Rating: 
Summary: book by a quack
Review: Babies have died as a result of the "information" in this book. He has no medical credentials and is not condoned in any way by the AAP.
Rating:
Summary: horrible and dangerous
Review: I read this book while pregnant and thought it made sense...now, however, I have an actual baby in hand and I see what a dangerous load of [fluff] this is - no one presumes to tell me I cannot eat when I am hungry, why would I be so cruel to do that to my baby? I have now read more on the web about this "system" and how it is causes babies to fail to thrive - I am throwing out the book. Be sure to do your research, I am sure you will also conclude that Ezzo is no expert but instead a dangerous, unqualified man (who incidentally was dropped by his first Christian publisher for his book being such a danger to babies). By the way, with none of this so-called "infant management" my daughter on her own started sleeping through the night at 7 weeks...so probably the people who attribute their "success" to this ridiculous book are just observing what happens naturally - when babies reach a certain weight, they sleep through the night.
Rating:
Summary: Buyer Beware
Review: Gary Ezzo has no credentials (other than being a parent, who's children won't even have anything to do with him). Please check out ezzo.info before you purchase this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Useful but BEWARE!
Review: I received this book as a gift, and I have heard many people love it. Unfortunately Gary Ezzo, claims this is an all or nothing approach to raising all children. He does not back up his theories with scientific data and has no published studies, within the professional community. He is not really a part of any professional community. He is neither a doctor, a childcare specialist (with formal training), nor an ordained minister. This book is the secular version of Growing Families International teachings (the book Growing Kids God's Way is the Christian version). There is a great deal of controversy over Ezzo's methods, and they are not at all endorsed by the AAP. I tried to implement the ideas in moderation with my daughter (our second born), but I just cannot bring myself to deny the abilities that God gave her (like crying because she is hungry), because some guy with a poorly written book says so (The book is also full of typos and false statements). There are some points that can be taken from this method (for example, we used the idea that new babies should sleep in their crib from the beginning, and at 5 weeks old our daughter was sleeping 10 hours, waking once in the middle to feed) I am not saying this method doesn't work. I would warn parents to research the background of Ezzo and the methods he endorses. For information on GFI, you can find a couple of articles in the Christian Research Journal. The baby center website also has some very interesting articles with links to their sources (including links to GFI and Ezzo's supporters), under their "Topics A to Z" forum. Please be cautious and make an well informed decision about the methods you use to raise your child(ren). The ramifications of choosing poorly, can be great.
Rating:
Summary: Misinformation and ignorance to the max!
Review: This book gives terrible advice. Ezzo is a minister who obviously knows nothing about child development. A baby cries because he needs something (ie. hunger, dirty diaper, cuddling), NOT because the child is being manipulative. A baby does not know what the clock says or what a schedule is, for that matter! Crying is the only way a baby can communicate. A baby cries to let his parents know that he needs something. To ignore a helpless baby's cries is neglectful and irresponsive to the baby's needs. How would you like it if the only way you could communicate was by crying and you were ignored? Talk about psychological damage! A baby has attachment needs at birth and if these needs aren't met by responsive parents, the baby becomes an insecure, psychologically damaged child. There have been child development studies that prove this. If parents will give their baby 100% responsiveness in the first few years of life, the child will flourish and become more independent later than a child who's parents did not cultivate an attachment bond with their baby. This is just a basic human need. Babies need to be strongly attached to their parents. I strongly recommend, "The Attachment Parenting Book," by Dr. William Sears. If you care at all about your baby, you will not follow the advice given in this book. Scheduling a baby for feedings can be especially dangerous; babies should be fed on demand because of how quickly they digest their food. Several babies have almost died from dehydration from parents who followed Ezzo's parenting advice. The AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) has denounced his book and advice in 1997. How much more proof do you need people? He is dangerous and a quack! The reviewers that say "The ones who don't use it, without exception, have screaming tyrants, who have never learned that they don't rule the family or the world," about Ezzo do not understand that babies and toddlers are egocentric at this age. It is totally normal for them to be this way. It is our job as parents to teach kindness, love and understanding. They will mirror our behavior. So for the parents who are profoundly in love with Ezzo's parenting style and applying its principles, I would say that the behaviors that their children will emulate will be distance (lack of a caring bond because basic needs are not being met, due to ignoring their baby's cries. ), intolerance (for the baby's normal behavior. The message that the baby gets is the parents will ignore his/her crying) and rigidness (or lack of flexibility. Sticking to a rigid schedule for a child under 12 months is ludicrous. This tells the child that the parents needs come first and that they are not a priority ). I'm sorry but these are not the things I want to teach my child! My advice is if parents think that babies are tyrants, then maybe they should rethink parenthood. Not everyone is cutout to be a parent. If someone is already a parent who is using this system, I recommend child development classes and family counseling to learn how to be a good parent. In order to be a good parent, one cannot be selfish, uneducated in child development and inflexible. Ezzo's method represents all of these poor parenting techniques on every level. His own children don't even speak to him! Now that should tell you something!
Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful...
Review: There are so many reviews about this book claiming so many negative things. I have many friends with children, and without exception, the ones who use Babywise have happy, sleeping, healthy children (including my own). The ones who don't use it, without exception, have screaming tyrants, who have never learned that they don't rule the family or the world. To those reviewers who believe that Ezzo encourages abuse and neglect, I would respond that he actually encourages what is best for the child's long-term health and development. When we finally decided it was time for our son to sleep through the night (after he gave us cues along those lines), he cried for about 25 minutes the first night, 5 minutes the second night, and not at all the third night. Since then, he has slept through every single night of the past 9 months (he's one now) with one or two wake-ups during teething (he went back to sleep on his own). By comparison, our friends who demand-fed (feed) their now two-year-old, still deal with screaming at bedtime, their son constantly getting out of bed, and not being able to sleep for more than 3-4 hours at a time. If the anti-Ezzo crowd is saying this is better for the child, I would have to strongly disagree. In short, I think the positive experiences with Babywise FAR outweigh the few negative cases, and for us and many of our friends, it has been a Godsend. I definitely acknowledge that this all comes down to how you see your role as a parent: as a guide to your child, helping them to fit in to the family and the world; or as a servant to your child, catering to their every need on demand. If the latter, Babywise is not for you.
Rating:
Summary: Dumbing Down Parents, Far From Wise Parenting
Review: It is a rarity that I would assign a zero to a book, yet if Amazon allowed it, that is what On Becoming Baby Wise would get. Ezzo, a man whom happens to have an enterprise built around _his_ self-perceived assumptions toward the manner in which parents should raise their kids, presents the book. As a Christian Father, I issue strong discouragement against this publication and others by this man. They are resembling of the 'burn in hell' control mechanisms from days ago. Thankfully God issues free will and discernment gifting to dads and moms, allowing them to see the deception of this man. Avoid this book, it is about control, not healthy parenting.
Rating:
Summary: Get this book and get some sleep!
Review: In 1999, a friend gave me this book when I was seven months pregnant with twins. I read it and I thought it couldn't possibly work, so I put the book away until after the babies were born. After six weeks of letting the babies have their own little schedules, I was seriously sleep-deprived. I pulled out the book and began following it closely. Within one week both twins were sleeping all night! I was finally able to get a complete night of sleep, and I felt like I had re-joined the human race. I can't recommend this book enough!
Rating:
Summary: The worst piece of garbage you'll ever read.
Review: This book deserves less than 0 stars. It is a horrible book. Gary Ezzo does not know what he is talking about. He is not an expert. His own children do not have contact with him. "Baby Wise" advocates abuse and neglect, plain and simple. The people who say they love this book are selfish and ignorant. Babies are not designed to fit on a schedule. They are not meant to sleep through the night. If you try to make your baby do this, then you are starving him. Parenting is hard, and there are no easy solutions. It is all about sacrifice, and if you are not prepared to do that then you shouldnt be a parent. This book basically tells you to take everything your instincts tell you about raising a child, and do the opposite. It is a foolish book, and not worth reading. Baby Wise isnt "Gods" way, because God doesnt advocate child abuse. Please, if you are considering buying this book--don't. For your childs sake, do not do it. This method can lead to attachement disorders and ADD. It is linked to dehydration and failure to thrive in infants. Ezzo.info has many stories about the problems this "baby training" can cause. If you love your child, you will not buy this book. Please research before you decide how to raise your child--it is an important decision that will affect their entire life. The best thing you can do for your baby is to trust your own instincts. I recomend buying Dr. Sears book instead.
Rating:
Summary: Please do NOT buy this book!
Review: The author of this book is not qualified to give parenting advice! He makes unsubstantiated medical claims, his "system" is potentially dangerous to young infants, and the AAP has spoken out against him. Please look to Dr. Marc Weissbluth's "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child," for sound, effective advice on how to help your baby sleep better.
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