me enjoy my baby more and made us both much happier.
Rating:
Summary: What a joke!
Review: I had myself in tears trying to implement these techniques. I agree with one of the other reviews that she doesn't give any clues as to how to make a baby sleep. Most babies DON'T put themselves to sleep when laid down in a crib. HA! You can't "spoil" an infant and the advice given in the book basically takes the love out of having a child...too rigid. I know it may work for some but odn't kill yourself trying to do the "schedule" thing that seems to be so popular with this generation of new mom's.
Rating:
Summary: A must for expecting and new moms!
Review: I received this book a couple of weeks after the birth of my third child as a gift. This is one gift that I wish I had had before my 3rd baby arrived and even better before my 1st arrived. The EASY method is an absolute lifesaver. It's good for baby and it's great for Mom! This book is my standard gift for any new Moms and all baby showers I attend from here on out! I recommend it to all new Mom's, including those with multiples and premature babies.
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