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Summary: Helping Hand
Review: This book was truely a helping hand with our first child. Concerned about wanting to do all the right things and at the right time in development BabyWise provided us a useful tool of knowledge. When our baby starting sleeping thru the night at 3 weeks we felt like we had a program that was right for us. The books disucssion of how to get your baby on a feeding and sleeping routine and the example suggestions on keeping your baby a wake after feedings instead of putting them down for a nap only make sense when you consider the energy you have after eating something yourself. (Provided that it is healthy and not full of sugar.) Having routine in a infants life is fundamental but the rewards outweight the hard work. Our daughter is now three and we have continued to use the BabyWise philosohpy and she is still a good sleeper. Also, the overall information in the book on when is best to start feeding solids, what kind to try first and helpful suggestions on potty training have answered a lot of our questions and reduced our fear of doing what is right and when. The over all philosphy of moral vs. morality is started in the early stages of life and we all hope as parents it is carried with our children as they grow and mature. Babywise and the series of books following can assist in reducing the fear factor in parents.
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Summary: It worked for me!
Review: This book was incredibly helpful to me with my firstborn, who has been sleeping through the night since 7 weeks old. I started using the principles in the book when she was 4 weeks old and would have started sooner if I had known about this book.It's a fast read and gives you good strategies to work with. The tone is a little sensationalistic "you too can have what has worked for over 500,000 babies." Every kid is different and you will want to take ideas from this book and adapt it to your own personal situation. I didn't follow what they say to do exactly, but I used the spirit behind the author's priciples, looked at my own baby's style, and experienced success. I hope you do too.
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Summary: Very Empowering!
Review: I am a soon to be first time mom and this book was given to me by a friend. I have also been a first grade school teacher for 10 years and I see everyday the effects of unstructured home life on children. I have put a lot of thought into how I want to raise my child and when I read this book it made so much sense to me. Some of the previous reviews seemed to be saying that the book suggests neglecting your child. This is not the case at all. It supports doing whatever is best for your child at any given moment and in many different situations so that your child can grow to be confident and content. I completely agree with teaching your child to be a part of a family team and giving them a purpose in life rather than teaching them that they are the center of the universe. I know two mothers who use the methods from this book with their babies and both babies are very happy and well mannered. If these methods were in any way neglectful or abusive, I don't think this would be the case. Children need structure in their lives! After reading this book, I feel much more confident that I will be a good parent.
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Summary: This book saved my life!
Review: My experience in applying the principles of this book to a colicy baby were entirely different than the other reviewer's. Life with my baby was a nightmare until I read this book. As a first-time mom, it gave me a blueprint for how to deal with a life of chaos. My baby's colic didn't go away, only time can accomplish that, however, Ezzo's schedule was actually soothing to my baby and seemed to minimize the pain she experienced. Although her colic continued to 4 mos., she started sleeping through the night most nights at about 3 mos. and her total sleep-time during a 24 hour period doubled after reading this book. (she slept only 10 hours total in a 24- hour period before reading this book) Also, I would add that in my circle of friends, "Baby-Wise" mothers seem to lose their "I-haven't-slept-in-20-years" look months before the mothers who don't agree with the book and would rather let baby run the show. Their children also seem to be happier and more well-adjusted overall. Take it with a grain of salt and, of course, use common sense. My husband and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to have children and still have a life!
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Summary: Worked with our TWINS
Review: We have a set of twins and used this method of teaching our girls to sleep through the night. This saved our lives. The girls are now 21m old and have been sleeping through the night since they were 10weeks old. We put them in the crib they do not fuss and they play for a few minutes and then just drift off to sleep. As a stay-at-home-dad with twins I know what I'm talking about as far as this saved our lives. The bedtime routine is, "You girls ready for bed". Walk upstairs kiss them good night and set them in their cribs. They lay down and go to sleep, takes about five minutes. GREAT BOOK for parents of multiples.
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Summary: Babywise: This Mother's Survival Manual
Review: The Babywise practices promote flexability in routine and nurturing care of infants. It focuses on establishing optimum feeding/waking/sleeping cycles through attentive and sensitive response to your infants needs. A Babywise parent listens to every cry the infant utters, assesses the situation, and intervenes appropriately understanding that there are many reasons why a baby cries and it is their duty to investigate and respond in a timely fashion. I have followed all the principles in Babywise with my first born son who is now 5 months old. My breastfed baby is THRIVING. His growth in weight and length are off the charts. Everyone who meets him comments on how happy and contented he is. He began sleeping through the night at 2 months on his own with no coersion. When I lay my baby down for a nap or for the night, he falls asleep on his own without crying and he wakes up cooing and happy. Because my baby is well rested, he has not suffered any illnesses of any kind, even when my husband and I experienced the flu and colds. Am I just lucky to have an "easy" baby? The answer is NO. We worked hard to research the issues, read and UNDERSTAND the principles set forth in Babywise, and implement them with all the loving care we are capable of, because we want the very best for our son. Babywise principles are in complete harmony with AAP guidelines and do not contradict any recommendations my doctor has given me. I am very thankful for the Babywise books and how they have helped me to cultivate a healthy, happy baby.
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Summary: Definitely recommend this book!
Review: I have used this book with both of my children and it works. Both were sleeping by 7 weeks (my first) and 6 weeks (my second). It definitely goes against the child-centered mind-set of most parents these days and that's why it is SO controversial. This book is a GUIDE. That's all. As with everything, a little common sense goes a long way. You shouldn't follow it down to the letter. But that's the case with everything. I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5 because I don't think it is the best plan for breastfeeding. But, if you are breastfeeding, this plan is the one I would work toward once you get your milk established. I highly recommend the guidelines in this book. People were amazed at how I could lay my baby down in her crib, fully awake, and have her go to sleep on her own.
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Summary: Whoopee!!
Review: This book is a must have for parents who value their marriages, children, and a stable home life. My son never "demanded" enough food and was a very sleepy baby because of jaundice. This book gave us the tools and encouragement to follow our own values. Babywise also gave us the information we needed to make sure our little one would not continue to lose weight. At almost four months he is in the 75% for weight, and at a recent reunion of our birthing class he was the only baby not constantly crying (he was constantly smiling instead)and who was ahead in his milestones. My son also had latching problems the first five weeks and this book was very supportive of whatever type of feeding our family chose. Now that I am breastfeeding again, I find this book evermore helpful. This book, like anything else, mandates common sense. We have been VERY flexible with the program and have used it to fit our family's needs. The only reason I did not give it five stars is because I wanted to see more info on children nine weeks and older. The friends that I have that continued to breastfeed throughout the first year all used Babywise and I can't thank them enough for recommending it. As a teacher, and as a mother I make sure to recommend it to all of those exasperated moms out there.
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Summary: Must possess common sense, others need not apply!
Review: My wife and I read this book together when our son was 7 weeks old. After carefully reading the book we decided that the ideas presented in the book were worth trying. Our son instantly fell in line with the steps mentioned in the book. Was he starved?No, Was he neglected?NO Any good parent can discern the difference in the tone of their new borns crying. This book is not for everyone but I think that most new parents can find it very useful when the book is read by someone who first and foremost possess good common sense, without it you will need a lot more than a book to assist you in rasing your child. With the steps outlined in this book our son has slept through the night from the age of seven weeks. Unless he is ill he wakes up every morning in the happiest of moods and I can only attribute this to two things, lovings parents and this wonderful book. On a side note: Our son was NOT breastfed so I can not dispell preivous reviews about the starving of children. What I can attest to is the fact that our son is now almost 3 years old, in the 95 percentile in heigth and weight and lives in a very loving family.
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Summary: A dangerous Quack!
Review: Not only is Gary Ezzo a quack, but he's a dangerous quack. He has NO medical qualifications whatsoever. Parents who look at this man as a parenting expert should really get themselves some expert advice. I read this book and found it horrifying, but not as horrifying as his other writings where he goes so far as to recommend neglecting, isolating, and even hitting your children.
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