Rating: 
Summary: The theory works, but use common sense!
Review: There is some valid criticism of this book, which is the reason that I only reluctantly give copies to brand new parents--both singing the praises of the methods and warning not to apply everything Ezzo recommends blindly.The basic premise is that you feed your baby when it first wakes, and wake the baby if it falls asleep before getting a good, complete feeding. Then you try to keep the baby awake--at first this will be only a few minutes, maybe just 2 or 3 minutes in a newborn. Then, while the baby is still awake, lie him or her down to sleep. The main idea is that you don't let the baby depend the breast or nipple to go to sleep--the baby learns to comfort and put herself to sleep. The theory is that babies wake naturally every few hours. With this method they have the skills to get themselves back to sleep without fully waking or waking you once, twice, three times each night. It REALLY works for most babies. I'm sure there are some babies who just don't have the temperment for this, but it worked like a charm for my baby, and for all of my friends whom I've turned on to the book. I have a five month old who sleeps 12 hours at a stretch without waking and has done so since she was 10 weeks old. Not ONCE since she was 10 weeks old has she awoken in the middle of the night, and she wakes up in the morning so happy and calm it's hard to believe. Often, she'll wake about 1/2 an hour before her usual waking time and "sing" and coo to herself in the crib. When she sees me come into the room, she is grinning from ear to ear. And despite the fact that she has just gone over 12 hours since the last feeding, she is not ravenously hungry in the morning--rarely finishes her very first bottle. The one drawback to this method is that it's hard for the baby to sleep anywhere but her own crib. We don't go out much, but find that when we do, we can't stay out too long past the baby's bedtime because she won't just fall asleep in the car seat or our arms for more than a few minutes as our older daughter did. She gets very cranky and tired, and seems so releived when we finally get home to her own crib. She's also comfortable in her portacrib, so that she won't go bezerk when we travel--don't forget to factor this in!!! That said, the critics are right when they say some of Ezzo's advice is stupid and dangerous. Even though he claims his recommendations for a feeding schedule are flexible, they are actually very rigid, and an inexperienced parent who tries to rigidly adhere to them can end up causing dehydration in the baby. I tell people I give the book to that they should try everything they can to make sure the baby takes as much as she can with each feeding, but if she can't go as long as Ezzo recommends between feedings just go ahead and feed sooner. It still works fine. Also, it's ridiculous to let a newborn "cry it out" for more than just a few minutes. My children have the uncanny knack of just escalating and escalating when any attempts are made in that direction. So just be consistent. If the baby seems to be getting more upset, go in and give comfort, and then start the routine to get the baby to sleep again. I only had to do this for about 2 days to get my newborn to settle down for naps. Sometimes during the day, my newborn would cry for no apparent reason and be very upset. My attempts to comfort her didn't work, so I'd put her in the crib to give myself a moment to calm down. And the minute she'd hit the crib she'd smile and go right to sleep. She was trying to tell me that she was tired and wanted to be in the place where she sleeps. Ezzo's idea to place the baby in the playpen or a baby seat in front of a window to amuse herself is pretty ridiculous for a young baby. Baboes aren't awake that much to begin with. PLAY with him or her!!!! As your baby gets older, you can leave her in a safe position to play for a little while--but don't expect 45 minutes as Ezzo recommends. When you're baby starts to express frustration, it's time to give your baby some attention. However, I don't agree with critics who say this method is incompatible with "attachment parenting". Nothing says you can't be very attached to your baby while letting her sleep in her own space--at least for naps and for most Americans at night too. This baby sleeps so well and seems very secure and serene. She is cuddly and happy to be in our arms, but just as happy to be put in her crib when she's tired. When she's had enough rest, she is positively joyful (and so am I!!!). When she's awake, I am with her, carrying her in a sling or front pack, playing with her on the floor, tickling her on the changing table--everything an "attached" parent would do. But with this method the baby takes great naps so I get things done or a chance to rest myself, and we both have wonderful, restful nights. If you overlook some of the advice Ezzo gives, I think the basic premise is very good.
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Summary: I wish I had this book while I was pregnant
Review: I thought this book was very good. It helped us to get our baby on a schedual and therefore made our lives slightly more sane. Our daughter is 10 weeks old and slept throught the night when she was 5 weeks old. I use this book and the book "Secrets of the Baby Whisperer" as references. Both have the same ideas as far as getting them on a schedual. "Secrets of the Baby Whisperer" says to go to the baby whenever she cries. "On Becoming Babywise" says to let them cry it out. I think there needs to be a happy medium between the two. That is why I say I use them both. Both agree that the baby should feed, play and then sleep. Neither tells what you are supposed to do if the baby falls asleep after a feed and you cannot get her to wake up.
Rating: 
Summary: Recommended by Pediatrician
Review: Prior to the birth of my first child in 1999, I had heard of this book and I read the Amazon.com reviews, both for and against. People either strongly loved it or severely hated it. It made it difficult to make a decision, but not wanting to hurt my baby, I decided not to buy the book. Imagine my surprise when our pediatrician, at a pre-birth educational session, suggested the PDF method discussed in Baby Wise. He had been recommending it to his patients for 4 years, and had also used it for his own children. He stated that of all of the children saw, he could always tell PDF babies because they were better behaved and happier. You have to remember to keep the book in context, and use only what you want to use. As first-time parents, I felt the book was good because it explained the child's natural sleep cycle. Work with that, and your child will be happier. Working against it will make it tougher on both of you. I could understand that. I don't like waking up in the middle of the night either! But I knew my sleep cycle. Before I read the book I didn't know what a baby's sleep cycle was. (I find it interesting that now there are many stories on Dateline and 20/20 about how better/more sleep improves child behavior, intelligence, and learning. Maybe Ezzo was a little ahead of his time there.) The other helpful point for first-time parents made by the book is that babies cry for different reasons. It's their only way to communicate! So realize that crying doesn't always mean that they are hungry. Are they wet? Are they cold? We learned to recognize different sounds, and it helped to save our sanity. The worst thing to go through as a new parent is to have your child crying and you not knowing what to do. The PDF method helps to minimize this. Do I believe everything Ezzo says? No. But I didn't let that stop me from taking away and using the pieces of information that I did agree with. Was I grateful for the help in understanding my daughter's sleep cycle? Absolutely. My daughter did sleep through the night at 8 weeks, and yes, people always did comment that she was a happy baby, just like the book said they would. Maybe it's her personality and the book had nothing to do with it. Maybe not. My son will be born any day now, and I just re-read the book again. He'll be a "Baby Wise" baby too, and I hope that he is as happy as my daughter is.
Rating: 
Summary: Ezzo is a fraud, according to Christianity Today
Review: Ezzo's book is filled with unsubstantiated nonsense that seems popular only because he offers easy solutions to the difficult task of raising a baby. Moreover, he is unqualified, and his credentials are suspect. His integrity is so much in question that he was removed from a position of power within his own church. He does not have the degrees that he claims to possess. Frankly, I am stunned that Amazon is still selling this book, considering that the publisher has apologized for printing it. For those who question my position, please refer to a recent article in CHRISTIANITY TODAY that reveals this information.
Rating:
Summary: A Dangerous Book
Review: Gary Ezzo has no credentials and does NOT have a medical degree. If you are a breastfeeding mom, the information in his book could lead to poor weight gain in your infant and failure to thrive. When I showed this book to my pediatrician, he told me to return the book to the store I bought it from and try to forget every word of it. Breastfed babies need to eat more frequently than Ezzo's harsh and rigid scheduling will allow. Newborn babies, especially breastfed babies, *need* to eat during the night. And my pediatrician informed me that the American Academy of Pediatrics defines "sleeping through the night" as a five hour stretch of sleep. This book basically orders you to disregard the cries of your baby in order to make your life more convenient. It's about priorities. What is more important - that your baby is properly fed and comforted? Or that you get 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep? Your baby is only a baby for a very short time, but you can get a good nights sleep for the rest of your life. Ask any pediatrician -- newborn babies do not cry in order to manipulate us. They cry to communicate a need. When you ignore their cries, you are teaching them that their needs will not be met. That's sad. There are much better sleep books out there that do not risk a baby's health and safety. Ezzo's rigid feeding schedules fail to take into account an infant's changing nutritional needs due to growth spurts. For your baby's physical and emotional health, please don't buy this book.
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Summary: Medically irresponsible
Review: Someone gave me this when my little girl was only a week old. It didn't make sense to me, and I junked it. Thank God; a week later, I found out that the American Pediatric Society (a far more reputable voice than a theologian when it comes to my child) discourages the Babywise method. The infants that are being breastfed on a Babywise schedule can suffer from something called Failure to Thrive. This means that they are quietly starving. We moved on to other ways to parent. Yes, she nursed a lot in the beginning, but she grew, she nursed less, and I never had to force her to cry to prove that I am boss. I'm her mother, I'd walk through fire for her, why would I follow this irresponsible sadist?
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Summary: A Great Starting Point!
Review: A co-worker gave me this book before my baby was born. I was excited because my brother and his wife had already recommended it. It was a great place to start from. Until I read this book, I hadn't even thought about when to feed the baby, etc. It has helped immensely! Our daughter is now 5 weeks old and sleeping 5-6 hours a night--well on her way to sleeping 7-8 hours as she should in a few weeks. The only thing I would say is that while they give some help to adapt it to your own schedule, you should let the baby help determine her own regular schedule with your guidance. They recommended no more than 3 1/2 hours from start of feeding to the start of the next, but my baby does better with four. Nevertheless, I'm in charge of her schedule and can change it when necessary. This book has saved my sanity of knowing how to start. I have also referred to the chapter on what to do when she cries many times. It is so wise to find the real reason behind the cry and not just assume it's always hunger--it usually isn't if she is well and regularly fed. If you're having a baby, you need this book!!! I'm buying it for my expecting friends!
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Summary: Sanity, here I come!
Review: My husband's friend recommended this book to us before our son, Alex was born. We read it and were able to apply its lessons one week later. Alex started sleeping through the night after 10 weeks and he's the happiest kid I know. I'm always telling my friends about this book. I don't know what we would have done without it. As a new mother, I truly appreciated the information and it was easy to understand. Children aren't born with the knowledge to understand their needs. That's the parents job. This book shares information from breastfeeding vs. bottlefeeding to how to keep your baby on a schedule which will work for your family. It's not meant to be rigid or inflexible, it's meant to be used as a guideline from which to start. You change and apply what you feel you need to for your baby. I've also read the negative reviews on this book and feel that those people allow the baby to run their households and will only be raising an overindulged child and will be paying for it later. My son is one year old now and we feel that he had the best start possible largely due to loving parents and this book.
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Summary: Horrible gift for a first-time mom
Review: I received this book as a gift and read it when I had my first child. I thought the methods sounded good at first, but this book (someone told me it was originally called "Raising Kids God's Way"???)is the only book I have ever thrown in the garbage. By reading the reviews, I can see that the training Bucknam writes about seems to work for many parents. It wasn't the right thing for my husband, my son, and I, though. If letting your child cry it out feels unnatural to you, I recommend reading reviews for "The Baby Book" by William and Martha Sears to see which philosophy fits you better. My son screamed so loudly in the hospital that they wouldn't let him stay with the other babies in the nursery. When we went home, I first tried the methods in "Babywise," but I later discovered that we were more of a Sears-type family. Having a new baby wasn't enjoyable when I followed "Babywise"; I fought all of my natural instincts to comfort my newborn and the book made me feel guilty and undisciplined for having any strong mothering instincts. I stumbled upon the Sears' book, and it supported everything that I had really wanted to do with my baby but wasn't sure I should try. We all slept easily (and guilt-free) that same night. When people criticize our ideas about how our baby sleeps, I just smile at them and think, "Fine, but we're happy and well-rested." Clearly, "Babywise" and "The Baby Book" are not anywhere near each other philosophically. Bucknam might make a reader think that failure to discipline a six-week old is what's ruining our young people, but I have an affectionate and polite little boy who does not run our household, despite the fact that "Babywise" went to the county dump long ago. I recommend that people look at the contents of both books carefully before choosing one or the other.
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Summary: The Best Baby!
Review: Everyone will rave about your sweet baby after implementing this wonderful program into your babies life! This is especially helpful to new mothers who have never worked with a baby and the most important need of putting your baby on a healthy schedule. This book is almost like a handbook to babies. Our daughter was started on Babywise on day one and has been a gift to us and everyone around her. She is very predicatable and extremely happy. I kept this book and Babywise Two within arms reach and was constantly consulting the writing of Ezzo and Bucknam. We have a happy 8 month old baby who has slept through the night since 9 weeks and takes two naps a day religiously. Her sleeping has not been affected by teething or illness. She loves her wake time and plays well with other children, adults, and all by herself. We couldn't imagine our life without this book and we can't wait to have another baby!
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