Rating: 
Summary: This book is a crock.
Review: A friend of mine who was a mother already recommended this book to me. My mom bought it for me and I read it. I thought it was a bunch of bunk. I was told alot of that stuff from family members but I don't buy it. I spent many a sleepless night because my son was alone in his crib. At age four months I got sick of that and put him in bed with my husband and I. We like him there and it hasn't affected our marriage at all and my son began sleeping thorugh the night. I also picked him up when he cried. I didn't run in at the first little peep, but I refused to let him scream and cry. He just wanted to be held. Personally, I believe this method DOES NOT spoil a child...it just shows them they are loved and protected. My son is two now and he has never experienced separation anxiety, is friendly and not at all shy. If I want to spoil him I will let him get his way all the time. Loving and holding your child can't spoil them. If people don't want to have sleepless nights, aren't willing to give up some time, and decide that scheduling a baby so that their personal and private isn't disrupted in any way is what's best...they shouldn't not have children. I'm sorry my mom spent money on this book. Love your children, hold them, hug them, and enjoy every second you have because someday they'll be to big to rock.
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Summary: Not Natural at All!
Review: Babywise rates NO STARS at all.Why is training baby to sleep through the night a measure of success as a parent? This is nuts and Ezzo's methods are anything but natural. Even Ferber, the originator of baby sleep training, has spoken out against the methods of Babywise. The Parent Directed Feeding method described in Babywise elevates the routine above providing the healthiest nutrition for baby. The spaced feeding methods advocated in this book contradict everything known about successful breastfeeding and can directly *cause* low milk supply, forcing mothers who could otherwise breastfeed exclusively to supplement with, or even switch to, formula in order to maintain this routine. This program has been implicated in cases of failure to thrive and dehydration resulting in infants being hospitalized. While Dr. Buckman's name lends a measure of credibility to Babywise, this material (originally published as: Preparation for Parenting, Bringing God's Order To Your Baby's Day And Restful Sleep To Your Baby's Night) was authored by Ezzo and his wife, who have minimal (if any) background in child development. This lack of knowledge is evident as they contradict sound medical advice, criticize other styles of parenting, and misinterpret sound research in favor of their own ideas. Babywise is anything but *baby* wise. It has little to do with order for *baby's* day and rest for *baby's* night. It is clearly *parent*-centered and selfish. It revolves around a grown-up world and caters to adults who wish to continue their own lifestyle without being inconvenienced by their children. Please look elsewhere for sound infant care advise!
Rating: 
Summary: Fabulous guide for the majority of babies!
Review: I have read the reviews for Babywise on this website, and although this book may not work for *every* baby, it does work for the majority. Yes, babies do make their own schedule -- to a degree. Parents are certainly able to shape how their babies schedule comes together with the result being happier babies. This book preaches routine *with* flexibility. That's the key. A schedule will never work without the element of flexibility. The book does address issues such as growth spurts and decreased milk supplies at night and how to get around these issues with the program. I highly recommend this book to any new parent, but don't forget that your baby is an individual. Feel free to experiment using the book as your guide. Don't make any one program your Bible.
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Summary: This book is dangerous
Review: Newborns can be so inconvenient! Can you imagine coming into a place blind, unable to speak, unable to gesture, and ravenously hungry? All you can do is cry, and how dare you - the people God placed you with have a different schedule. Sorry, agenda. Tsk Tsk.
Rating: 
Summary: My baby is happy
Review: I've read some negative reviews on this book at this web site. All I can say is that thanks to this book, little Adam started sleeping through the night in his seventh week. He wakes up smiling every day. As Ezzo says in the book the sound of crying from distress is quite different from crying to unwind, so let them cry a little! There is nothing cruel about letting a child relax himself. Also, children are happy when they're in a secure, pleasant environment, not a sleep deprived and grumpy household!
Rating:
Summary: it works
Review: It makes sense and it works. Very practical and do-able. No psycho babble just the truth. definately worth the time to read.
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Summary: Concern regarding using this book with breastfed babies
Review: Many of the suggestions and recommendations in this book would be inappropriate for feeding and caring for breastfeed babies. Frequent feedings are often very much apart of a breastfed infants day. Frequent feedings have several advantages: increasing mom's milk supply, helping to prevent engorgement, and helping to establish breastfeeding in general and establishing the bond between mother and child. This book , however, also does not take into consideration growth spurts, during which the infant needs to nurse even more frequently. Schedules and sleeping through the night all sound like good things---but are they really good for all babies (breast or formula)?
Rating: 
Summary: The idea is great, but it's not as easy in practice
Review: I thought the book was interesting, but it did not work well for me. The authors spend 3/4 of the book saying why the method is so wonderful, but do not spend enough time explaining how to get your child to sleep. I found that just putting my daughter down for a nap, as they say to do, did not work. SHe could cry for hours, or until I could not stand it anymore. And then I felt like a failure because I could not get her to sleep without rocking her. THey do not give much help with how you should just get your child to fall asleep on her own, therefore, the book was pointless to me. I would only recommend this book to someone with an easy baby who falls asleep easily. Then the scheduling idea will work wonderfully.
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Summary: Family-centered parenting provides a loving environment!
Review: I eagerly read Babywise and everything else I could get my hands on before the birth of my son. Everything has to be taken with a grain of salt, but I wholeheartedly recommend Babywise. Ezzo says that providing structure and routine is critical to making your baby feel safe and secure in his new world, but he warns against foresaking flexibility in the name of routine. I followed the basic principles of Babywise and my son has thrived. Not only did he succeed in sleeping through the night at 8 weeks of age, but the comfort of a regular routine has allowed him to be extremely adaptable when the need arises. My son (now 10 months old) is easy to take places, travel with and most importantly, a joy to be around. In contrast, my friends who have started with demand-feeding their children every hour (and sometimes more frequently than that) are now dealing with toddlers who are telling their parents what to do, can't be left in church nurseries, and don't understand why Mommy can't stop nursing the new baby to get him a toy! I truly believe that when children aren't taught to be part of a family unit (whatever that means in your situation), we are setting the stage for teenagers who don't take responsibility for their actions and adults who don't function well in society. So much of parenting is common sense. Any book you read should be taken with a grain of salt and with the consideration of your child, his/her temperament and special needs. I have friends who have used Babywise, but fail to use common sense--these "by the book" people are so wrapped up in the suggested 2 1/2-3/12 hour feeding intervals they don't pay attention to their own gut instinct and forget that the book also says to be flexible in your routine. I enthusiastically recommend Babywise as a starting point for childrearing to all of my friends.
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Summary: All the bad reviews are from insecure parents! (IMHO)
Review: I picked up this book after I had a friend recommend it to me. My baby girl is only 3 weeks a 2 days old and the meathods don't work 100% of the time but it is beginning to come together! My little girl gets held and played with for about an hour and a half every three hours (the rest she will sleep) and she is not LACKING in any way. When she fusses about going to bed I let her cry it out for 5 minutes (and they are just little wha's...not the blood curtling cries) and she eventually goes to sleep. If I have to go into her room and talk to her or caress her little head, or turn on her music 15 times I will, but eventually she falls asleep. She is not ignored like some of the reviewers imply and I believe that the bad reviews are from insecure parents. Ones that will jump at every "WHAAAA". Had I done that from the beginning I would be a nervous reck and a very unrested one at that. At church this weekend I met up with a young couple that have a nine month old. I asked them how she is doing with her sleeping and the mother told me that the only way they can sleep now is if their daughter sleeps with them. So...the husband and wife's bed is now a threesome not a twosome. This child cannot sleep on her own and is insecure. The mother did everything that the "bad reviewers" would be doing and yet her daughter doesn't want to be left alone at all. I told them about the Baby Wise meathod and they said that when they have another baby they will DEFINATELY do things differently. I find the "jumping to the baby's every cry" (unless there is something wrong with the baby - and a mother knows when her baby is in pain) meathod extremely harmful to a child because she/he is growing up to be insecure. My three and a half week old is already sleeping for most of the night. I get awakened once in the middle of the night and the rest I get to sleep. This makes for a happier mommy, and it gives me the energy to play, or hold my daughter. This book may not work for every baby because a mother can tell when her baby is in pain (such as a colic baby) or just not feeling well. But I guarantee you that if you persist and do it lovingly (not like the bad reviewers imply) it will work. Sincerely, Diana
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