Wondering About Baby Wise Book

Updated on March 25, 2008
P.K. asks from Elkhart, IN
40 answers

I have a couple of grandbabies and I am wondering what this Baby Wise book is all about Please help

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A.H.

answers from Cleveland on

I would warn you to be careful with this book. The method may work for some babies and there are plenty of women who will swear by the book. The problem is that newborns are not meant to have scheduled feedings. Their only means of communicating and telling us that they are hungry is by crying. To ignore the cries of a newborn and not feed the baby because it is not "time" is dangerous. There have been many reports of babies loosing significant weight and failing to thrive when following this schedule. There was a movement at one point to have the book taken off the market.

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J.W.

answers from Dayton on

I was recommended the book from multiple people and one of them was a doctors wife. I read it and followed it and it was wonderful. My son did well with it and is a fabulous sleeper. He is now 2, I will do it with my next one also.

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A.C.

answers from Fort Wayne on

Try Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Baby. Not so rigid as the babywise book and offers some great help for new parents. Also, they give several ways to help babies sleep, not just crying it out. I have heard some bad things about babywise ... I would be wary about that one.

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K.F.

answers from Indianapolis on

It's a nasty book that goes against the parenting doctrines that the medical community and the vast majority of parenting sources recommend. For example, it recommends feeding the baby on a strict schedule, while all medical and most parenting sources say that babies need to fed on demand to promote healthy feeding habits. Babywise talks about how your baby is trying to "brainwash" and "control" you and how you need to control your baby instead. If you feel like a bigger person for bossing around an infant, you have some serious issues. When a baby is an infant, their wants are the same as their needs! By tending to their every need, even if it is to just be held or to be nursed 30 min after they finished nursing, you are creating trust and understanding and a sercure relationship between you and your child. By not meeting a baby's needs, you are teaching them that they can't trust you, that their needs are unimportant, that they are unimportant, that you won't be there for them and a host of other unhealthy messages.

If you are looking for good parenting books, I would instead recommend "Attachment Parenting" by Dr William Sears (and any other the other Sears library of many parenting books on a huge variety of topics)

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_._.

answers from Cincinnati on

I am shocked, I tell you mouth-hanging-open-spittle-collecting-on-the-keyboard SHOCKED to read all the babywise thumbs-up reviews going on here.

Shocked
Disturbed
Alarmed
Disgusted
Frightened
Ashamed

And oh-so-grateful to be able to lovingly attend to all of my child's needs on her schedule, not mine.

http://www.ezzo.info/Voices/hsieh.htm

ATTENTION Michele D who posted above: Gary Ezzo is NOT a doctor.

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A.D.

answers from Toledo on

I think this is a great book for new mothers and a great refresher for everyone else. I heard a lot of negitivity about this book but decided to read it and take away what would work for me and I recommend it to everyone. Basically like the other said, it lays out a schedule/routine for babies - eat, play, sleep. and the possible situations that arise. Like the other mom said it disassociates sleeping and eating plus it gets them in the routine of falling asleep on their own so they don't have to be rocked or fed....it reinforces positive routines to help your baby be a good sleeper...I have used the same on my second and she is also sleeping through the night at 3-4 months. Good luck!

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C.E.

answers from Cincinnati on

Some people are totally against...and some are totally for it. I used the basic principles of this book to help establlish a natural schedule for my baby so that I wouldn't go insane. There are times where you let them cry it out....but when you read the book it explains that you don't just let them cry it out for hours...you continue to check on them and make sure that there isn't any other reasons why they are crying other than just being tired (dirty diaper, gas, etc). You still need to stay very in tune with your child and his/her needs for why they are crying. However, humans in general do much better when on a schedule and babies especially. It's more of a pattern than a schedule...but because of that pattern it becomes their schedule.

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M.S.

answers from Bloomington on

it's basically a three hour schedule: eat for 20-30 minutes, play for an hour, sleep for an hour +. repeat. then magically, after their last feeding at night, they sleep for 8-10 hours, without waking. it's because they are full every time they eat and their body metabolism regulates.

i was very against it with my first, and demand fed him whenever he cried. that worked, and he was healthy and happy.

my second was a baby wise baby all the way, and she slept through the night at 2 months and has ever since. it's wonderful for everyone to sleep all night!!

i recommend it. they don't cry much, because once they get in the rhythm of the 3 hour schedule, their tummies get full and satisfied and they don't feel hungry until they wake up. they become very happy babies because they know their needs will be met and life is so predictible.

i really like that it dis-associates eating with sleeping. my baby learned how to fall asleep independant of nursing, which has been so nice. a lot of babies get bottle-mouth--- rotten teeth because they fall asleep with milk in their bottles and it rots out their teeth.

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T.K.

answers from Columbus on

There are plenty of "experts" out there that would love to tell parents that they have the only and best answer for every baby out there; Ezzo is one of these. While there are good points to the book, it helps to take any of these books with a grain of salt.
Baby Wise is based heavily on something called the Ferber method after a Ped, long before Ezzo wrote this. Ferber came up with the plan to lay down your child for bed, even if crying; go back to soothe after 5 minutes, then after 10 minutes, then 15 minutes, etc. Ezzo took this idea and ran with it. The book is based on the idea that you will spoil your newborn/baby if you hold or console them too much and advocates using a schedule for feedings, naps, etc.
Schedules are not an evil thing! The book presents the matter a bit extreme however, and it is the only book on parenting that I have seen have negative medical consquences on babies, especially when breastfeeding. I have not read others responses to this before posting, and I know that it can be a hot topic. I have personally seen babies that were dehydrated from following this book too strictly. Take ANY parenting book with a grain of salt.

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B.H.

answers from Canton on

Yes, I second the notion, go to:

http://www.ezzo.info/Voices/hsieh.htm

Would you want your crys for help and comfort to go ignored? Is it ok to disrespect our very small babies? How will they ever learn to trust if we don't meet their needs early on?

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S.L.

answers from Nashville on

I would Google Baby Wise- It is quite controversial. Read what AAP and other positions are on Baby Wise and decide for yourself. I almost bought it because both of my children are difficult sleepers- after reading opinion leaders thoughts of the book I decided against it. different Strokes though- Hope this helps.

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D.T.

answers from Indianapolis on

Many early childhood experts caution against this book. Too many new moms are following the book too closely and not following common sense. As a result, many babies are ending up malnourished and underweight with developmental delays that are not apparent until the baby is closer to 1 year old. It's definately NOT to be used for a breastfeeding baby.

A routine is good, but most experts recommend on-demand feeding for newborns. The book has some good points that can be used effectively for all babies, but it's best to just use it as a general guideline and use your common sense.

Most babies fall into their own pattern by 2-3 months anyways. My breastfed babies did (all 3 of them) and were sleeping 8-10 hours at night by 2-3 months (all 3 of them). Just follow the baby's lead.. they may not eat every 3 hours, but they will develop their own schedule with soemtimes 2 hours and sometimes 4 hours between feeding.

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M.Z.

answers from Indianapolis on

I would take it for what it is. Overall it's not great. The basic fundamentals are what moms have been doing for years. He is not a doctor nor a specialist. There is no medical background on what it will or will not do to the child. I personally think it's a bit too extreme. Following what some man thinks is best for your child simply because he thinks it's a good idea is not really for me.

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S.R.

answers from Indianapolis on

Hi P.,
As you can see from the previous commnts, this is a VERY controversial book and something you need to conclude yourself. We started to read the book, but ended up not really liking the idea of letting our son cry it out... so to speak. ewe didn't like the idea of putting him on a schedule and making him sleep through the night when we knew deep within us that was not what he needed. It's directed at very young babies. The book places all babies in the same category, but if you ask any other about their child, they will tell you all of their children are different. If I were put on a schedule and told when I could eat or drink, I would definitely not like it, I like getting a drink of water in the middle of the night if I'm thirsty. I like being able to make decisions based on needd instead of a schedule. Babies are not meant and should not be expected to sleep thoguht the night when they are 5 weeks old. They are expected to eat and drink (fore and hind milk if breastfeeding) when they are hungry or thirsty. It is their way of learning their limits. They learned how much they want to eat and when they are finished based on their experiences. Also, children need to be held and touched by their parents, it's necessary for growth and development. The Sears family have great books on sleep and care for hchildren. There is a lot out there about how to raise and care for children, including advice from parents and other family members. As a grandmother, your child has probably already decided on what they want to do with your grandshildren. I hope your child finds something that works for his or her needs.

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M.F.

answers from Dayton on

A couple of points - first w/ any baby book it is important to research the author - he doesn't have medical trainig. Second, the American Academy of pediatrics advocates demand feeding - babywise is scheduled at regular intervals. Breastmilk is digested in 90 minutes; therefore it is an unreasonable expectation to stretch a tiny baby for 3 hour intervals. Third - research has shown that infants who are tended to with a variation of attachment parenting are happy & secure - clinginess is a personality, not a result of parenting.

Babies do fall into a predictable pattern. I fed my second on demand & at 6 months, he's created his own routine. My oldest - I followed babywise. He had to be put on supplemental formula at 4 months b/c of slow weight gain, aka failure to thrive, & he never found a predictable routine.

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A.C.

answers from Indianapolis on

From my experience, this book is just wrong. It is a very "not personal touch" theory on how to raise your children. It tells you to let them cry and not to pick them up or respond to them, even as an infant. I don't recommend the book. Hopefully you will receive some more feedback. It has been a few years since I read the books, but I do remember they were negative.
A.
Mom of 2 beautiful boys, 4 years and 6 years

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B.B.

answers from Cincinnati on

BIG caution on this book. My mother has been a child birth educator for 20+ years and she is saddened by the effects this book has had on new mothers! She said babies are getting malnurished and long term effects are detachment disorders.

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J.A.

answers from Cleveland on

Hi P.,
I have more to say about Baby Wise than can be said on here, but bottom line....as with anything, there is good and bad in there. We attended parenting classes that taught Baby Wise when we were expecting our 1st, who is now almost 12. While some of the ideas and suggestions in there are wonderful, they need to be adjusted and parents need to use common sense.
For example...my son NEVER slept as long as Baby Wise wanted/expected/said he should. He was growing so fast that he needed to be fed every 2 1/2 hours much longer than Baby Wise felt any child should. He was NEVER content in the pack-n-play for more than 10-15 minutes. And when I tried to allow him to "cry it out" one night when he was 14 months old he tried to climb out of the crib to come to me and fell and broke his wrist. Then I cried for about 2 days because I felt so guilty. I learned that night to never ignore your child's attempts at communication. My second baby was a daughter who put herself on a 3 hour schedule at birth. She slept like an angel, and I responded every time she cried. I think she felt secure that if she needed me I'd be there and therefore slept more soundly. She also would not tolerate the pack-n-play for more than 10-15 minutes. I found their schedule too rigid and their ideas of ignoring your baby's cries to be dangerous. There is information out there on the couple that wrote the Baby Wise books and some of the problems it has caused when it is adhered to strictly, as well as the division it has caused in the churches they have been part of. The couple only raised 2 daughters - so do they have any experience raising boys? Not every child is as compliant as theirs must have been. I have had friends who used this to the letter and had success with it, and other friends who adapted their ideas to fit their lifestyle and children's needs like I did. If your children are using it with flexibility and listening to their own instincts about your grandchildren they should be fine.
Feel free to contact me for more info if you'd like.
J.
PS...my third is a boy who had a severe heart defect and he had to be fed every 3 hours for the first 7-8 months, both before and after his heart surgery at 3 months. There was no room for me to decide to stretch out his schedule so I could sleep - his life and health were at stake. Baby Wise went out the window due to his health issues.

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C.P.

answers from Kokomo on

I would read it first. A little background...this guy-the author was kicked out of his church after the book. Basically, there were babies loosing weight and parents frustrated after trying to "train" their little ones according to his plan. I would be very wary for a breastfeeding mom to follow his advice as it is harmful to expect small infants to go long times with out feedings. That is a medical standpoint. Personally I disagree with about every thing in the book. That said, I think with reasonable thought patterns (which are rare in a new sleep deprived mom) it gives good ideas to shape a routine for an older -at least 3 months baby. Early on I think it just sets moms up for failure giving them unrealistic expectations of what a baby should and does do.

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K.V.

answers from Cleveland on

It is a great book to work on a schedule with your baby. As with many other books, you will probably have to pick and choose what you use. I read it and it did help with my young children, my first two boys slept through the night at 5 weeks!

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T.P.

answers from Cleveland on

I used the baby wise principles with both of my boys - my oldest (now 6) slept through the night at 7 weeks, and my youngest (now 3) slept through the night at 5 weeks - they were both very happy babies and are very well-adjusted today. They are both still very good sleepers - they both get at least 10 hours of sleep a night. We are very grateful that we found this book - we had our first son at 24, didn't have much family around, and were both the oldest in our families, so we didn't have too many family members or peers to advise us on how to parent a newborn - this book was a godsend.

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T.J.

answers from Cincinnati on

Baby Wise is wonderful....because of it I've never been sleep deprived.
The basic concept is:

SLEEP – EAT – WAKE/PLAY

SLEEP – Please lay him down awake to let him fall asleep by himself. (when he starts to look sleepy and his eyes start getting tired or if he starts to get a little fussy) He may want his binky if he’s fussy, however if he isn’t fussy, don’t offer the binky to him. He will be much happier if he is put down to sleep…trust me….he usually doses right off.

EAT – Please feed him as soon as he wakes up. He eats 5 ounces of formula every 3-4 hours (sometimes when he is going through a growth spurt he will wake up starving around 2.5 hours). I put .3 oz of gas drops in each of bottles to prevent his tummy from getting upset. He eats Similac-Isomil Advance – Soy Formula with Iron. If he doesn’t finish all 5 ounces that’s ok….usually he eats around 4 ounces but sometimes he seems like he wants more then 5!!! If he seems like he’s full midway through the bottle….sometimes he needs to get a burp out to make more room. Plus if you don’t get a burp out and you force the bottle then he may spit up….he often will let out the good burps at the end however.

WAKE/PLAY – He is usually pretty hard to wake up, change his diaper after you feed him to help wake him up. Tickle his feet, take his socks off, do whatever you can to keep him awake for as long as you can before he falls back to sleep. If he’s awake for a good hour to hour and a half then he’s done a good job. Sometimes if he stays awake longer then hour and a half he gets overstimulated and then it’s hard to get him to fall asleep.

The book goes off in some directions sometimes that are unrealistic for "everyone".....so you just have to overlook those parts....as far as couch time when the spouse comes home...the bottom line.....not everyone works that kind of 9-5 job...etc....but the basic foundation of the book is fabulous. They also have tapes you can buy and listen to the seminars about the book.

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C.B.

answers from Indianapolis on

My husband and I SWEAR by this book! We've actually read the whole series and think all of them are wonderful! Anyway, it is a great way to get babies on a schedule to help them be happy and sleep well. I have told many friends about it and I think all that I have told have done it with their second child if they didn't with their first and say they wished they had known about it with their first child because they can't believe the difference.

Basically it is a cycle you use to get the baby on a good schedule. You do a feeding, then wake time/play time, then put them down for a nap. When they are little it's a 3 hour cycle: Feeding at 7:00 then awake until 8:30 or so, then nap from 8:30-10:00 then wake them at 10:00 to feed them again and do the rotation all over again. Then as they get older you stretch feedings out and they are awake longer and nap less times a day. I know it sounds CRAZY to wake a sleeping baby to feed them, but I am such a huge believer in this now that I've used this idea with both children and it has worked like a dream! It makes sense that if they have a predictable schedule and routine that they will be happier babies. We all have a routine as we get older so why not start from day one. I get people telling me all the time that they can't believe how happy she is. They said that with my first baby too. The other thing the book says is to not rock them to sleep so that they can learn to put themselves to sleep. Both of my girls started sleeping through the night at 8 weeks and took naps (putting themselves to sleep) with no problems at all. Of course there are times for cuddles and rocking and you need that with them and they need that with you, but just not every time they sleep so that it becomes something they depend on to go to sleep. Sorry I just wrote you a book, but that is the jist of it. I would pick it up and read it ASAP if you want to start doing it with the babies. It worked for our family and like I said tons of my friends have done it too and love it! Good luck and take care!!

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E.S.

answers from Cleveland on

Baby Wise is another parenting book but from a christian point of view. They not only talk about parenting skills but they also talk about the importance of marriage and unity in raising a child. I really like it and know several other people who used it.

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B.S.

answers from Indianapolis on

Oh what a book! Not a fan, but do believe in a good routine (not a strict schedule if that makes sense).. I do recommend "Understanding Your Child's Temperment"! GREAT! Book. Not a 'I will tell you all about your child', but gives tips on learning about observing how your child behaves in a variety of situations and what to do. I still use it for my 7 & 5 year old!
I also like the book "Secrets of a Baby Whisperer", which also takes the childs temperment in consideration, but only tends to group kids into 5 certain types.
The baby Wise book would have been great for my son, the easy going sleeps well, eats well, never fusses child. But my daughter, nope! No help at all! Infact she still is a light sleeper who has a hard time shutting things out to actually rest!
Thats my take!

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M.F.

answers from Cincinnati on

We read this and thought it was a great resource. Much like Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, the book describes a pattern of eating, awake time and sleep to help get your child into a routine and learn how to sleep. It doesn't dictate every moment, but tries to empower and assist new parents with understanding how important sleep is to your infant.

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B.R.

answers from Indianapolis on

P., Baby Wise is my bible!! It's the best book I've read to date on helping raise my little 4 month old. It doesn't preach anything. It basically takes a middle ground about everything. It helps you to not spoil your baby while being very nurturing. For example, it says to let your baby cry some things out. It teaches them to work through their own issues. I highly recommend the Baby Wise books!! I realize some might not recommend it because of the "timed" feedings rather than demand feeding, but my son is now 4 months and 16 pounds. He's incredibly healthy and on a wonderful schedule that makes our house run very smoothly and lets us all know what to expect and when rather than the house being run by the baby.
Good luck with your grandpups!

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J.J.

answers from Cleveland on

I read Baby Wise, and as someone who was inexperienced with babies, I found it very helpful. The Baby Wise philosophy basically suggests that your baby will thrive and be comforted by predictable routines - not rigid timing. It also emphasizes the importance of full-feedings to avoid an infant who snacks and is never quite full - this commonly leads to a baby who cries a lot because they are hungry. The book walks you through various scenarios and helps the inexperienced parent develop a schedule of feedings and sleep time. The book also strongly discourages attachment parenting, suggesting that this practice creates a clingy, insecure child.

Basically, I used the book as a guide. Some things I followed, some I did not. I guess I just took the advice and made it fit into my lifestyle and approach.

It's a great book, I recommend it. People who attachment parent, will tell you the opposite.

Last, I respectfully disagree with the view that this book is not for breast feeders and demand feeding is the way to go. And, the comment about this book is leading to undernourished babies seems problematic. If you don't teach your baby to have a full feeding and you just feed the baby every time it cries, your baby doesn't get the nourishment it needs, because they don't receive hind milk. Further, you end up constantly have a baby snacking on your breast, because they are never full. The book makes this quite clear, and I found this to be true. Further, in my experience, babies do not fall into their own schedule. The parent sets the tone, not the infant. Without a parent guiding the process, most infants will not just start sleeping through the night on their own.

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M.H.

answers from Canton on

We used this book with our daughter who is now 6. She thrived on it and we had little to no problems with it when she was a baby. We were able to have lives, she easily ate and slept at other people's homes, she adjusted to daycare quite well-- we just really had a great experience with it. Now that she's 6, I think the only downside to the program is that I don't think it is strong for an "only child" family. The babies are taught to self-soothe, which is great for teaching self-sufficiency-- but when there are no siblings to bond with, I think there is something lacking in that. Our daughter seriously craves interaction and can act very insecure and I truly believe it is tied to her babywise training as an infant.

I think that in a family where there is more than just one child, and they can all sort of rely on each other for friendship and bonding then Babywise is an excellent choice. We really had great success with it as far as having a really good eater and sleeper-- but she missed some bonding time that I am really trying to catch up on as she gets older.

I think that Tracey Hogg's Baby Whisperer book does a much better job of addressing the scheduling but still makes a lot of room for bonding and really getting to know your individual child. If I were to do it again, I would follow her book more closely and probably much less on Babywise.

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A.K.

answers from South Bend on

As with any parenting book, they should be used as a guide. Each set of parents need to do what is best for them. I used it as a guide, following some of the suggestions and not others. With my first son, I followed Baby Wise pretty closely. I made a few adjustments here and there, tweeking it to fit our needs. With my second son, I did the same. It didn't work at all. I could tell that he was just HUNGRY! So then I tried feeding my son on demand...he was nursing ALL the time!!! What I finally found out (at 3 months from a lactation consultant) was that I was actually producing too MUCH milk so, he was never getting the "fatty" milk that fills babies up! He was gaining weight just fine but, had to eat so often because it was being digested so quickly. It is a good guide. My cousin followed it religiously with her children and it worked WONDERS for her and her kids. It just depends on the mother, how her body works, the baby, and how that particular baby's body works. I would recommend reading it but, would add that ANY parenting book should be read as a guide and not a "this is the ONLY way that will work" attitude.

If you are looking for a good, helpful gift....I'd HIGHLY recommend any of the Signing Time DVDs! It is amazing how quickly they learn and how much easier it is to understand and communicate with them at an early age! All 3 of my boys were able to tell me when they were hungry, wanted more and wanted milk by about 9 months of age. By 12 months they could sign: eat, milk, more, dog, mommy, daddy, baby, car/drive, boy and girl. These are incredible DVDs and easy for children to understand and not too babyish for adults!

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M.M.

answers from Cleveland on

I read babywise. It is about getting your babies on schedule from very early on, but you can do it later. It is all about a schedule and feeding,waking,naptime suquence. Everyone I know swears by it.
Good luck
M.

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J.L.

answers from Columbus on

Don't stress...... I have heard of it, but never read it and my kids are happy and well adjusted. You are a Grandma, so obviously your child survived without knowing about it. Spend the time loving and playing with your grandchildren.

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A.J.

answers from Indianapolis on

I have a 2 1/2 year old son and a 9 month old daughter. I read baby wise and followed it pretty closely with my son because it fit his personality well. I used some of the parts of it with my daughter, but was more leniant because her personality is different. The most important aspects that I implented with both were putting down my babies when they where sleepy, but not asleep. I didn't want my children to have to use me to fall asleep. I also had a consitent bed and naptimes for both. My daughter needed to nurse more often than my son did since she didn't eat as much at once, so the schedule was much more lenient with my daughter. Some people who oppose babywise say that the book tells you to ignore your childs needs. I did not get that when I read the book. I discusses that you can't have a strict schedule becuase you have to let your baby take the lead and tell you when s/he is hungry. Opponents also say that the babys aren't getting held enough because you are supposed to put them to bed awake. However, I held both of my kids often, and still do. I think what it comes down to is using the parenting style that works best for your family. If your kids are using the babywise books with your grandchildren, then I would read the books yourself so you can better understand their parenting style.

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K.C.

answers from Cincinnati on

I haven't read it- but I have heard bad things....

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K.L.

answers from Cleveland on

Congrats on the grandbabies! Baby Wise is a very controversial book. The focus of the book is to program newborns to sleep through the night sooner.

It was given to me as a gift and I read it while still in the hospital. I employeed the techniques with great success and my daughter started sleeping through the night at 8 weeks ... significantly sooner than her 2 older brothers. Needless to say I am a fan, but also feel lucky that my child's temperment was a good fit. It needs to work for the baby and doesn't seem to for all.

The controversy is that there have been cases of neglect and mother's disconnecting with their newborns causing failure to thrive and bonding issues with long-term implications. Lucky for me, I didn't know that when I attempted this and it was a good fit for my newborn.

The key is starting with a newborn baby vs. older baby. The very watered-down jist of it is - do not let the baby affiliate sleeping & eating and provide routine. Eat, Play, Sleep ... Eat, Play, Sleep cycle. Put the baby down when it is time to nap/sleep and walk out & try not to go in at the first sign of displeasure - also try to let them fall back to sleep on their own if they don't sleep as long as they should.

The trick is to keep the baby in focus. Time to sleep means when it is time for baby to sleep, not when parents' want the baby to sleep and go back to sleep if they need more rest, not just because the parents' need the baby to sleep longer.

Happiest Baby on the Block is the book dajour (?) that my pediatrician's office recommends for parents. Maybe that is a better place to start.

Good luck!

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M.K.

answers from Cleveland on

My father who is a doctor gave me the book. I will admit that the book is on the bit extreme side but the concept that they author is trying to get across is a good one. As we all know kids need structure in their lives and they tend to do much better with structure. My first child I used the book but I followed what the nurses were saying in the hospital about demand feeding. After about 2 weeks I switched to a schedule. He started sleeping through the night at 6 weeks. My son is now 2 and he is a well adjusted child. He knows that we love him and that we will care for his needs. As far as the crying I have always waited for several seconds before picking him up because if it was something really minor I didnt want him to get used to the idea that we would come rushing to his aid every time. Now I know when he is really hurt. Because the crying last longer or he wants me to hold him. If it is something minor he will just move on. I also have a 7 month old and with her I started the theory the min she was born. She started sleeping through the night on and off from the time she was born but consistently through the night at 2 weeks. She is growing and is a very healthy baby. I also should say that I did breast feed for the first 6 months with both my kids and I have never had a great supply of milk. I loved the book because it taught me the concept of a schedule. My son will even go as far as telling me that it is nap time some days because he knows that we have it near the same time everyday. the book is on the extreme side so take what works for you and use it.

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S.F.

answers from Indianapolis on

I remember hearing some time back that there are little finger-like projections in the brain. The whole purpose of them is to come together on each side. The way that happens is by our parents touching us, showing us affection, and responding to our cries... If one follows the Baby Wise idea, it seems very suspicious that the finger-like projections would be able to actually come together.

My thought is, what if the projections not coming together results in the Ted Bundys or Jeffery Dahmers of the world? I personally wouldn't chance it. I believe that when a baby cries, we should respond and not on our schedule. A baby learns if they can depend on us or not by how quickly we respond.

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M.D.

answers from Toledo on

P.-
I was introduced to Dr. Ezzo and Baby Wise when I had twins (#3 and #4). I was amazed and inspired by the scheduling techniques. After being up all night when my girls were 7 weeks old, I read the book in one day, and started them on the schedule the next day. It did not take them long to adjust to the schedule, and then you would not believe how happy they were. Just like it says in the book, people were always saying your babies are so happy. Literally, they were never fussy!!! It was such a pleasure being around them, and even with two-it was actually easy. Beware of the other responses saying this books says to ignore your child. That is not the message. The message is that the parent knows what is best for the child. It is not really realistic to think that a tiny person should know what they need. I began to teach them sign language when they were 8 months old, and it was amazing what they could tell us with their hands at such an early age.

I am a huge believer in Baby Wise and have recommended it to every pregnant mother since I tried it on my girls! I can not say enough how it impacted our lives in such a positive way by using the scheduling taught in the book.

I have even gotten Dr. Ezzo's other books for my older kids!

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J.O.

answers from Mansfield on

HI!
I had sooooo many people recommend that book to me when I was pregnant the first time, so I bought it , and tried to do everything "by the book" with my son. By the time he was three months old, I felt tlike I was a terrible mom because my son would not cooperate with the SCHEDULES. In a word, I would sum that book up as "SCHEDULES". I finally threw the book down and used my God-given instincts with my son, and we were both better off! I know so many people who swear by it, but I wasn't wise enough to know that not every book will work for every child. MY child refused to fit into the little regemin, but read it and see if it "jives" with you.:) If I could, I'd like to recommend a book that actually DID help me, but is less well-known. It's called, "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" - Mark Weissblueth (sp?), M.D. Good Luck!
J.

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J.B.

answers from Cleveland on

Hi P.:
I used the BabyWise book as a guide for my infant and had great success with it. My primary goal was not to get my baby to sleep through the night (which never really happened until she was 10-12 months), but to raise an independant, self-soothing child. I breastfed exclusively for 9 mo. and never had a problem with malnutrition. In fact, the "full feeding" approach recommended in the book allowed my baby to get more hind milk than the typical demand fed baby. I recommend Baby Wise to all my friends and can't say enough great things about it. At 20 months, my daughter is a happy, healthy, well-adjusted todder who naps at the same time every day. She loves her crib and has had the ability to soothe herself to sleep since she was 3-4 months old. Her independant nature also allows her to go spend the night at her gramma's on occasion, without a problem, so my husband and I can enjoy a rare romantic evening alone!

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