Rating: 
Summary: One of many books you should read
Review: I read this book when my oldest was a baby. She is now a lovely, confident, outgoing 8 year old. The advice did not "ruin" her, as one reviewer claimed. But no one should take advice from only one source. This book is not just more advice on letting your baby cry him/herself to sleep. What it made me realize was that newborns have immature nervous systems and are simply not calmed in the same way we adults are. Now some people may say "DUH" to that. But how many people paint characters on the nursery walls and stick their faces right up against baby and expect the kid to coo sweetly? Answer, most, including me. We followed the advice of keeping the decorations to a minimum for the first few months and keeping the stimulation low, and baby calmed down easily. We allowed her to suck her thumb, even though the dentist had a fit about it later. (BTW, he now admits that the thumbsucking has expanded her mouth to allow her teeth to grow in straighter than they would have if she had not sucked). So my advice is to read this book and many others (Penelope Leach, What to Expect, etc). Draw your own conlusions and do what is best for your child.
Rating: 
Summary: this book helped our family a lot!
Review: i was amazed to read the divergent viewpoints of the previous 26 reviews! seems like one either loves this book or hates it! could it be that it fits some families and not others? i looked up this book because i am going to buy it for my pregnant sister and recommend it to a friend. i read this book 10 years ago when i was pregnant with my first and only child. i paid no attention to the breast feeding advice because i was one of the few who was physically unable to breast feed anyway(and i tried everything!)so i can't comment on it. i did not follow all the instructions to the letter; i did let my daughter cry it out a few times but never longer than 8 minutes. it was hard but worth it!she slept through a short night before 6 weeks,napped well, and was a sparkly, happy, easy baby who went everywhere with me without any problem (so i didn't need day care or babysitting very often). i now have a happy, healthy, well adjusted 9 year old about to go into the fourth grade. i agree that some of what sammons wrote may SEEM harsh; but one can intelligently apply his concepts in one's own way. there is a balance between letting a baby cry inconsolably for hours, and picking up a baby and jiggling and rocking her at the first peep. this book helped me find the balance that was right for us.
Rating:
Summary: The BEST investment I made was buying this book!
Review: I was recommended this book by our pediatrician when our son was born. Having already read many books to prepare myself for motherhood, I was skeptical at first by the content. I applied the methods that were outlined in the book and was amazed to see that I could still be an excellent mother and give the baby his space to calm himself down. He has consistenly slept through the night since he was 7 weeks old (now 6 months)and I am daily reminded by strangers who come in contact with him how well-adjusted and comfortable he is. Since every parent has their individual belief about what is right for their child, I usually wait until I see my friends in a frenzy over "trying everything to get their baby to calm down" and then I quietly pass along the book. I believe this book reminds parents that sometimes they need to be less controlling while still attending to the vital needs of their baby (feeding, comforting, nurturing). I am thankful this book was given to me very early in my child's life. I think it has made our family all self-calm a bit!
Rating:
Summary: Finally, it all makes sense!
Review: I'm an elementary ed teacher, a certified massage therapist specializing in pregnancy/infant massage, and a day care provider. Our second daughter is just 7 weeks old. Following a traumatic birth and two weeks in NICU, she's been quite a challenge. She has a few developmental delays, cannot suck or swallow, and is fed exclusively via a naso-gastric tube, which causes severe reflux. Everything in her behavior screamed COLIC, and it was obvious she was miserable! Even with all my education and experience, I felt like a failure, unable to help my daughter. Her Occupational Therapist suggested that she was overstimulated and verging on neurological distress. I began researching and trying to find anything and everything I could about newborn sensory input and "Sensory Integration." I checked out "The Self-Calmed Baby" and began reading it, hoping it wouldn't be a "cry it out" book. It is anything but that. In just two days, I have seen dramatic improvement in my daughter's behavior. She's been telling me all along that she's in distress, and I just didn't understand what she was saying. Now that I understand her "language," I can comfort her and most importantly, help her comfort herself. She has cried only about 20 minutes in the past two days, and I actually slept 5 hours at a stretch last night. I won't call it a miracle, but our lives have certainly changed. The only thing I didn't like about the book was his lack of knowledge about the benefits of breastfeeding. Formula is *not* as good as breastmilk, and research backs it up. However, his attitudes about the feeding situation were very balanced - it's a social situation, not just a nutrition situation. The message of the book is that your child has the ability to communicate with you and calm herself - just pay attention and follow through with what your baby is telling you.
Rating:
Summary: This book should come with every baby!
Review: I'm only half-way through, and already a fan. This book has helped me relax, and be able to learn my son's unique likes and dislikes, and then spurred me to experiment with him. As a result, we're both getting more rest. My best testimony, is this review: I actually have time to go on-line! I'm sending a copy to a friend.
Rating:
Summary: This book helped me overcome my fears of motherhood.
Review: My daycare provider gave me this book when I was interviewing her. She could tell that within a few minutes that I was a very nervous new mother. I went home and read it in a day. I started practicing some of Dr. Sammons methods and Voila!, I had my daughter sleeping through the night at 12 weeks old. The funny thing is that not only did I teach my daughter self-calming techniques but I became a calmer, much more relaxed mother. I always have a couple copies on hand to give out to my friends that are pregnant. Note: I had a question that I could not find an answer to in the book... I called the 800 # that was in the front of the book. Would you believe Dr. Sammons answered and I talked to him about my problem for 15 min. I now have a very independant 3 year old that I am very proud of.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't Buy This Book - It Will Ruin Your Child!!
Review: The advice offered here will destroy your child's ability to trust you and thus the world around him. This book is a pitiful excuse for parenting advice. These methods are for parents who don't want to be bothered with parenting. Parenting takes work: time, energy, patience, love, and much nurturing. If you don't want to nurture a baby - then don't have one. Don't try to make a baby learn to nurture herself - that is your job as a parent. This book also has terrible views on breastfeeding, parental instincts, working mothers, and natural childbirth. Please buy instead "Natural Family Living" by Peggy O'Mara. This is a true parenting book.
Rating:
Summary: Don't Buy This Book - It Will Ruin Your Child!!
Review: The advice offered here will destroy your child's ability to trust you and thus the world around him. This book is a pitiful excuse for parenting advice. These methods are for parents who don't want to be bothered with parenting. Parenting takes work: time, energy, patience, love, and much nurturing. If you don't want to nurture a baby - then don't have one. Don't try to make a baby learn to nurture herself - that is your job as a parent. This book also has terrible views on breastfeeding, parental instincts, working mothers, and natural childbirth. Please buy instead "Natural Family Living" by Peggy O'Mara. This is a true parenting book.
Rating:
Summary: Save Your Money
Review: The book promises to teach parents how to help their baby calm his or herself. Chapter after chapter just says, "and once you learn how . . " It's just a tease. Basically the author wants you to let the baby cry for a while and see if the baby can control his or herself. Duh!!! All parents try this. Waste of time and money.
Rating: 
Summary: Against baby biology
Review: The problem with the idea of a "self-calmed" infant is that human infants aren't biologically designed to calm themselves. Like all higher primates and many mammals, our babies grow and thrive best with an abundance of hands on parenting and "in arms" care during infancy. Baby sleep patterns are different from adults' for a good reason: growth and safety. Babies need to nurse at night and their infantile sleep-wake cycles appear to be protective against SIDS. This idea that we should "teach" our babies independence is a recent western cultural construct. It opposes all previous human history and most other world cultural care-giving patterns. Also, as a mother of three young children, I encourage mothers of infants to *enjoy* and treasure the fun of rocking, snuggling, nursing, and sleeping with that sweet-smelling baby. Infancy paases very quickly. Katie Allison Granju Author, "ATTACHMENT PARENTING: Instinctive Care for Your Baby and Young Child"
| 
