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Summary: Dr. Weissbluth is exactly right about baby's sleep patterns.
Review: As a first time mom, I read several books about babies while I was pregnant. This book, by far, has been the most useful advice of all the books I've read (Baby Whisperer, Baby Wise, Happiest Baby on the Block..throw these away and get this book). Dr. Weissbluth is exactly right as to what a baby needs and their sleep patterns. My 6 month old baby now goes to sleep for naps and at nighttime without ever crying...he smiles when I lay him in his bed (he wasn't any easy baby either..he was very colicky). I followed Dr. Weissbluth's advice from the very beginning. My friends have followed this book's advice for older babies who have trouble falling asleep, and it only took a few days of following the "cry it out" advice for their children to go to sleep well. I don't think it's cruel to let a baby cry out his/her "protest" cries. They need to learn to put themselves to sleep. This is a great book to read for first time parents and for parents with children who may have already developed unhealthy sleep habits.
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Summary: Horribly Edited but Great Information
Review: We bought this book when our baby was three months old. At that time we began to gently get her to follow the kind of sleep schedule that Weissbluth recommends. At four months, after her body was well adjusted to regular naps we took his advice and put her down whether she was awake or asleep, but when we KNEW she needed to sleep. Yes there were some tears at first(never more than 15 minutes) but Ella adjusted quickly to the new routine. That being said, this book is horribly edited. I would say horribly written, but I don't expect a pediatrician to be a great writer. I expect his editor to help make his ideas coherent. I needed to go through this book with a highlighter and read and reread and I still am not sure I got it right (and I have a Master's degree - I think my reading comp. skills are pretty solid!)
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Summary: Now my baby SLEEPS!!! :)
Review: People may chuck the book before reading it because the author does suggest letting your baby cry it out (he also says it's not necessary). But don't be so quick to dismiss what this doctor has to say. It has ALOT of information if you can be patient and read ALL of the scientific mumbo jumbo. Don't just skip to the chapter that applies to your babies age. My daughter had the typical sleeping patterns of the "my baby never sleeps!!" type baby. And I really couldn't figure her out. So after reading the book I at least knew what was going on and stopped stressing out so much. After having a better understanding of the way her sleep worked and following his advice, I now have a baby who sleeps really, really well. And I didn't have to let her cry it out for hours on end.
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Summary: This book saved my sanity
Review: I had no clue about how to get my 4-month old to sleep until another mom recommened this book to me. After trying Dr. Marc's method, I began to think my son had read the book, too. Everything fell right into place. He began to sleep through the night at 4 mo. old. Once he was weaned at 6 mo., he began sleeping 6:30pm-6:30am and still does at age 2+. He also took two naps a day, like clockwork, until 18 mo. when went to one. Warning: you need to be committed to following his advice, otherwise, don't bother. If you only follow his advice sometimes, it WILL be cruel to your child. However, if you do follow his advice consistently, you will be doing your child a big favor. The few days at the beginning when my son cried, were worth every second of torture. Now he runs to his crib with a big smile and can't wait to snuggle in. In the morning, he likes to play and doesn't want to come out. Though it might be hard to hear for some, the truth is, parents are the ones who make or break a child's sleep habits. You have to train your child. Start early before poor sleep habits form. Dr. Marc is like the Dr. Phil of sleep. He tells it like it is. Read the book through once or twice then keep it on your nightstand and reread his important/practical tips until they become your mantra.
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Summary: Can help you develop your own sleep plan
Review: Here's what I learned from Weissbluth: * Make sure your kid isn't overtired. If he already is, use whatever methods work to get him rested up. For us, this meant a family bed and me lying down with him at nap times for several days. After that, my baby was pretty well rested. * Once the kid is well rested, institute an age-appropriate wake-up time, nap schedule, and early bedtime, and stick to the plan. The first few days I did this, my son did "fuss" a little when I put him down, but much less than before I'd gotten him well-rested. I did not have to let him "cry it out." Before reading this book, he was too overtired to sleep, so he did a lot of crying when I'd put him down. Now we're on about day 8 of following the schedule (we're flexible, it's gotten a bit messed up on a few days) and he goes to sleep very quickly and is finally taking two naps a day. *It is reasonable for babies to wake up to be fed after 4-6 hours of sleep until they are about 9 months old. So many people make out like if your baby isn't sleeping through the night by six months, you've got a spoiled baby who needs to be left alone to cry it out. Weissbluth refutes that. *It's OK to nurse the baby to sleep. Weissbluth says putting the baby down drowsy but awake is desirable, but not absolutely necessary. He's the first "expert" other than Dr. Sears who didn't make me feel EVIL for nursing the baby to sleep. ;-) So as you can see, Weissbluth is not just about leaving your baby to cry, although that recommendation is in there for some situations (mostly post-colic babies). Following his advice, I have been able to significantly improve my son's sleep habits without leaving him to cry. A word of caution: this is one of the most poorly written and organized books I've ever read. I can't believe someone of his stature couldn't produce something written in a more professional manner! Nevertheless, it's worth slogging through. Then take the info that's useful to you and develop your own sleep plan.
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Summary: Not "Cruel" but Kind!!!
Review: I have followed Dr. Weissbluth's method since my 15-month-old daughter was born (in fact, he's her pediatrician) and I have nothing but praise for Dr. Weissbluth and his advice. If read carefully, his opinions are actually much more moderate than people seem to think. Most importantly, his system works: my daughter is not only a great sleeper but one of the happiest, smiliest babies you'll see. (People comment on it all the time.) I believe a big part of that is due to the fact that she is well-rested. At four months, whe we first put her on "the schedule," there was crying for maybe 5-10 minutes tops at each bedtime and that lasted less than a week. Usually, she'd be done crying before I reached her door on my way out! Now she goes down without a single peep and when she is tired she actually gets excited and happy when I say it's "sleepy time." She is rarely fussy or difficult because she never gets over tired. On the contrary, she is extremely playful and spirited and just a joy to be around. I believe that is in large part due to Dr. Weissbluth. As for people who think it's cruel to let your baby cry, I think it's cruel to deprive them of much-needed rest. As parents, it's our job to intervene and do what's best for our babies, not to let them run the show! Many bibies cry through diaper changes, do we stop changinng their diapers? Do we not give them vaccinations because they don't like shots???
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Summary: A very useful, sensible book
Review: Nothing seems to divide new parents more than the issue of sleep. If your natural instinct is to let your child sleep in your bed (which seems to be the case with most of the negative reviews on this site), then Weissbluth's book is not for you. But if you want informed, practical advice on how to train your child to sleep in another room -- and how to deal with any sleep issues that arise in the following years -- then you can't do better than this book. Our daughter is a living (and sleeping) testament to the effectiveness of Weissbluth's methods, and we're grateful. My only complaint about the book is that it's not encyclopedic, and we have encountered several scenarios that Weissbluth doesn't address. But with his solid foundation to build on, common sense tends to take care of the rest.
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Summary: Lifesaving principles
Review: I have to say that I was very skeptical of this book at first,how could sleep have anything to do with my baby's colic? But, I was recommended the book by my pediatrician, and she said the book is her Bible and she used it with her kids. So, I bought the book right after leaving her office and went home to read it immediately. The principles of the book are great, but the wording can be long-winded and not very concise - which is exactly what an exhausted mother DOESN't need. Anyhow, that said, my baby is now 4 1/2 months old, and I read the book when she was 2 months old. She generally sleeps from 6pm to 6 or 7 am without waking up at night. Maybe once every 2 weeks she'll wake at night, but then she goes right back down! AMAZING! The key was putting her to bed earlier before she had a meltdown. Now I just have to sleep train her for those darned naps!
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Summary: This is the LAST book you will buy!!
Review: This is the BEST book on sleep, for kids! Follow what Dr. Weissbluth illustrates, and you will no longer be sleep deprived parents! You will sleep well, and your child will be happy and VERY WELL RESTED. I have read several and have found that it is the BEST book on the market! You don't have to go any further. BUY THIS BOOK!!
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Summary: A good compromise to other theories.
Review: I read Babywise and Baby Whisperer when my baby was a few weeks old, however neither theory really "clicked" when I was ready to start sleep training. This book is a good compromise to the other theories, in that it allows you, as a parent, to decide what method to use (total cry-it-out, vs. family bed, vs. the Ferber method, etc.). I also liked that it is written by a Pediatrician. The Babywise authors do not have any medical training, thus really don't tell you the "why" behind the "what to do". Dr. Weissbluth explains to you why you are doing what you are doing, and it makes sense. Most importantly, it works! I tried Babywise when my baby was 8 weeks old, and it didn't work. Now I know it was too early to start trying to rigidly sleep train at that age. I recommend this book to all my friends and new moms, and will continue to use it as my baby grows.
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