Rating: 
Summary: SYSTEMATIC TORTURE
Review: Please don't use this book! It's horrible. If you love your child, don't treat him or her like this. I have a 14 month old baby and he does wake up occasionally in the night. Not a problem. I cuddle him or nurse him until he goes back to sleep. I knew coming in that parenting takes some work and maybe a little sacrifice. I comfort my child when he cries - I hold him when possible, or talk gently to him. I have never isolated him. I wouldn't dream of letting him cry alone for 5 minutes, let alone an hour. Sure, a baby will go to sleep if you let him cry long enough. He will learn that no one cares that he is lonely. Learned hopelessness, one author has called it. My child is not demanding. I have always let him know I - or someone - would be there for him, and now he is trusting, secure, and affectionate. He gets a little clingy when tired but otherwise is very independent and happy. My husband and I love our baby and we want that to be the number one thing he knows in life. Parenting isn't easy and it takes work and sometimes a little self-sacrifice, but we knew that going in. Please don't buy this book, and if you already did, get rid of it! Buy something by Dr. William Sears instead. He writes about treating your child lovingly.
Rating:
Summary: This book is very misleading, well-disguised child abuse
Review: As a general rule, I sell used books here or at my local used bookstore. This one, however, went straight into the trash to prevent another unsuspecting parent from picking it up. If you must adhere to the "cry-it-out" philosophy, there ARE much kindler, gentler method books out there. Ezzo wants you to feed your baby according to a rigid schedule. He wants you to put your baby in its crib and walk away according to a rigid schedule. He even wants your baby's waketime to work according to a rigid schedule. This book was originally written, filled with religious doctrine. It was REreleased in 1995 with the religion removed to appeal more to the mainstream public. Originally, Ezzo's book said your baby should cry it out in its crib because of what might have happened if God had not ignored Jesus' cries on the cross. New parents do not need the added stress of trying to parent their child according to someone else's idea of what a schedule should be. If you're determined to buy this book, at least make an informed decision. Rather than refer you to specific sites, simply go to your favorite search engine and type in the name of the book, or the name of the author. You'll find plenty of information. In the meantime, if you're looking for thoughtfully written baby books, supported by research and happy parents, check out William Sears.
Rating: 
Summary: Strong and Harsh words denote a weak argument
Review: Please don't be fooled by the people who spew venom on this book. After all, when you look at the variety of products recommended and produced by the Dr. Sears crowd, you can see they have a vested interest in getting you to follow their philosopy. All this book has in mind is giving you the knowledge and advice you need to raise a happy, well-adjusted child. Everyone I know who has actually put the tenets of this book to use has sung its praises--there are no exceptions to this rule. I have to believe that the people who say bad things about it have not tried it. Yes, it is the hardest thing you can do to put a baby down when it's naptime and let them cry for 15 minutes, but believe me, you only have to do that a few times for them to learn a very important skill--falling asleep on their own. If they don't settle down in that period of time, you also have the confidence of knowing that something else is bothering them, like a burp, or being too cold, etc. In the long run, this confidence in being able to understand your baby's needs is absolutely essential. People continually marvel at my 3-month-old, who not only has been sleeping through the night since she was 7 weeks old, but who is predictably stable and never fussy. We can take her to get-togethers with our friends and even to church, and she hardly makes a peep. Both she and her cousin (also a babywise baby) are about the happiest babies on the planet. They smile and giggle all the time and don't fuss when it's naptime or bedtime--and let me tell you--that makes for the happiest mom and dad on the planet!!!
Rating:
Summary: It is Gospel...BELIEVE!
Review: I have a 3 year old and 6 month old, but didn't read this until the latter was 4 months. IT CHANGED MY LIFE!! I read statements like that at the beginning of the book and thought, yeah right. But the simple truth is I am now working smarter, not harder and my baby is the happiest guy on the planet. The only thing I didn't like was the pious attitude that if you don't raise your child like this, he will turn out to be a short-attention-span brat. But the practical how-to advice far outweighs any problem I have with their confidence -- because it definitely gets results.
Rating:
Summary: Buyer beware! Methods not sound; Ezzo NOT QUALIFIED
Review: Babies are NOT supposed to sleep through the night! Their small bodies need frequent nourishment. Since breast milk is digested much more quickly than formula, breastfed babies NEED to be fed every 2-3 hours. Formula babies can go a little longer between feedings, but not much. I read this book when I was pregnant and thought it sounded reasonable, but when baby was born, I had much better results when I followed my instincts -- nursing baby when she's hungry, holding her when she cries. It is cruel to let a baby cry. They do not have the mental capacities to "manipulate" parents, as the Ezzos purport! There is ABSOLUTELY NO scientific research that newborns "learn" from crying. NONSENSE! There is a reason a crying baby is upsetting to adults -- it's nature's way of ensuring the child gets the attention it NEEDS to thrive and grow! The biggest problem with this book, however, is that the authors make numerous, medical-sounding claims that ARE NOT based on any research! They sound authoritative, but their claims are pure rubbish! Furthermore, Mr. Ezzo is a fraud! He has no medical or psychological training. He is allegedly a minister, although his educational credentials are also questionable. This book contains no bibliography, which conveniently prevents the reader from doing any follow up research. Of course, that is because there IS NO RESEARCH for a reader to pursue. I could go on all day, but I hope I've made my point. This book is trash.
Rating: 
Summary: Babywise - A Middle Ground For Confused, New Moms
Review: Babywise is a good middle ground for moms you don't want to or can't have a baby attached to the breast several times an hour- but want the flexibility to trust themselves and listen to their baby's needs. Everyone we know who has applied the principals in this book recommended it to us wholeheartedly. The authors may seem harsh sometimes - especially to a new and unsure mom as I was - but one of the main messages is FLEXIBILITY. The authors never say to leave a hungry baby hungry - just that a crying baby is not always a hungry baby... babies have other needs besides hunger. Your new baby will not starve on a 2 1/2 - 3 hour schedule (which by the way is a much more frequent feeding schedule than most grandmas went by). Our baby was small at birth and we woke her up every 2 1/2 to 3 hours to feed her for the first month. At 5 1/2 weeks she was sleeping 7-8hours at night and at 2 months she was in the 90th percentile for weight and height. She is thriving, happy, and now, at 4 months, goes down at night and for naps without any fussing.
Rating:
Summary: This is GREAT!
Review: I really liked this book. I exclusively breastfed and found that what this book says is true: feed the baby on a schedule and breastffeding will be easier and the baby will sleep through the night. It's not just that it makes your (and the baby's life) simpler, the schedule helps to provide the baby with the stability kids yearn for and the milk he needs. In our case, if the baby was obviously hungry in 2 1/2 hours instead of 3, I fed him (as the book directs). If he wasn't hungry until 3 1/2 hours, I waited. Both he and I were happier and my milk production has stayed high (he's 8 months now and we're still on the schedule, still exclusively breastfeeding -- and he has slept through the night since he was 3 months old!). Finally, this book has ensured that -- even though I'm back at work -- I have been able to continue to produce enough milk for my son. I know when he eats at the day care because he's on a schedule. I pump at work when he is scheduled to eat. That way we both stay on the same schedule and I'm ready to feed him when I get off work. The day care was skeptical at first, but once they saw how happy and comfortable he was eating on the schedule I had already established, they were more than happy to continue him on his schedule. I recommend this book to any woman who is breastfeeding and wants to 1) sleep through the night and 2) maintain her milk production (even when she returns to work).
Rating:
Summary: MUST HAVE book
Review: We received this book prior to the birth of our daughter from a friend who had taken a parenting course based on Ezzo's work. It was THE most important gift we received. Everyone I know who has followed at least some of the recommendations on establishing a routine, and getting kids to sleep has very, very happy babies (and happy, rested Mommies). I know so many who tried to follow the demand-fed method, carried their babies around for hours in a Bjorn, and spent a couple years trying to get their kids to sleep. You can raise a healthy, wonderful child using any of the recommended methods. However, if you follow Babywise you will also get a happy, rested, set of parents. And, a child who doesn't learn he needs to scream for food.
Rating:
Summary: Beware
Review: This is the sanitized version of the book in which theologian Ezzo omits his reasoning for letting your baby cry without comforting him. The other version quotes Bible scripture as proof of his assertions--Yikes! Ezzo is not a doctor, and the American Academy of Pediatrics has voiced their concern about the content of this book, with good reason. This man has no business telling anyone how to raise their child. Stay far, far away from this book.
Rating:
Summary: Life Saver!!
Review: Upon finding that I was unexpectantly pregnant, panic set in.I had no previous experience with babies or children and I felt very uncertain about my mothering abilities and future.The most confusing thing being the diverse advice/warnings/and "old-wives tales" about babies.Upon receiving a copy of this book from a good friend, my husband and I began to read it together. Admittedly we were sceptical about the promise of a full nights sleep, in the beginning. But our baby was sleeping through the night by 7 weeks old due to the advice of this book. It's all common sense, it cuts through the myths and it convinces you (most importantly) that you are DOING THE RIGHT THING!! Read this book, follow the advice, learn to filter the advice from relatives and friends and you're on your way to sanity. We have given this book to all our friends who have since fallen pregnant and it has worked every time. Just dont give up, keep following it!! You will have the most content and happy baby anyone your family or friends have ever seen!!
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