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Summary: GARY EZZO: AUTHOR WITHOUT CREDENTIALS
Review: The first thing that an informed parent should do before taking any parenting advice is to verify the credentials of the source. Gary Ezzo has no medical training, no background as a parent educator, no experience or training in psychology, child development, or lactation. He does not even have a college degree. He has a "master's degree" from an unacredited school that gives "credit" for life experience.Babywise is a wealth of medical misinformation, on everything from child development to lactation. He misquotes several medical practictioners, and mis-states the feeding recommendations of the APA. As a result, he is being sued by several "sources" who object to his methods and are upset over being "quoted" in his book. Gary Ezzo has also been excommunicated from two churches, both of which deemed him unfit for leadership, and he has falsified his credentials publicly. Additionally, the American Academy of Pediatric Medecine issued a strongly worded MEDIA ALERT, cautioning new parents to avoid Gary Ezzo's book, and warning them that it contains recommendations which are in direct opposition to medical advice on infant feeding. Lactation consultants, medical practitioners, and psychologists almost unanimously agree that his book is based a wealth of misinformation. WHY WOULD YOU TAKE ADVICE FROM THIS MAN?
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Summary: The method is PDF
Review: PARENT DIRECTED FEEDING. Use your best judgment! Just because your baby cries, doesn't mean he/she is hungry!! It's the ONLY one that actually makes sense. It does NOT tell you to stick to a schedule if your baby is hungry... rather it advises you to try other remedies first (if it's not the time to feed yet) rather than just going straight to the breast which is what so many mothers do. The book even tells you that in the first week or two to consentrate on getting a full feeding and making sure the baby is nursing correctly and not to worry about timing. It's a natural process. I have 3 children and didn't hear about this book until my last one... and let me tell you, it has made a HUGE difference! In no way did I ever feel like I was neglecting my baby. She was a happy baby and didn't go hungry if she was ACTUALLY hungry.
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Summary: Book Written by Cult Leader
Review: Anybody seriously thinking of buying this book needs to run a google search on Gary Ezzo to find why churches nationwide deem this man a "cult leader." The good parent is an informed one, and I implore ALL parents to research this man who lies about where he got his education from, his training, etc. If you believe that children under the age of 2 should be physically punished, infant's hands should be held while they eat solid foods they don't want to eat, that babies should be relegated almost constantly to pens since exploration of their environment is wrong, then this is the book for you. If you don't agree with any of these statements, DON'T buy the book. Gary Ezzo's publisher even called this book "dangerous," and almost canceled its publishing. Apparently they've decided to publish it as long as it makes money. However, one final statement as to Gary Ezzo's beliefs: in this man's eyes, a baby that cries should be ignored, because if God ignored his own son Jesus on the cross, we must do the same to our children. If that doesn't scare you, I don't know what will.
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Summary: This was the most helpful book!! BEST for first time parents
Review: I am a first time mom. Babywise I and II were my lifeline. They both contain excellent information that has really helped my now 6 mo old daughter and me. They were the only books that gave me information on how to be a Mom on a day-to-day basis (structure her day, feeding & nap schedules, etc.) as opposed to all the books that tell you generally the total # of hours they sleep and medical or developmental stuff to watch for.
When I first started using the sleep training and routine suggestions, my daughter really responded well. My days went from chaotic and haphazard to having some sort of structure so I could begin to plan other things, like housework and dinner. However, some of the sleep training I had to ease myself into. I really like that the books encourage you to follow a general routine or strategy, but ultimately any routine MUST be subject to parental or caregiver assessment. Nothing in this book is encouraged to be a strict interpretation or a rigid schedule, but rather a general routine that is followed more consistently than not in order to provide stability to the baby's day. As encouraged in Babywise I and II, I am consistent in what I will not allow her to do, and that provides her good boundaries with eat, sleep and play activities. These were the first books that really outlined for me all the non-medical things I needed to do daily in order to "parent" my child. My daughter started sleeping through the night on her own at 10 weeks.
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Summary: Be wary...
Review: While this book sets a structure to help parents care for their child...I caution you to understand that most importantly your child's needs come first, not yours. Use this book as a guide but remember to follow your instincts. It is easy to go along with other people's advice when your exhausted and anxious about a new baby. When in doubt, consult your pediatrician. The charts in the back of the book are useful if you are unsure of how to determine if your baby is getting enough to eat.
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Summary: Don't buy this book
Review: This book was not written by people with appropriate training -- medical or otherwise. Their methods, especially with regard to food restriction, have led to dehydrated and undernourished babies. If you want to read some useful books that will get your baby the food and sleep he needs AND eventually result in a wonderful routine read Dr. Weissbluth's Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child (on sleep) and any of the books by Ellyn Satter on food.
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Summary: This philosophy works - ever been to an orphanage?
Review: The babies there don't cry, either. Leaving a newborn baby to cry because (as the book says) "Mama decides when naptime begins; Mama decides when naptime ends." will certainly train the child not to bother you with their crying. Do a search an decide if you are so desperate to believe the lofty promises in this book that you don't mind if your child will have Reactive Attachment Disorder, failure to thrive or infant depression.
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Summary: Good Parenting = Good Children
Review: I would have given this book 4.5 stars if available. I have an 8 month old daughter. And I cannot tell you the number of people who say to me, "She is the BEST baby I have ever seen". And the other comment I hear is "You just put her in bed and walk away and she just goes to sleep?" Yes! I may read her a book or sing a lullaby first. But YES, she sleeps in her bed with out resisting. And "no" she doesn't need a bottle to fall asleep. (Do you go to bed with a cup of coffee or diet coke?) It's all just common sense. I read this book b/c I had a friend who's boys were by far the best children I had ever met. And she recommended the book. It REALLY works. And despite the bad press, I still recommend this book to my friends. I believe it is important to remember who the parent is and who runs the household. Children need to have a stable, consistent living environment. This book instills that with the eat, awake, sleep routine. My daughter is happy, healthy and loved. It is very apparent when you see her. I will do the same thing with the next one if/when the time comes.
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Summary: Want a routine? Use another book.
Review: This book starts from the principle that babies are bad and manipulative and your job as parents is to make them conform to whatever you desire. If you are that selfish, maybe you shouldn't be having children? The AAP recommends against it. The church Ezzo was from severed all ties with him.
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Summary: This book is Great!
Review: This book saved us with our second child! Our first one began sleeping through the night on her own by six weeks but my second was very irregular in both her eating and sleeping habbits. She was growing exhausted and overfed to the point of projectile vomiting. Whenever she was uncomfortable she would show the'signs of hunger' so we would feed her, which made things that much worse. I read this book and on a Monday began implimenting what I had learned. I put her on a feeding and sleeping schedule and by that Friday she was sleeping through the night and much happier. It took so much of the guess work out of determining her needs. I highly recomend it!She is a very happy well trained little girl.
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