One mom’s story of what it is like to parent a baby with Babywise vs. Attachment Parenting. What are the differences?
I am compiling all success stories shared this year to make one nice success story post. We all can then have a place to come to when we wonder if things will get better and if the work is all worth it.
Before that post is up, I wanted to share this success story. This was from a woman who wants to be referred to only as “M.”
Babywise vs. Attachment Parenting
“I am a second time mom. [With] My first baby I used attachment parenting by the books (all the Dr. Sears books) for my son who is 10 years old now. I was also a La leache member! I just had my second baby and read baby wise while pregnant. I was amazed there was a different easier way than the route that 10 years ago exhausted me into a very depressed doubtful mommy. Now I am full of confidence and my life is amazing. It is not just the difference in babies (like everyone keeps saying) it is the schedule and sleeping!
Your blog is all I read and was very helpful to me as a breastfeeding mom who never heard of or could find information about breastfeeding on a schedule. My son is doing so well and so am I. I really want you to know how much it meant to me that you did your blog when at times I was afraid to do the polar opposite of what I did with my first son. Having you and your honesty was better than talking to my breast or bottle feeding friends, or friends whose kids are so old they do not remember. My son is 4 months and so happy! My whole family is so happy and it is in part because of you-a stranger who helps others.”
I loved this story and hearing from a mom who has parented in two very different ways. For her, Babywise is proving to be a better parenting philosophy. I do believe there is no one right way to parent, but I obviously also love Babywise. It is always good to get positive feedback with all of the bashing that goes on out there.
While I am compiling success stories, if you have any that you think could help bolster other moms, please share. Also, thank you for all of the thank yous. This blog does take a lot of work, but I am always happy to do it to help moms out there be the best moms they can be while raising this generation of babies and children. The thank-yous help make my efforts all worth it. So thank you!
I am a first time Mom to a beautiful baby boy. He is almost 4 months. When I read Babywise, it sounded great in theory. I had seen friends do it and knew that it worked! But when my baby was born, I realized I needed a LOT of practical help! I had no clue how to implement the ins and outs of the program. THEN I found Valerie’s blog through some serious online hunting. Her articles, advice, and can-do spirit are a large factor in our Babywise success! My son now sleeps 11-12 hours a night and is a happy, well rested baby. And when I need to troubleshoot, I come to Valerie’s blog. I am SO thankful this resource is available to me- I think the Ezzo’s should hire her! 🙂 Thank you Valerie for all your hard work and effort. It’s made such a profound impact in our family’s lives. Blessings to you and your family!
That is exactly how I feel, word for word! I didn’t realize there were other Moms who felt the same as I did. Thank you so much Valerie! You have no idea how helpful you are to us.
My sister had done Preparation for Parenting (aka Babywise?? that has always confused me) with her youngest daughter. She encouraged me to read PP. I did and fell in LOVE with the information, but felt very overwhelemed with it all. Like how in the world is this going to happen? Of course that was before Gabby was born. After she was born it seemed to all fall in place. Of course my sister was on hand to help in the beginning. We started from day one. What a blessing to have had Prep for Parenting. I was needing additional help and my sister could not remember alot…and I searched and searched for help online and ONLY found very NEGATIVE information on the Ezzo approach. I was so disappointed. Then I pulled up growingkids.org and found your blog link. Oh my goodness!! I felt so blessed to stumble on it. I felt like it was the Cliff notes to PP/BW. So many answers to so many questions. Thank you…Thank you!! So nice to know we are not alone in this journey.
Thanks to you all! I really am happy to help.
Valerie, I feel the same way as some of the other ladies do about your labor of love with this blog. Thank you so much.have been following the Babywise principles since our daughter Isabella was born 9 months ago. We serve as missionaries in Eastern Europe. Recently we were in US on an extended stay. We did a lot of traveling and I had to deal with an unexpected surgery. Dealing with all of the traveling, changes of schedules and time zones, sleeping in different houses etc…. As well as my parents and husband caring for Isabella, she did extremely well. Many people commented on how good of a baby Isabella was. I received comments like she doesn’t cry, she is like clock work, she is such a good traveler. At a conference the childcare worker was surprised that I knew exactly when she would be tired and hungry. When we took her to church the following Sunday the same child care worker was there and she told others that I knew when she would be tired etc… This is all fruit of BabyWise.
mommytoisabella, Thanks and thanks for sharing that success story!
May little one 7 months old and two weeks 32 weeks is an amazing napper .. First nap is constant two hour wake time two hour nap time all of a sudden he is refusing to take his 2nd nap of the day for the last 5 days now. I tried to put him down for his 2nd nap like usual after 2 hours of wake time and he played for about one hour then cried for 30 minutes it ended up going into his 3rd feeding of the day. He now wants to be awake after his first nap for 3-4 hours of wake time .. Is that normal ? Then his second nap is not coming till about 4:30 pm .. Anyone know what could be going on? I tried the swinger, I tried extending wake time by a couple of minutes thinking maybe he was not tiered.. not sure what to do ? Old schedule feed 7:00 nap 1 9:00- 11:00 Feed 11:00 Nap 1:00 Feed 3:00 Feed 5:30 solids Bottle 6:30 bed by 6:45 This is what he is doing now feed 7:00 nap 1 9:00- 11:00 Feed 11:00 Wake from 11-3:30 NO Napping ? Feed 3:30 Nap 2 4:30 – 5:30 ( is this normal for him to have so much wake time ) 5:30 solids bottle 6:30 bed by 6:45
First, check the post "5-8 month sleep disruptions." There might be something there.If not, then my first guess would be waketime needs to be a bit longer. Try adding 5 minutes before that second nap. If that doesn't work, do another five. If that doesn't work, another five. Good luck!