Rating: 
Summary: Can I give it 10 stars? I LOVE this book!!
Review: I LOVE this book. I could ramble on forever about it, but I'll keep it simple. First, it works. No question about it. I read it when my first was 2 months old. He was waking up at all hours of the night to feed or just be held. 2 weeks after reading it, he was sleeping 6 hours straight. 2 more weeks later, he was sleeping 8 hours straight. All of this was done with no "crying it out". At some point he began sleeping 12 hours at night and still does at 2 1/2 years. Somewhere in there, we did have to let him cry himself to sleep when he began resisting bedtime, etc. But it's worth it. It's harder on the parents than on the child. With our second, we used this philosophy from the start and she slept 6-8 hours at night at 6 weeks. Again, with no crying or withholding feedings in the night. Lastly, the only thing in this book that could be controversial is the "crying it out" approach. Although the authors do accept it, it is not what the book is about or how this philosophy works. Like I said, both of my kids slept through the night without crying it out. But I later discovered it was necessary for my son. To date, we have not had to use that approach for my daughter because she is much calmer than he was. They are both healthy and ever-so-happy babies -- never tired or cranky! Sleep is so necessary for kids. After having so much success using this philosophy for 2 kids, I can't recommend it enough. Just try it for 2 weeks and you'll see definite results!!
Rating:
Summary: It's definitely a "love it or hate it" parenting philosophy
Review: The wonderful nurse who taught the childbirth classes where we had our first child strongly recommended this book. Her advice was, "You can either read it now, or read it 6 months from now at 3:00 AM!" We took her advice and both of our children slept through the night consistently at around 6-8 weeks (as will ANY healthy child with an established routine). The fact is that most people don't have the first clue of how to handle a baby. Relying on some mythical set of "instincts," (which I suppose translates to "Use the force, Mom!") is no way to raise your children. You'll notice in the reviews that people either love or hate this book. . .there's rarely a middle ground. In my opinion, the people who hate it tend to subscribe to the outdated recommendations made by Dr. Spock's book in the 60's. I also believe that this feel-good, laissez-faire, approach is a contributing factor to many of the discipline problems currently plaguing our society. Anyway, have a look and see what you think. . .it's not for everyone, but I believe there are a number of solid concepts in the book that would improve most people's approach to parenting.
Rating:
Summary: Worked Great for us!
Review: My sister used this for her two girls and it worked well. We used this method at her recommendation for our first child, a boy, and he was sleeping 4-5 hours a night during the first week and 7-8 hours a night since the 4th week. I am breastfeeding and he is also in the 90th percentile for weight and height. It is a wonderful system. Although I think he was born with a generally calm temperment, I believe that a flexible schedule has contributed to that calming influence - he knows when he is going to eat, when its time to sleep and when its time to play. I am also benefitting from the scheduling - I am well rested and we are able to plan events around his schedule.
Rating: 
Summary: Very disturbing parenting concepts
Review: This book is disturbing to say the least. The biggest concern is the feeding schedule which can result in failure to thrive, low weight gain and low milk supply (if breastfeeding). The concept of having a schedule is terrific, most babies will fall into a routine on their own without being forced/coerced into one. It is very restrictive to follow as a parent due to low flexibility in *sleep time*, *play pen time*, *awake time* and *feeding time* where all should occur at the same time each day. This book is unrealistic and dangerous for babies. The author is not an authority on parenting or medical issues. ...
Rating:
Summary: Baby Wise follow up - A Year Later
Review: A year ago I wrote a positive review of the previous edition of this book in which I stated my impression that negative reviews must have come from people who didn't actually read the book, but who subscribed to another type of parenting. Of course my baby was only 8 weeks old at the time. What did I know? Now our daughter is 16 months old, and everything I said last year is still true. Our daughter is happy, healthy, well-adjusted and well-rested, not only in our eyes but in the eyes of those around her. She has slept through the night since 6 weeks of age, with an average sleep of 10-11 consecutive hours in a separate bedroom, 12 hours between feedings, 1-2 long naps during the day, and roaring cheerful energy in between. When problems arise (and they do) we have tools to mitigate them. When baby is happy, healthy and well-rested, Mom and Dad are happy, healthy and well-rested. Parenthood is hard work but you don't have to be a martyr to be a parent. Just because we read a book does not make us blind followers. Of course we consider information from many sources including our pediatrician, and we modify our approach to fit our circumstances. We continue to read the series and have found useful information in the Toddler Wise and Child Wise books. Make your own decision and don't let anybody, including me, tell you how to raise your child.
Rating:
Summary: The biggest blessing in our lives!
Review: The bottom line: feed your baby if she is hungry. The authors of this book keep repeating this over and over again. I too was skeptical about implementing a parent-directed feeding, but after REALLY understanding the concepts I gave it a try. It has been the best thing in our lives-- it has meant order, stability and even sanity. Our daughter was born before schedule, had reflux, colic, jaundice...everything that wreaked havoc on our confidence as parents. We stuck close to a 2-1/2 hour pdf routine and it really worked! It took the guesswork out of trying to figure out why she was crying. My 36-weeker doubled her birthweight by 8 weeks on breastmilk alone. At her 2 month check-up she was already sleeping through the night and has only been sleeping more and more. By four months she was sleeping 11 hours straight at night and two naps during the book. Their credentials or lack thereof are not really a concern. Anyone who criticizes their methods, I simply say "do it your way, but my baby sleeps well and so do we!" At nine months old she is now in the 95th percentile for height and weight and is on the road to easily quadrupling her birthweight by 1 year! I highly recommend this book and its techniques. I also recommend the second volume for feeding guidelines. These are basically the only references I use and she is a pure joy. Everywhere we go, everyone always comments on how happy and well-behaved she is.
Rating: 
Summary: Parents are people, not computers
Review: Its been almost 8 years since I read 'Baby Wise', but I remember the book well. My daughter is now almost 8 years old, my son nearly 6. They are both normal, healthy children. They are not the underweight, sociopaths that many claim 'Baby Wise' will create. 'Baby Wise' is a good fundamental approach to putting your children on a reasonable schedule, a way to help guide them into your family (remember, you had a family even before you had kids) while meeting their needs as dependant babies. I've seen the result of children who were raised as the center of the universe, with no schedule and no boundaries - and that, folks, is not the way we want our children to be. Read 'Baby Wise'. Understand the principles. You are people, not computers: use 'Baby Wise' as a guide, not a flow chart. The author states over and over that the methods can be modified to fit your baby's particular needs and personality. I understand that Ezzo has no credentials, neither does Mr. Rogers or Dr. Seuss, but do we shun them and write them off as 'Whackos'? The ideas expressed in this book are not some 'new school' theories, but a logical approach to what we all seem to know but fail to do once we are faced with the reality of parenting. It seems that many of the unfavorable reviews come from guessing at the possible outcomes, not from experience, and that the favorable reviews come from individuals who have read the book and applied the principles (reasonably) to their own children.
Rating:
Summary: This book is perfect!
Review: It's just the right thickness to prop up that wobbly table in my basement! What a piece of garbage....the book, not the table.
Rating:
Summary: Run don't walk away from this self-centered drivle
Review: I had 4 kids in just under 6 years. Someone raved about this book, so I asked to borrow it from her. I completely disagreed with it. I fed each of my babies (youngest now 6 months) whenever they wanted to, I NEVER let them "cry it out," and guess what - they each started sleeping through the night at 4 months; and I mean 10 - 12 hours! This book is haughty, offensive and potentially dammaging. Trust you own instincts. Would you really leave a young baby to cry, if it were up to you and you weren't looking for the so called expert advice? ... NO! You want your baby to feel secure (and by the way not hungry), right? This book tries to bully you, but I wouldn't take any of its .... Try Myla and Jon Kabat-Zinn's "Mindful Parenting," and read the chapters on breastfeeding and sleeping through the night. There's no comparison to this barbaric approach. Our society is short enough on compassion, without adding the parents and children who are subjected to this horrible book.
Rating:
Summary: On Becoming Baby Wise
Review: If you take the tiem to read and implement the Christian principles put forth in the book, then it should bring you as much success as it has with our family.
| 
