Rating: 
Summary: Best book I purchased during my pregnancy.
Review: I am a first time mom, and also a school psychologist - so I am VERY familiar with behavior management...and I have to say I absolutely loved this book because it not only blended neuroscience, medical field, and anthropology/sociology in a VERY EASY to read fashion - it incorporated SIMPLE strategies!The BEST part about the book is that it gave me TOTAL confidence from our baby's first cry & how to handle it. I give this book to all of my first-time mom friends...and they raved about it! The best gift this book has to offer you is the calm confidence you will feel as a new parent! I promise! I also appreciate that there is an M.D. out there with a sense of humor able to relate his ideas in a simplistic, organized, & encouraging manner.
Rating: 
Summary: Great for newborns
Review: Well, Dr. Karp's methods have worked well on my newborn, and I stress newborn. He presents some interesting facts about other cultures where crying babies are rare and colic doesn't exist. These cultures mostly have their babies at their sides in a sling, and unlimited access to suckle at mother's breast. With baby in a snug sling, constant body contact, the feeling of constant motion and breast milk access, Dr. Karp states this mimcs conditions in the womb: tight fit, constant movement, and lack of hunger from being fed via the umbilical cord while in utero. He goes on to say that months 0-3 of baby's life are the missing "fourth trimester", hence his methods of the following 5 S's work well since they imitate the womb environment. The 5 S's are as follows:
1. Swaddle - he describes and illustrates an excellent swaddle technique, the tighter, the more womb-like
2. Side / Stomach - laying baby on side or stomach. He reiterates that when laying baby on stomach, baby should NEVER be left unattended. Positioning in this way is most comfortable for baby, when he's on his back, he has the sensation of free-falling, and thus feeling insecure.
3. Shush - baby was used to hearing your blood flow for those 9 months, so a loud shushing will calm baby down. Ever notice how he quiets when you turn on the vacuum? I've used a white noise machine, all the loud shushing got me blue in the face and most nearly passed out!
4. Swinging - rhythmic, jiggling motion. You don't necessarily have to use a swing for this one. He describes the motion as being a very nervous person holding a baby. You use very tiny shaky movements, movements must be tiny, other wise shaking baby with long, hard jerks may result in shaken baby syndrome. This movement imitates the constant movement he felt while in-utero.
5. Suck - sucking on a pacifier, nipple, your finger, etc... These 5 S's will initiate the calming reflex when done in that order and in the correct way. We've all used those methods to try to calm baby, but we've likely used them as separate entities. Much like the knee-jerk reflex works only when your doctor hits your knee at the exact location, the calming reflex works only when the S's are done in an exact manner. He describes in detail how to do this. So far it's worked for my daughter. My huge concern is, what happens after she passes her three month mark? Dr. Karp states that after three months, baby will start self-calming and will rely on the 5 S's less and less. Judging by all the "How to Get Your Baby to Calm and to Sleep" books out there, I have my doubts. He does well in calming a newborn, but beyond the newborn stage, he offers very little. He really needs to consider changing the title to "The Happiest Newborn on the Block" to better reflect the content of the book. So if your baby is less than three months, this may work for you, if your baby is older, look elsewhere.
Rating: 
Summary: Not for older babies
Review: After reading these reviews I rush-ordered this book. I was disappointed to find that the entire book is for newborn babies only. Once your baby is too old to swaddle this book isn't for you. I purchased several others at the same time and found that The No Cry Sleep Solution has great ideas for all babies and even toddlers. The ideas in this book cannot be applied to a baby that is over about 3 months old. If you look at the main points you'll see they are: swaddling, placing on his side or stomach, saying Shhhh, Swinging, and Sucking. I also suspect that if you always do this with your newborn you may create sleep problems for when you can't do them any more. Beware! If your baby is over 3 months this isn't the book you are looking for.
Rating:
Summary: pretty darn happy family
Review: Love the book and the skills he teaches. I am a family physician and I agree with Dr. Karp that these skills are not taught in medical school or residency. His wrap (swaddle) is infinitely superior to the one we are generally taght on the wards. It had been frustrating to have very little to offer parents for inconsolable babies who were just fed, burped and diapered- yet they were still crying. Now I will recommend this book.
Some people may be concerned that he advocates a Side/Stomach position for comfort, when the pediatric advice says that babies have to be put to sleep on their backs. However Dr. Karp's recommendation for these comfort positions are for when baby is awake or you are awake with your baby to keep an eye on their face. You wouldn't want to fall asleep with your baby in this position, or put baby down and leave them unattended in one of these positions.
Also some people may be concerned that pacifiers can be used for the Sucking comfort measure. I believe that pacifiers are OK if the baby is breastfeeding well, and if you can hold off until they are one month or so old. One month old is about the age that "colic" often starts anyway. If your baby really likes to suck, and breastfeeding isn't yet well established, you can try your finger. Also, the sucking part often isn't even needed, as the other 4 S's work so well to calm your baby.
Overall, highly recommended. I plan to give it to my other friends when they start their families.
Rating:
Summary: The Most Important Purchase for New Parents
Review: I have read just about every major book that purports to explain why some babies are fussy and how to calm them. None of them can hold a candle to Dr. Karp's book. Forget about gas and all the other theories -- this book clearly and easily explains what newborns are experiencing. And the best part is the technique for calming that is based on cutting edge medical research. The book's explanation of the "calming reflex" is pretty fascinating, but if you really want to calm your baby, buy the accompanying video with the book. It is an eye-opener! When you see Dr. Karp take a dozen different babies and calm them in a matter of seconds, you finally see what the book can't stress enough -- it's a calming REFLEX, just like swallowing, and anyone can learn how to trigger it. The video is a surefire way to assure yourself that you are mastering the technique. It shows the technique again and again, with helpful tips and trouble-shooting. This is the ticket to new parents' peace of mind.
Rating:
Summary: A welcome alternative to "quick fix" books
Review: Like many sleep-deprived parents, my wife and I loaded up on armfuls of books on babies and sleep. We can say without any reservation that this is the best of the bunch. Unlike books like The No-Cry Sleep Solution which offer rather simplistic advice on coping with nightwaking and other sleep problems, Dr. Karp gets to the heart of the matter: the fact that some babies have difficulty adjusting to life outside the womb. His background as a pediatrician who has worked with thousands of sleep-deprived parents gives him the credibility needed to write on this important subject. Parents benefit from his understanding of the biology of sleep disturbances and his practical solutions for helping your baby to make the transition from the womb to the world. Thank you, Dr. Karp, for a simply terrific book.
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Summary: The Happiest Daddy on the Block
Review: Dr. Karp's book is a "God-send." In fact, my wife and I were beginning to think that the sleepless nights and endless fussy behaviour of our third child was God's idea of a bad joke, paying us back for the exact opposite experience with our other two children, who were sleeping through the night the second week home from the hospital. Then, after learning of Dr. Karp's techniques and a few practice sessions mastering his art of swaddling, rocking and shhh'ing, our baby was finally getting to sleep AND STAYING ASLEEP - AND SO WERE WE!! There was a time there where we thought "that's it, we're done, three's enough"....but because of Dr. Karp and his simple but so effective idea's, a fourth one sounds pretty good all of the sudden!! Thank you Dr. Karp.
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Summary: Perfect baby soothing technique
Review: Review by Elizabeth Pantley, author of The No-Cry Sleep Solution: Dr. Karp clearly loves babies and respects parents. His soothing technique brings together all the pieces of baby-soothing knowledge into a 5-step pattern that works to help even the fussiest newborn stop crying. His system is especially valuable for parents of colicky babies. All of Dr. Karp's ideas are loving and respectful to babies, and encourage bonding between baby and parent. He gives parents the tools they need to feel confident caring for their new baby. The 5 S calming technique should be taught to all professionals working with newborn babies: it's effective!
Rating:
Summary: The man is a GOD!!
Review: I got this book after my Mom read a review on it. I didn't even read the cover I just bought it. My second child only 3 weeks at the time was cryingat night and would not let me put him down between 8pm till 11pm. My arms were killing me my husband is gone nights. I finshed Dr.Karps book in 2 days and it has saved my life ALL his methods worked for me and I loved that he gives a digram of how to swaddle your baby the right way I can do it with myeyes closed now. This book is a must for first time parents and us seasoned ones as well.
Rating:
Summary: Best Baby Book Yet!
Review: This is the best baby book we bought since Rachel was born. Not only are his techniques for calming a crying baby effective, all the other information in the book is priceless -- like the best way to burp a baby and the infant massage section. My daughter is 2 1/2 months old and sleeps 6-8 hours every night. A MUST for new parents.
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