Babywise Moms

If I were you, I would reconsider the use of the Babywise method. In 1998, the American Academy of Pediatrics announced that the method was harmful to babies and was causing low weight gain. The Child Abuse Prevention council also put out warning about this book! A baby this young should not be sleeping through the night. He needs to eat at night. He is also way too young to sleep train. You should not start that until they are at least 6 months, and even then, be very careful about it. My son still wakes up once at night around 4 and he is almost 7 months. I'm fine with it because he goes back down easily after eating.
See the link to the abstract of the article that the AAP put out warning parents about the use of this method. (In order to see the full page article you have to sign in to the AAP's website.
http://aapnews.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/1...

I agree with Emma. Ezzo's method's have been chastised by the AAP for the harm it brings to babies. Here is an article by them I thought might interest you.

http://www.ezzo.info/Aney/aneyaap.htm

please please reconsider your choice. babies dont learn to be hungry, they just are. to demand a baby eat on a schedule is ridiculous but even more upsetting in terms of a breastfed baby. breastfed babys need to eat on demand. and breastfed babies do not sleep without waking to eat at 3 months. for a 3 month old only to wake once is good, you would be considered "lucky", esp with breastfeeding. and yes yes yes your baby is hungry. letting him be i assume you are leaving him to cry? i beg you to do more research. your son is hungry. you are risking his thriving. babies are not supposed to be trained to eat(or sleep for that matter). when they are hungry, they eat. when they are sleepy, they sleep. these are natural, biological events that occur in the human species so there is no need to "train" for them.

im sure you didnt know the dangers associated with this type of scheduling, so i just ask you do your research, but please know the dangers were even written for bottle fed babies. the fact that your breastfeed multiplys these dangers ten fold. breastfed babies need to eat on demand.

fyi gray ezzo is a PASTOR, with NO MEDICAL BACKGROUND!!! why would you ask somone on the street for their advice and take it when they have no experience?

"Though "Babywise" does say, "With PDF, a mother feeds her baby when the baby is hungry," it also instructs parents to do otherwise. In a question-and-answer section, parents of a 2-week-old baby, who did not get a full feeding at the last scheduled time and wants to eat again, are instructed that babies learn quickly from the laws of natural consequences. "If your daughter doesn't eat at one feeding, then make her wait until the next one." THIS STATEMENT IS VERY UPSETTING AND IMPLIES A 2 WEEK OLD BABY HAS THE UNDERSTANDING OF CONSEQUENCES. THIS STATEMENT IN ITSELF PROVES HOW HARMFUL THE BOOK IS.

HERES SOMETHING ON BREASTFEEDING
Unfortunately, the schedule in "Babywise" does not take into account differences among breastfeeding women and babies. According to one report, differences of up to 300 percent in the maximum milk storage capacity of women's breasts mean that, although women have the capability of producing the same amount of milk over a 24-hour period for their infants, some will have to breastfeed far more frequently than others to maintain that supply. Babies must feed when they need to, with intervals and duration determined according to a variety of factors in temperament, environment, and physiological make-up. Averages may fit into a bell-shaped curve, but some babies will require shorter intervals. (Daly S., Hartmann P. "Infant demand and milk supply, Part 2. The short-term control of milk synthesis in lactating women." Journal of Human Lactation; 11; (1):27-37).

you sound like a very well meaning mom trying to do the best for your baby. just do some research on breastfeeding recommendations and they all say the same thing. and remember, medicaaly speaking, sleeping thru the night is when a baby sleeps 5+ hour blocks. good luck
http://www.ezzo.info/Aney/aneyaap.htm

Y., please seriously consider what the other posters have told you - Babywise is not recommended or endorsed by any medical expert/authority. It has been dangerous in some cases, babies who were malnourished, moms whose milk supplies have dwindled. Babies are not taking advantage and trying to exert their will over you by crying, by needing to eat. Having a baby isn't a battle of wills. Young babies are meant to eat around the clock. It is not unusual for a 3 month old baby to wake up to eat. It isnt a habit, the baby is hungry and at 3 months, a breastfed baby should still be nursing about 8 times a day. The beauty of breastfeeding is that the baby regulates how much he or she eats, because he/she knows when they're hungry and when they're full. Please go with your own instincts and consult your baby's healthcare provider. Good luck

First off, good for you for breastfeeding. I know it is a huge effort so you deserve lots of congrats for that. As far as Babywise goes, however, all the breastfeeding literature I have ever read, as well as the American Academy of Pediatrics (as cited in Baby 411, written by a board certified pediatrician), have stated that the Babywise book is not a good resource and the methods in it can be potentially harmful to a young infant. Most sleep experts agree that babies can sleep in 5 to 6 hour chunks by around 6 months. Sleeping 12 hours without a feeding for a young breastfed baby is probably not healthy or realistic at all. You might also end up jeopardizing your milk supply and cutting your breastfeeding relationship prematurely short. Your baby is still so young, I would continue to nurse at least once a night if he desires it. Chances are, he is truly hungry, or may have another need that at this young age that should be met. I went through many sleep issues with my daughter, who is now two years old, and eventually we did "sleep train" her using the book "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child." However, she was 10 months old, and the book had lots of scientitifc evidence to justify its methods, which cannot be said of Babywise. I hope you consult some other resources and make an informed decision from there. Both books I mentioned, Baby 411 and Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, are great. Good luck to you.

I agree with the others. Ezzo's methods are dangerous and not advised by the AAP. There is some info on that here: http://www.ezzo.info/Articles/chickering.htm
Your baby is still an infant and will need to feed during the night for quite a while. Most babies do not begin to sleep for more than 5 hours at a clip until they are over 1 year old. But even then, they may wake hungry or thirsty. Infants do not form habits. They only know to cry when in need of something and at this age, when they wake, they are most likely hungry. Breast milk digests very quickly, in about 90 minutes. Even anesthesiologists will allow a mom to breast feed up to 4 hours prior to a surgery. Where a formula fed baby has to discontinue feeding at least 8 hours prior (learned this when my oldest had surgery). So again, it is ver likely that your baby is hungry when he wakes.

Also, as your baby grows, he will go through various things that will cause him to wake at night. Growth spurts (there is one around 12 weeks), milestones (rolling over, sitting up, crawling, talking, teething, etc). Illness is also another reason that a baby will wake at night. It is important to respond to your baby when he wakes in order to ensure that he is getting what he needs, even if if it just to know that you are still there.

I know it is confusing and you are likely getting a ton of advice from everyone about what to do. But the best advice that anyone could ever give you is to take it all in and then follow your own God given instincts. No book, no person, no "expert" will ever know your very "individual" baby as intimately as you do. Always remember, if babies came with manuals, they would be handing them out in the hospitals. ;) The Ezzo method is dangerous. Please, do your research before employing it. Elizabeth Pantley (author of the No Cry Sleep Solution) and Dr. Sears, Pediatrician and author(askdrsears.com) have wonderful books and info regarding babies and sleep that does not employ harmful methods. And there is also a TON of info on bfing that you might enjoy on Kellymom.com (certified LC with IBCLC).

Hope this helps.

Forget Babywise, breastfed or formula fed, at 3 months old you have no idea how lucky you are that your baby wakes up only once a night. Expect that it will fluctuate and change based on growth spurts and teething as well as once your baby meets some milestones like crawling and walking. Most pediatricians don't believe in sleep training until a minimum of 6 months. Ours started to show concern around 9-12 months, but was fine with wake-ups if we were. Give yourself and your baby a break from trying to train him.

Oh, it's not out of habit. He's too young to have a habit. At his age, he actually needs that nourishment if he's waking up. Not all babies do need to wake up at night, some wake up multiple times well into the first year. What your baby is doing is quite normal.

Good luck.

I know nothing of the babywise method. But this is what you should be doing. Feed your baby. The average for a baby to sleep through the night is 6 mos. You have 3 mos to go before you get there. Both my kids never slept through the night until, my son was 7 mos my daughter 9 mos. My daughter still wakes every night at about 10:30 and goes back to sleep with the binky. You have to remember, the size of your baby's stomach is only the size of her fist. How much do you really think it can hold. Expecting a breastfed baby to go 12 hrs without eating is not only crazy , but it's irresposible. This isn't a habit, it is a basic need. He needs that meal. He needs those calories. You also have to remember that your body works on supply and demand, if there is no demand then there will be no supply. And your son is coming up on a growth spurt so he may be hungrier then usually, to increase your supply. Don't deny your child the right to nurse. I always followed my kids cues. If they were mouthing or chewing on their hands, did it matter that they had just eatin...no. You feed them. They don't have the mental capacity to understand that if I don't eat enough now I may not get to eat for a while. I wouldn't try to start the meal training thing until your child is old enough for solids. Then you can start on a breakfast, lunch, dinner thing. Until then feed on demand. If your son is crying to eat then he's hungry, not because it's a habit. Tell me when you get hungry, is it because it's a habit.

At the risk of offending you (not my intention) I will offer my opinion anyway. Please reconsider your choice of Babywise. If you look far back in history you will see we have evolved to be the way we are when we're babies. Breastfed babies (I applaud you on your choice btw!) wake more often naturally, and it has been suggested it's actually good for the baby, because it decreases chances of SIDS. I have 3 children, my first two did not sleep completely thru the night until they passed their 2nd birthday. My third baby, on the other hand, (also breastfed) sleeps wonderfully. This time in their lives is so short, please just enjoy it and NOT rush them thru it. They need to know they are safe and Mommy is the best person to help them feel that way.

Blessings to you & yours.

HEY! I did babywise too! isn't it great! :) not only do you have a schedule of when to feed the baby rather then just whipping out the boob whenever, but your baby eventually expects to be fed during those specific times also. My little one is almost 13 months old and I never EVER have to worry about her tugging at my shirt or shouting I WANT BOOBIES in the middle of the store because biologically and mentally, she knows she eats at 6am, 12pm and 8pm (obviously, she has other drinks and food throughout the day ~ that's just when I breast feed her). I too in the beginning was sceptical about the whole training a little 6 week old (that's when I picked up the book), but I used my God-given instincts as well and wasn't as strict in the beginning because I knew that she was a growing baby and needed nourishment when she needed it. Honestly, she just started sleeping through the night about 2 months ago EVERY NIGHT! She woke up crying at like 2am one morning for 1/2 hour (LONGEST 1/2 HOUR EVER), but that's it. For me, a half hour is the longest I've ever let her "Cry it out". But, that's I think my motherly instincts saying, she really needs something. Majority of the time, she did. Either poops, still hungry or too hot/cold. She never cried for the sake of crying past that 1/2 hour mark.

The thing I loved most about babywise is that it showed how to put you and your hubby's relationship first and show your baby that that is very important too because it creates security and safety in thier little worlds. He still kisses me first when he comes home and then littly Sylvia and she loves it! And goes "Muah!" when he leans in for a kiss.

Don't fret. I remember feeling like, oh no, will I ever get to sleep through the night? And, you will, it gets better. Just follow your instincts and try to set a good routine to your lives. That's what I did. Babywise is a guidance, not a "How to nor a handbook on exacts". Just go with the flow of things but not so much that you are RULED by your child.

Hugs to you! I'm reading the Babywise II now and it really helped with the whole high chair manners (ie hints on how to make sure they don't stand in the highchair nor throw food on the floor:)

Hope this helps...I think it's awesome you used babywise. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, Just use your motherly, God-given instincts too:)

I don't know if I stuck strictly to the babywise method, but I had a lot of success with listening to the cries. I would let my baby cry for about 5 minutes before feeding her in the middle of the night. I would not pick her up if it sounded like she was falling back to sleep. Every baby is different though, my first was sleeping through the night at 3 months, my second not until 6 months. Good luck!

Hi Y.. First of all, I know Babywise gets a lot of criticism, but it's not a bad philosophy for our children to become good sleepers. If you take Ezzo's advice while using common sense I hardly thinks it's harmful to babies.

When I had my son I had all intentions of being Babywise because I wanted him to be able to put himself to sleep. He is also breastfed. He refused to be on a schedule either during the day or at night no matter how hard I tried to get him there. He is terribly stubborn, I even tried letting him CIO. Luckily since he hardly napped during the day he was a good night sleeper and would usually only wake once or twice to nurse. I had thought about dropping the night feeding but I always felt that there might be a possibility of him being hungry. From about 4 months I would try to soothe him first by giving a pacifier or rubbing his back for a few minutes. That actually worked quite well and I was able to know if he was waking out of hunger or habit.

He just reached 6 months and has been on solids so I had a sneaking suspicion that he was just waking at night to have a comfort feeding. One night when he woke I let him CIO and he only cried for 25 minutes. He then slept for 6 more hours which told me he definitely wasn't hungry. Since that night he's slept 10-12 hours without waking.

Anyway I thought I would share my experience. Babywise didn't work for us, but I was still committed to teaching him to fall asleep on his own. Just be sure to use common sense and trust your instinct and it will work out in time. Enjoy your little guy!

A.

At three months, he still has a need to eat in the middle of the night - babies digest breastmilk more quickly (and easily!) than formula, so they need to eat more frequently in general.

Something to keep in mind...most infants can't get through the night without eating. Dr. Sears says on his website that it's still possible to be waking due to hunger up to the 12th month. Plus, I know sometimes I wake up due to hunger/thirst in the middle of the night and if I ignore it, it's harder to get back to sleep.

Y.,

I'm a first time mom as well and am breasfeeding my 6 month old daughter. She started sleeping through the night at 3 weeks. I'm not sure what the babysise method is, but what my husband and i used to do is give her one bottle of pumped breast milk at night right before bedtime as her last feeding. i would giver her everything i pumped, which at that point was about 4 oz. but i would recomend having more on hand than you think he will need. If he is taking a bottle, i would give him an ounce or two more than a normal feeding. we would then time her feeding for 30 minutes, giving her a break with a passifer every 3 - 5 min to make sure the bottle lasted and she got full over time, not right away and then get hungry too quickley. (now she was only 3 weeks old when we tried this, so not sure how this will work with an older baby).

it took us about 3 days and she was sleeping through the night, she still is.

Now that she is older, she doesnt need as much at bedtime.

Also, i was very regimented about putting her on a schedule durring the day and making sure she napped at daytime - the better she slept during the day, the better she slept at night.

Good Luck!

I too no nothing about Babyswise but will encourage you to just feed your baby when he is hungry. There are too many moms out there that claim not to have enough milk, these usually are the moms who don't feed on demand. Also even if your son isn't hungry he is just getting out of the fourth trimester and really needs your comfort whenever he needs it. My son is about sixteen weeks and still wakes one or two times in the night, but let me tell you it is well worth it. He rarely ever cries, is happy almost non-stop and adjust to almost anything so far. And just in case you were unaware, sleeping thru the night is considered a 5 to 6 hour span, so it sounds like you may already be there. Good luck you and your little one.

Hi, my son will be 3 months in a week. I love that book!!! I used the PDF method with all three of my kids. They all go to sleep on their own. My 3 month old is sleeping 12 hours, I'm also nursing. I think that eventually your son will sleep through the night. My son just dropped his late night feeding about a week ago. I don't recommend letting a baby cry it out. Good luck.

As much as you would like to give up that night time feeding, 12 weeks is normal for a child to still be waking up. My 1st child woke up once a night for the 1st 5 months. My 2nd child decided at 8 weeks just give up the night feeding. I did the same thing for both my children, so I think it depends on the child. Plus when you're nursing it's hard to know how much your baby is getting. So I would say to stick with the feeding for a little while longer.

Wow, only 1 time during the night at 12 weeks????Girl you have it good:)Both of our boys woke up 2 times till they were 12 months to eat(and it was not the habit, they downed the bottles dry every time....and they were on formula). I actually did not mind them waking up, and if they did not would get up anyways to check if they were breathing( yeah I am crazy:)) I know some people who had babies sleep though the night(8 hours) since first day they came from the hospital,without any kinds of training and some used all the methods and baby still would not sleep.They are just defferent. Enjoy your night snuggles, our 2 boys are always on the go now and I hardly ever get to hold them:(....Time goes by too fast.

I had my first child in Australia and the Babywise equivelent that we all used is Gina Ford's Contented Baby Book.
I breastfeed and now have my second child who is 3 months today - and for the last week, he's been sleeping thru (though last night he was a little unsettled).
If you are getting your child settled at about 7pm and then waking for a feed at 11pm (ish) - then there's no reason why your son shouldn't be able to make it thru till anywhere from 5am - 7am. I'm an advocate for "training". When he wakes in the middle of the night, just soothe him back to sleep without offering the breast. If he's starving, he won't go back to sleep (or he'll keep waking up, one of the two). If he nods back off easily, then you can assume it's habit. So just do the minimal amount of settling to get him to go back to sleep - and eventually he'll stop waking.
Also - if he wakes early (5am-ish), treat it as a night feed, but give him as little as possible and get him back to bed. The idea is to get him used to waking around 7am for his first feed of the day.
Good luck - sounds like you're well on your way!

Hi Y., I am an older mom and do not know about the method you speak of but as the mother of 5 I don't know any baby who sleeps through the night at 12 weeks. Babies are on demand and they need us. If they happen to sleep many hours, that's great. Motherhood is not easy and sleep loss is a big factor. Best wishes, Grandma Mary

At 3 months old if he is waking up only once your doing great. He needs something. Most likely he is hungry or needs a diaper change or both. Try to enjoy the baby bonding time and be glad it is only once a night.!!!!!! A.

Remember that at 3 months your baby still has a very tiny stomach. He is hungry. He may want to eat at least once for over six months.

At this young age, your baby is legitimately hungry. It'll be several more months before he'll want to feed during the night for comfort, not actual hunger.

To the other moms' criticisms of the Babywise method, I have to agree... I read the book too and it just didn't make sense to me. Baby sleep books are a dime a dozen and this one had no real scientific basis for anything, just the author's claims.