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August 2012 Moms
Babywise is just bad parenting
My SIL posted on Facebook asking for advice on her newborn's sleeping habits. There were multiple people commenting, saying that she needed to read the book "Babywise". These people didn't know that the medical community rejects these ideas. They say that the ideas presented in this book can cause detrimental damage, psychological and physical. They even stopped publishing the book because of criticism they received. Doesn't it say something that the PUBLISHER withdrew the book?
Babies are meant to be loved and taken care of not "trained" and left alone. Just my two cents.
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Re: Babywise is just bad parenting
YES!!!
The people who gifted it to me swear by it, but it just wasn't for me. Other than the 4 month wakeful which seems to be over now (knock on wood), DD has been sleeping through the night, too. I think you followed what was right for you and your children, and it's obviously working for you. That is really all that matters.
Exactly. Sorry, I just bristle at blanket statements like anyone who uses certain principles of Babywise isn't loving and taking care of their child. Moving on...
How about following any book to a tee is just a bad idea? Sure we can use them as reference but common sense has to come into play too. I never did read Babywise so I have no opinion on that particular matter.
https://www.ezzo.info/resources/timeline/81timeline/107babywiseadvicelinkedtodehydrationfailuretothrive
and one on the crying aspect
https://www.childandme.com/cryingitoutmydamagebabysbrain/
Wow, that's terrible.
If sleeping is all you care about, then go ahead, use babywise. I, myself, don't mind sacrificing a few hours of sleep a night to tend to my baby. My baby is the most important thing to me, after God and my husband. I can't just let my baby cry himself to sleep. I need to teach him that I am there for him for whatever he needs. Research shows that babies thrive on a nurturing environment and that not responding to their cries can be detrimental.
Please read the articles I have inserted above.
Also, the book is not meant to give parents a few pointers. It is meant to be used to a tee. It is a method of parenting that is "to be used from birth and beyond". The people I have encountered that use the book (it may not be all users but the ones I have seen) use the book as a bible of parenting. They use it as if it is the end all be all of parenting.
If you look at cross-cultural studies you will find that babies raised in accordance with attachment parenting (co-sleeping, baby wearing, etc) are happier and cry less. The pediatric association has warned of the use of these parenting styles, what else do you need to know?
I believe that there usually isn't a right and wrong way to parent and that people in general shouldn't be made to feel bad for their parenting decisions, but Babywise parenting IS wrong. I can understand if a mom has to go back to work and needs to get sleep and decides to try to get their baby to self soothe but I have heard of people letting their babies cry for hours on end. Perhaps a different book would be a better guide, like The No-Cry Sleep Solution, for one.
Lastly, babies don't come into this world on a mission to manipulate us. They are babies and they have basic needs that need to be met. The faster I respond to his needs, the less he needs to cry. If I start waiting to respond, he will need to become more irate and he will be conditioned to cry every time he needs something.
I never call people out or try to upset people but I just really feel strongly about this subject. I could've worded the title of this post differently and I admit that this was done with some emotion (since it was right after the event). I'm sorry for anyone that I have offended. Please, do your research on these books before utilizing them on God's precious babies. Jesus used love AND discipline...we can always learn from him. Thanks
This is why I said that Babywise is bad parenting. Letting your baby sit and fuss for a few minutes is different than the parenting style that they recommend in the book. I'm not saying that a little of this and a little of that is a bad thing. When you take this book and follow it as it is meant to be used, THAT can be detrimental. Trust me, there have been times when my babe just needed to be set down. But the attitude that I have encountered from people that reference babywise first and foremost is that babies need to be controlled. "Parent from the head and not the heart" attitude is not what Jesus would want. My parenting style isn't the only way to parent, LIKE I HAVE SAID, but following babywise is NOT the way to go. That is all.
OP, have you actually read Babywise? I'm gonna guess that you haven't. And wtf does Jesus have to do with it??! This whole rant comes across as insane. You can not tell others how to parent.