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Posted by Happy healthy mommy on September 14, 2001 at 11:47:18:Yes, I will say it. I am a fan of many of the the babywise philiosophies. I read the book from cover to cover along with several others, including the American Pediatric guide and I took what made sense to me from all sources to form my opinion on babies and sleep habits. Parents must be critical thinkers and research many different sources--family, friends, medical books, docotrs and others for information before forming an opinion. While the babywise method may not be a good idea in in every aspect for every baby, the entire book should not be discouted. There is quite a bit of practical advice to be found in Ezzo's philiosophy and each parent must decide for themeselves what is best for their baby. Just as each baby is different, each style of parenting is different and we shouldn't critize anything that works for a particular family just because it doesn't work for ours. Babywise will not work for everyone, but many helpful ideas can be glened from its pages and I recommend it as ONE source for parents wanting to gather information about children's sleep habits.
Information I found helpful:
Encourage your baby to eat fully at each meal: Newborns often fall asleep at the breast or bottle and don't finish their meals. Encourage your baby to stay awake and eat each time you nurse. It may help prevent them from eating every hour and it will help your milk supply.Do not let a baby nap for long periods of time during the day: Babies love long naps in the late afternoon. Not condusive to sleeping at night or building your milk supply (your milk supply is lowest in the afternoon). Try gently waking your baby after a couple of hours so that they are eating enough and so that their long stretch of sleep will be at night.
Do not rock your baby to sleep: This is perhaps the best advice I have received. If your child falls asleep in your arms, put them down. Newborns quickly get used to being held while they are sleeping and it is a hard habit to break. However, if you begin putting them down while they are drowsy or lightly sleeping they will get in the habit of soothing themeselves to sleep.
If you follow the eat, play, sleep routine instead of play, eat, sleep baby will sleep longer at night: This is great advice. Just think about it...let's say a baby eats every 2.5 hours. If they nurse (or bottle-feed) for half an hour, then are awake for half an hour, then they will probably only sleep for an hour and a half before they are hungry again. A baby who takes several hour and a half naps per day will sleep better at night than a baby that takes several three hour naps a day.
If you baby is hungry, feed him. If he is crying respond to him: Babywise states this many times throughout the book. Don't be fooled into thinking the idea is to schedule your child no matter what, even if you are both miserable.
All this should be taken with a grain of salt and adjusted for YOUR baby. Don't fight your child to put them on a schedule, but don't knock the value of a loose schedule either. Knowing about what time your child will wake up, eat, sleep etc. has many advantages, especially if you work or have a busy lifestyle. Plus, babies love routine. It helps them feel safe, develop memory and feel secure. Most of all use common sense. Don't be such a slave to trends that you blindly follow ANY philosophy when it isn't working for your child and don't be so closed minded that you completely reject an idea with workable parts.
Just my opinion.
Good luck to you all and God bless!
- Beware of Babywise Joey 12:45 9/14/01 (1)
- Re: Beware of Babywise Hayley - Harris' Mummy 06:10 9/19/01 (0)
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