I just borrowed this book from a friend because Taylor started having a hard time sleeping at night. I am curious about everyone else's opinion on this book. Adrian is against it (he hasn't read it, this is based completely on what he has heard) and I haven't decided how I feel. My first reaction was, "wow, I am a bad mother." However, after I got over that, I have found a few things that are helpful. I am not all the way through it yet. I just read the part about finding the pattern in your baby's cry and understanding when it's an "emergency." I did find this part of the book helpful.
I would love to hear what all you mothers have to say.
13 comments:
I'm sure you'll open up a can of worms with this post! People are either really into this book or really against it! Personally, I think the basic idea in the book is a good one, but I didn't follow it to a T. I don't think it's wrong to let a kid cry it out if it will help them sleep better in the long run, but it is sure hard to do!
I found that after reading this book (and about 10 others) I was so confused as to what I should be doing and what sort of schedule I should have my baby on, that I just ended up frustrated. I was constantly worried that I was harming by kids for life! Instead, I just decided to rely on my "mom instincts" and hope that in the end, my baby would turn out alright!
I followed this book with the sleep, feed, wake stuff. I followed a lot more closely with my oldest and modified it with the other children. My original pediatrician was Marc Weisbluth who wrote Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child. I would recommend reading that if you are wondering how to get your child to sleep through the night. HE was the best pediatrician ever.
Just as a reference...my kids all slept through the night by 2 1/2months (6 weeks being the earliest). They also go to bed around 7 each night and wake up at 7 the following morning. I am a lot more relaxed with the scheduling now, but originally I was a bit of a crazy woman! If you can believe it!
Let me know if you have any questions. I am not an expert, but I always have an opinion...it must run in the Cook line!
Natalie, I am a witness of Jenny's craziness when her kids were younger, but she hasn't had sleep problems with any of them.
I read the book and as Lindsay says, some love it, some hate it. I used some of the ideas from the book. I couldn't tell you today what those ideas were, but I also had a terrible sleeper--Alaina, and three boys who sleep great.
Do what you feel is best. Every book, mom, specialist, has a different opinion. If you find a great one that fits your lifestyle and you are comfortable with, go for it. This book may be the one.
when crew wasn't sleeping well, i read EVERTHING about EVERY technique. i actually didn't read babywise ironically enough but in the end, i used snippets from different books and in the end it worked out ok. i just found that i'm more of a middleman and i'm not really extreme in the crying or over comforting respects so it's hard to find a book that perfectly fits everyone. good luck!! i hope you start getting to sleep again!!
I liked the book. I only used the advice that seemed to make sense to me. I did what the book said and got Parker sleeping through the night ever since he was 6 months old.
That week I made Parker cry it out was the worst week ever. I just laid in bed listening to my baby scream wondering if I should feed him or not. I held strong and havn't had to wake-up at night (unless Parker was sick) since then.
I read it and like Lindsay believe that the principles are true (Am I bearing my testimony?). It makes the kids so much happier if they can go to sleep on their own, they will sleep longer and are more content. The book seems kinda strict, but I know it works. I too was kinda a Nazi with my first and relaxed it a little bit with the others. However, #1 didn't sleep through the night completely until he was 6 months (but I didn't start the Babywise principles until he was about 2 months); #2 would start bedtime at 4:00 in the afternoon and didn't sleep through the night completely until 2-3 months. #3 was sleeping through the night by 2 months and this last one isn't on this Babywise schedule and it's really hard. She cries more, she doesn't sleep much unless she's held. I so want to change it, but it's hard. It is so much easier if you can do it straight from birth. Anyways, good luck and let us know what you decide.
I never read Baby wise but I think I did a lot of the scheduling and crying it out with my kids and it works (at least for mine) Garret I was pretty strict about schedules and he is still the best sleeper I know. Spencer has a harder time but it could be becuase I am not as consistant (he cries for a few minutes- he sleeps twelve hours but not as soundly). I do think it works but if it doesn't work for your lifestyle and then find what does work. I am pretty sure eventually they all sleep through the night but it can be so hard!
I read it and tried it with Abygail. Jason was totally against it and since I was a first time mom and "thought" he knew more than me I did it his way which is never let her cry. She still doesn't sleep through the night, throws enourmous tantrums and sleeps in our bed.
I decided with Jackson that I was smarter than Jason and guess what!!! I am!!! Jackson is a sleep, wake, feed guy and I make him cry it out (it's never for very long now but he likes to let me know he doesn't like it - for a minute or two). He sleeps through the night, is happy all day and sleeps in his own bed.
But, the biggest thing, pick something and stick with it. You both MUST be on the same page or it will send mixed signals, at least that's my experience
I read it and tried so hard to stick to it with Kate that I think it made me stress out too much. I tried so hard to make Kate eat on the sleep, feed, wake schedule that she was a horrible eater. When I tried to let Kate cry it out the first time, she lost her voice. I felt like a horrible mother and Kate didn't sleep any better. So I recomend reading it, but taking what works for you. With Macie I still try to have her eat when she wakes up, but if she's not hungry, I don't worry about it so much.
Anyway, my point is what most of the other posts say... take what works for you and leave the rest. Although I don't know what to do with Macie right now, so I don't have much room to talk! I'm going to re-read Healthy Sleep Habits, happy child and see how that works!
I haven't read "Baby Wise", but our bible is "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child", I highly recommend it...but you really do have to follow his advice to a "t" to make it work.
One of my high school friends swears by this book. I never read it but instead used a lot of different resources and then did what worked for us. It just depends on what you want...for me I wanted to hold and cuddle Allison all of the time because I could but that ended up with her in our bed until she was 18 months and then when I could rationalize with her she slept in her own room; however, even tonight she used every excuse in the book not to go to sleep in her room. With Christian - well he's just been an awesome sleeper since he was born and I haven't read any books with him. I'm just using my mom instincts and it seems to be working.
I haven't finished it yet, but I'll let you know my final answer on that. So far, I think it is okay. I find it so wierd that these books will have the same general idea, but then COMPLETELY contradict eachother on certain details! For example, one book says never wake a sleeping baby, while another says wake a baby to control feeding times...hmmm...I guess that's where trial and error and "mom instincts" come in, eh?
Well, I also wanted to be jealous of your friend Jenny who actually got to have Dr. Weissbluth for her kids' pediatirician! I've read that book twice now (once with Max and once with Perry) and I was literally reading the book thinking, I wish he could be my pediatrician!
Anyway, I find his research very interesting and the book pretty helpful. Some of it is confusing, but it doesn't make you feel like a bad mom...especially if you're exhausted.
I did this LOOSELY with Brady and I think it really helped him learn to fall asleep on his own and be a good sleeper for naps and at night. I like a little more flexibility so I am not strict on exact times. The feeding schedule for newborns saved my life when I started it because for the first few weeks of Brady's life I felt like I was nursing him all day and all night. Good luck!
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