Babywise vs. Happiest Baby on the Block

ams8099

Can you share your thoughts on these? TIA!

scorch

apples vs oranges. they are 2 different things.  Happiest baby on the block is techniques on how to soothe a screaming baby ( and it works really well)  and Babywise is about scheduling your baby to go to sleep on his own ( i think, i havent read it but i wish i  had) 

 

 i think they are both good for new parents.

CER+MEL

The Happiest Baby on the Block DVD was a lifesaver in those first few weeks and on.  We watched it about four days after the babies were born and kicked ourselves for waiting!  I've heard you should just watch it and not to bother with the book since it just elaborates on the key techniques that are better to see in action anyway.

I've read parts of Babywise and Healthy Sleep Habits and was glad to have a sort of plan in the first few months.  I still consult them when things get tricky.  You'll hear positive and negative reviews of all the sleep books/methods out there.  I think it's best to read as much as you can and do what works for you when the time comes.

ams8099

scorch:

apples vs oranges. they are 2 different things.  Happiest baby on the block is techniques on how to soothe a screaming baby ( and it works really well)  and Babywise is about scheduling your baby to go to sleep on his own ( i think, i havent read it but i wish i  had) 

 i think they are both good for new parents.

OK! That's good to know! Thanks!

nikinikinine

I read BW and a friend is loaning me the BHOTB DVD. Baby Wise is all about scheduling your kids - "disciplining them from the beginning by delivering a schedule that works around you".

My birthing class nurse is an extreme behaviorist (if you're into pedagogical theory and child psych) and abhors BW. She doesn't think it's right to leave a baby crying, not to allow them to self soothe and to schedule kids like the military.

I think there's some credence to marrying both types of parenting into something that works. So yes, if your kid is sleeping in four hour blocks throughout the day, wake them up so that they spend that time sleeping at night instead. But it's probably okay to go to your baby when he/she is crying at night.

The nurse that ran our course just told us to keep nighttime feedings all business. Up, eat, change, burp, back to bed. She said it'll be hard not to rock them or sing to them or cuddle them at night, but that if we do those things they will "learn" that nighttime = mommy and me time.

HTH?! 

ams8099

nikinikinine:

I read BW and a friend is loaning me the BHOTB DVD. Baby Wise is all about scheduling your kids - "disciplining them from the beginning by delivering a schedule that works around you".

My birthing class nurse is an extreme behaviorist (if you're into pedagogical theory and child psych) and abhors BW. She doesn't think it's right to leave a baby crying, not to allow them to self soothe and to schedule kids like the military.

I think there's some credence to marrying both types of parenting into something that works. So yes, if your kid is sleeping in four hour blocks throughout the day, wake them up so that they spend that time sleeping at night instead. But it's probably okay to go to your baby when he/she is crying at night.

The nurse that ran our course just told us to keep nighttime feedings all business. Up, eat, change, burp, back to bed. She said it'll be hard not to rock them or sing to them or cuddle them at night, but that if we do those things they will "learn" that nighttime = mommy and me time.

HTH?! 

It helps a lot. I wasn't sure if the two were two different theories on the same topics or if they were totally different.

Dr. Luke says the same thing about night time feedings. 

babydontforget

Nobody could possibly dislike HBOTB, in my opinion. It's gentle ways to soothe a crying newborn. You can rent the DVD on Netflix, if you have NF.

Babywise is one of many available books about how best to deal with sleep and infants. I've read several. I personally found way more success with others, and specifically with my own mashup of ideas from several, but some people have great success with BW. I think that some babies (and their parents!) respond well to some methods and others to others, so it's good to have a few books in your library. They're good to read while you're pumping.

macchiatto

I agree that it's apples and oranges. The HBOTB DVD was very valuable to learn soothing techniques. I also read Babywise, Secrets of the Baby Whisperer, and Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child. I picked the best parts of each of those three books and incorporated them into my own philosophy and parenting. Personally, I found HSHHC the most helpful out of those three and is the most solidly research-based and chock full of useful information, trouble-shooting, information on sleep all the way from infancy through adolescence. If you have time, I would read or at least skim all three (and other top recs) and see what makes the most sense to you.

kelliwill

scorch:

apples vs oranges. they are 2 different things.  Happiest baby on the block is techniques on how to soothe a screaming baby ( and it works really well)  and Babywise is about scheduling your baby to go to sleep on his own ( i think, i havent read it but i wish i  had) 

 

 i think they are both good for new parents.

This.  I bought the Happiest Baby on the block but we never read it so we rented the movie before my c-section.  Very helpful.  I read parts of babywise and it's about scheduling to get your baby to sleep.  Helpful as well.....just different.  

Green&Healthy

Every family is different, so its hard to say what will work best.  But we wouldn't have been able to make it with The Happiest Baby on the Block, but its about getting through the beginning and colic and calming techniques, not about long term sleep habits.  Highly recommend though!