Rating: 
Summary: Great for a first time Mom!
Review: I found this book very helpful for setting up a pattern/schedule for my baby in the beginning which I have continued to use. (My daughter is now 7 months old). I also found Tracy Hogg's chapter on sleep for the baby to be very helpful. Her advice is not too extreme and makes a lot of a sense. I highly recomend this book in combination with Dr. Spock's and What to Expect the First Year.
Rating:
Summary: Understand Your Baby and Solve Problems
Review: Read at least one other overall baby-care-and-feeding book (e.g., Dr. Spock's "Baby and Child Care", or Eisenberg's "What to Expect the First Year"), but be sure to read this one too. My wife and I have found that in most cases, when other books' tips are not helpful or not working, "Secrets of the Baby Whisperer" has the answer--and where two books' advice contradict each other, "Whisperer" is usually the one to follow.It really works for our twin babies (one month old today!). When our babies started associating nursing with going to sleep, my wife was virtually permanently "feeding" them. This book solved that problem almost instantly. We refer to it daily. It's written in a very realistic, rational style. The translations of babies' specific crying sounds and head, arm and leg movements' meanings, are impeccable and clearly true. It is true that every book is only a guide, each baby is different, and each parent chooses his or her own style and judgments. But I believe, despite the misleading mystical-sounding title, that many realistic, intelligent, and rational parents of babies would find the tips in "Secrets of the Baby Whisperer" to make sense. Tracy Hogg bases her views on years of experience with babies and parents. She uses inductive reasoning based on consistently observed evidence to understand babies' "language", which is as scientific a method as any. Her parenting techniques encourage babies' independence and calmness, encourages respecting babies' "self-ownership" (my words) by speaking to them before you lift them or touch them, and lessens parental stress. She essentially doesn't take a position for or against breastfeeding, leaving it up to the parent. I also generally recommend "Parent Effectiveness Training" by Gordon for parenting older children, though I have minor reservations here and there.
Rating: 
Summary: Not so good for new mommies and babies
Review: As a curious new mom of a now 7 month-old, I have read through my share of books on infant care. This is the only one I ended up throwing away because I didn't want anybody else to have to read it. The author has some very bizarre ideas on caring for an infant, most of which are based on her own strong personal opinions instead of medical knowledge. The tone is a little pushy and high-handed - and don't be fooled by her claims that this method "respects" your baby. The theories in this book are adult-centered, go against your instincts, and basically put an emphasis on gently breaking your baby's will from as young an age as possible. If your infant doesn't fall into the routine, the book makes you feel like you just don't know what you're doing. I also think the author is dangerously unclear about the age to begin implementing her practices of denying feedings, etc. This sort of advice can hurt young infants who really do need to eat almost all the time in order to thrive! Another important note is that this author is not very positive about breastfeeding and offers some stange points of view about it that counteract the advice of the AAP and breastfeeding experts. Yet at the same time, she tries to tell you how to do it. Her advice is not very accurate/helpful for maintaining a good milk supply, gaining breastfeeding confidence, and working with your baby. This book probably left me more concerned and confused about the breastfeeding than about anything else. I definitely do NOT recommend this book to anyone, especially in the early weeks. You can certainly have a workable routine and structure to your day when baby is older, but not like this and not so young!
Rating:
Summary: I HATED this book
Review: I am a first-time mother of a 6 month-old (and stepmom to an 8 year-old), and I have read a lLOT about child development and baby care. This book is just awful, in my opinion. She is very dogmatic and opinionated, but there is no basis for her statements, just her opinion. In fact, I find her tone annoying and condescending. Her opinions on breastfeeding are bizarre, biased, scientifically and factually inaccurate, and will likely create problems for Moms who follow it in terms of milk supply, especially for young babies. And there is a lot of emphasis on "independence". She has one example of parents of a 3 week old (yes, 3 WEEKS) who didn't want to be put down, she wanted to be held. Tracy saw this as a problem. Excuse me? Of course a 3 week-old needs to be held! She mentions a couple who got their child to sleep through the night and "finally got their life back." Well, perhaps they shouldn't have had a child in the first place if they didn't want to be inconvenienced. And she is so disdainful of co-sleeping, as if it is a foreign idea. In fact, it is only recently in our post-industrial, western society that children sleep alone. Obviously, co-sleeping is not for everyone, but to talk about it like it is something done only in primitive countries (she refers to Bali, for some weird reason) is absurd. Most parents sleep with their children at least some of the time. She takes the joy and spontaneity out of parenting. Of course flexible schedules are good for the baby and you. Of course talk to you and with your child. Of course respect your child. But she contradicts herself, as many of her techniques are very disrespectful of the baby. Here are some much better choices: The Baby Book by William Sears, The No Cry Sleep Solution, by Elizabeth Pantley, Mother and Fathering by Tine Thinevin, and What to Expect the First Year.
Rating:
Summary: Must have for both Mom & Dad
Review: I felt this was a great, resourceful book. I am expecting my first baby any day now and have already read the book twice. The author gives great examples from parents who have realistic problems. I know I will go back to reference topics addressed in this book once my precious baby girl is born. Highly recommeneded even for those that are not interested in putting their baby on a "routine" or who are going to parent according to the "attachment-parenting/demand feeding" theory. The book offers insight into the cries of an infant & gives sounds advice with how to cope & care for your baby's cries, it does not just offer reason after reason for putting the baby on a routine. Good luck!
Rating:
Summary: If you can't think for yourself, don't have a kid!
Review: I really liked this book. It had some very good tips and useful
information. No book is 100% applicable to every person every time in every situation. Read the book and use your brain.
Ignore parts that don't apply to you or you don't agree with. But don't trash the whole book. The tables on reading baby
cries were helpful to me. The very flexible routine makes common
sense. I gave up on the routine when my son was born. However,
he's 3 months old now and I started to ease into the routine of not feeding right before he naps. After 2 days, he doesn't want to nurse to sleep - he fusses until I put him in his crib and he sucks his fingers to sleep. He's also sleeping 11 hours at night
when he doesn't nurse to sleep! I adjusted EASY to fit my baby and my life... sometimes (mornings) he's hungry after 2 hours, other times (afternoon) it's 4 hours until he's hungry. As with any book, you should read it with an open mind, adjust and apply the parts that you like and ignore the rest.
Rating:
Summary: A Must Have!
Review: This book truly helped me when I had my baby back in January 2002. I didn't have anybody here to help me those first few months (my Mom lives in another state and my mother-in-law works all day)- I'm sure glad I found Tracy!! Her advice is priceless and I've been buying this book for all the baby showers I've been attending!
Rating: 
Summary: Open-minded Mother
Review: This book had many helpful topics and advice that is usually hard to find. Tracy answered many questions I had and taught me how to really listen to my childs cries. I learned through a very FLEXIBLE schedule what my child needed, and he in return knew what to expect: nap, feed, or wake. He is now 8 months old and a very happy little boy. It was very helpful! However, as with many books, you may not agree to everything she offers. Take the advice that applies to you and your family and leave the rest. I've noticed some readers who take these books to heart, word for word (OWENSMAMMA in particular) and I would advise to never do that in any area of your own life. I read in OWENSMAMMA's reviews that she did not like any of the more popular books on baby rearing. That is her perogotive. However, you could be a little nicer towards people who do not raise your children in the same manner as you. We do not feel sorry for your children. We do not put your techniques down. These books are not evil, they are intended to use as a guide, not a bible. Take it with a grain of salt.
Rating:
Summary: Very disappointing
Review: I was really disappointed in this book. She is very authoritative in her tone but without any scientific backing. I did not agree with most of her opinions especially those that were not supportive of breastfeeding. It's like listening to your English grandma lecture at you on how to raise your child. No thanks.
Rating:
Summary: Practical Advice
Review: Like many other new mothers, I read everything I could get my hands on while I was expecting my daughter; however, I somehow managed to miss this gem until she was 3 months old. While my daughter was already sleeping through the night (most nights), I was having difficulty understanding what she needed when she cried. The author offers practical guidance on how to read your baby's signals to determine why she is crying. Within one day of finishing the book, I began applying her S.L.O.W. technique and now I am much happier, and so is my daughter, because I am meeting her needs quicker and more accurately. The author is also kind to us bottle-feeding mothers. I offer no excuses for why I am not breastfeeding, and Tracy Hogg doesn't expect me to come up with any. I highly recommend this book be read before your baby arrives. You will be amazed at how much insight Ms. Hogg has into the minds and needs of babies.
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