On Becoming Babywise

by Gary Ezzo & Dr. Robert Bucknam

Synopsis: With over two million books in print On Becoming Babywise continues to gain international recognition for its immensely sensible approach to parenting a newborn. The infant management plan offered by Gary Ezzo and Dr. Robert Bucknam successfully and naturally helps infants synchronize their feeding/wake-time and nighttime sleep cycles. The results? A happy, healthy and contented baby who sleeps through the night on average between seven and nine weeks of age. Learning how to manage your newborn is the first critical step in teaching your child how to manage his life. And now this best selling book is on audio CD narrated by Anne Marie Ezzo.

Introduction: Yes, one day people will stop you on the street, at the grocery store, and in the church nursery to comment, “Your baby is so content.” Then they will insult you with the following statement: “You’re so lucky to have such an easy baby. What? Sleeping through the night already? How old is he? You’re really lucky!”

As philosopher Immanuel Kant pointed out, the actual proves the possible. With On Becoming Babywise, we no longer count the success stories in thousands, nor in tens of thousands but in millions of happy, healthy and sleeping through the night success stories. On Becoming Babywise is not a book of luck but of principle. Luck has nothing to do with the benefits described above – right parenting does. What you do in the first days, weeks, and months of your baby’s life will impact the rest of your parenting years.

In discussing infant and maternal physiology, we will demonstrate how order and stability are mutual allies of every newborn’s metabolism. In particular, we will note how an infant’s body responds to the influences of parental routine or the lack thereof. In the latter chapters, we will explore the everyday aspects of infant management. Included is an explanation of the three basic elements of daytime activities for newborns: feeding time, waketime, and naptime. The questions at the end of each chapter emphasize the key themes found in your reading. We encourage you to take the time to go through and write out the answers. You will feel more confident when you know what to do and why you should do it. We designed the study questions to serve as an aid in gaining that confidence.

Because every philosophy of parenting has a corresponding pathology, we invite new and expectant parents to consider, evaluate, and decide which philosophy is best for their family. Review all the options. Examine carefully the alternative theories, approaches, and specifically observe the end results. Determine which parenting strategy is right for you, especially when it comes to infant nurturing.

Spend time with relatives and friends who follow the La Leche League attachment-parenting style of infant care, or those who practice hyper-scheduling and certainly observe Babywise parents. In which homes do you observe order, peace and tranquility? Observe the marriages as well as the children. Is mom in a perpetual state of exhaustion? Is dad sleeping on the couch? What is family life like when a child is six, twelve, and eighteen months? Is mom stressed, exhausted, frustrated or insecure. Is the baby stressed, exhausted, frustrated or insecure? At six months of age can the parents leave the room without the baby falling apart emotionally?

The best evaluation of any parenting philosophy, including Babywise, is not found in the reasoning or the logic of the hypothesis. End results speak clearly. Let your eyes confirm what works and what doesn’t. You will be most confident in your parenting when you see the desired results lived out in other families.

On Becoming Babywise is more than an infant-management concept; it is a mind-set for responsible parenthood. The principles presented will help any parent develop a plan that meets both the needs of a new baby and of the entire family. This plan will not leave mom ragged at the end of the day nor in bondage to her child. Nor will dad be excluded from his duties. These principles have worked for thousands of parents and, when faithfully applied, will also work wonderfully for you!

Gary Ezzo