Babywise: How 100,000 New Parents Trained Their Babies to Sleep Through the Night the Natural Way

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Summary: Try to read with an open mind and be balanced!
Review: It still amazes me that people continue to rate this book either a 5 or a 1! The critics who say that following this book leads to dehydration or abuse are simply wrong. I am a full time pediatrician (and a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics), and I have NEVER seen a case of dehydration from people who use this book. If a mom truly let her child get dehydrated, then the problem is with the mom, not the book. Like most things in this world, you have to use some common sense. I personally used this book and found it very helpful. The eat, play, sleep cycle is very, very useful. I would start with just that during the first month (The AAP recommends going no longer than one 4-5 hour sleep at night during the first month). After a month, you can work harder at your routine and putting your child down without rocking, etc... I find that the routine just falls naturally into place if you're doing the eat, play, sleep cycle. This is the exact same cycle that Secrets of the Baby Whisperer recommends, but they just give it another name. For some reason, she doesn't get battered the way that Babywise does.

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Summary: this book worked great for us!
Review: My daughter is now 19 months old, and is a very healthy, happy toddler! We implimented the theories in this book, though we used our own discretion, and she was sleeping through the night at 7 weeks! She is still on a modified version of her original schedule, and is doing great! We found that a specific schedule worked well for us. I did nurse her for 7 months, and she gained weight beautifully! I did (and still do from time to time) let her sleep with us, mainly when she is sick. I also get up with her at night if she cries for more than 5 minutes. But that is not a nightly event. Every child is different, as is every parent. Not everything in the book worked for us, and a few things we didn't even agree with! You have to learn by trial and error, as every new parent does, regardless of whether or not you use this book! We have other friends who used this book also, and their son, who was born at 29 weeks, is a healthy, happy toddler as well!

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Summary: Wonderful, Wonderful, WONDERFUL!!!
Review: Please don't listen to the people that are against this book. This book absolutely has babies figured out. It's not about demanding they only eat every three hours. It is about working with your baby to find the best schedule for the both of you. It does not tell you to only feed your baby every three hours no matter what. There is an entire section about when your baby cries and when it could be hunger, including the "45-minute intruder." Which means your baby wakes up 45 minutes into his/her nap. The book exlains to try feeding and if the baby takes a full feeding, then he/she was hungry. However, if they do not take a full feeding, the "intruder" is only part of their natural sleep-wake cycle, and to remember that the next time they cry 45 minutes into their nap. My daughter wakes up at every nap about 40 minutes into it. I let her fuss (not scream) for about 5 minutes and she goes back to sleep. I've found that getting her up at the 40 minute mark makes her cranky as opposed to letting her go back to sleep where she then wakes up later cooing and happy. This is only part of the reason I say that this book has babies figured out. My baby was sleeping through the night (7 hours) at 6 weeks. I know critics say getting your baby to sleep through the night isn't the only goal. But you tell that to a new mother who is sleep deprived and trying to recover from giving birth! I say as long as the baby is eating well and gaining weight, sleeping through the night and taking good, long naps IS the number one goal as it is better for them than chopped up naps and nights. Ignore the critics, buy this book, make your baby happy, and keep your sanity!!!

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Summary: Studies show that babies who are "Babywise" cry 70% more....
Review: than babies who are held and fed and tended to by cue. I think the ultimate test should be how does it make you feel? I read the book and I even tried it, I let my poor baby cry because I thought it would be best for her in the long run. Now I know I was wrong. There is NO proof that babies will sleep longer with this method, and there are lots of scientific documentation that it is dangerous.

The bottom line is babies aren't convienent. They are loud and messy and don't sleep much, but we all knew that going in. Babies don't understand why you won't help them when they cry, they can't read a clock or tell it is time for bed. All they understand is that they are hungry and you won't feed them or that they are scared and lonely and you have left them to cry.

Please learn about babies, they don't know how to be bad or spoiled or manipultive, they are just being babies. Be a good parent, STAY AWAY FROM THIS BOOK!

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Summary: On Becoming Baby Wise
Review: This book was a life saver for my husband and I. We followed the program with our second child, after having the first child not sleep through the night until a year old. The negative comments above anger me so much that I felt inclined to write a review. Everyone that I meet that has read Baby Wise has nothing but wonderful things to say about it. You can also tell by how well rested their children and themselves look. I can only speculate that the people who disagree with the progarm have failed to have the discipline to follow it or they are the mothers you see carrying there child in a sling 24/7 or until they can walk. There is nothing better than knowing when your child is hungry or tired. Raising a child who demand feeds will only lead to confusion and guessing all the time what could be wrong. Children who get the proper amount of sleep are healthier all around. This book will give you peace and control over your house hold. For those of you who recognized that your marriage was there before children and that they, (children), join your family, not take over it, should read this book. Your child will learn the art of falling asleep on their own without any props, such as rocking, and you will be thankful for that. Too many parents spend hours at night trying to lure there children to sleep. My child is 8months old now and it is wonderful to lay him in his bed before his nap and every night and know that he will drift off to sleep moments later. Even on our family vacation at four months old he would sleep staright through. That was nice after a long day at the pool. I have recieved more compliments from our sitter and family on how happy and predictable he is. I could go on forever. Expectant mothers and fathers a must read for 2005. I will make this my babyshower gift every time.

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Summary: Only way to go
Review: This is an excellent book for teaching your baby a great routine. It is NOT a schedule...it's a routine that can be flexible. Babies thrive on routine. They like to know what's next. I was very consistent with my baby and now at 14 months not only do we constantly get comments on how happy he is but people can't believe how easily he goes down for naps. He's done that for months now. For naps and bedtime he litterally smiles as he snuggles down. I highly recommend the book.

Rating:
Summary: It works for us
Review: We have a child that we raised using babywise and our friends have a child, one year older, they raised with attachment parenting. The differences between the two children are huge. Our friends child at the age of 3 still doesn't sleep through the night, he cannot be left with a baby sitter, they have to plan their day around the child. Our child on the other hand slept through the night by 8 months, has learned that yes we love her but no we are not going to plan our lives around you. She is well adjusted and happy.

I know that not every type of parenting works for the same people. I will never be an attachment type parent and babywise works because it is what I believe in. Take the time to read both type of books and pick the one that works for you.