11 Reasons to Love Babywise

Eleven Reasons to Love Babywise. Why 11 moms love Babywise and how they have found success by using it. 

I have loved reading the different successes from people this week! This is our grand finale. These eleven moms are sharing their own success with Babywise. Thanks for a great week! 

The -Wise Series and Older Children/Adoption

The -Wise Series and Older Children/Adoption. Babywise has benefits for older children and adopted children.

While Babywise is often read and implemented by parents with newborns, I think the real genius of it actually comes into play in the older years. 

I read Babywise before my first son was born and so I have used it with all of my children; however, I wasn’t prepared for how it would help us in welcoming an older child to our family! We fostered, and later adopted, our daughter beginning when she was 11 years old. She came to us after a turbulent childhood with very few rules and nothing she could rely on. In fact, even food was not a given on any particular day or at any particular time. She was not underfed per se, but she truly never knew when, or what kind of, food would be available. 

A Breastfeeding Journey with Babywise

A Breastfeeding Journey with Babywise. Breastfeeding can absolutely work with Babywise. Here is one mom's journey on how she did both.

I often hear silly myths surrounding breastfeeding, as if there is only one right way to breastfeed (hint: the la leche league way). However, I have successfully breastfed all of my babies. 

Babywise: So Much More Than Schedules and Sleep Training!

Babywise: So Much More Than Schedules and Sleep Training!. How to work to make Babywise work for you and your family situation.

My little brother is a smart guy, but he has always hated reading.  He is actually proud(!) of the fact that, at 34 years of age, he’s never owned a library card and can count on his fingers the number of books he’s voluntarily read.  So you can imagine my shock when, soon after I announced my pregnancy, he gave me a book.  It was called “On Becoming Babywise”, and he swore by it, explaining that this was the secret behind his two boys’ good behavior, discipline, and happiness.  I read it and knew right away that our family would be following its principles. 

7 Success Stories from Babywise Moms

The Success and Benefits of Babywise from Real Moms. Seven moms tell their recent Babywise successes.

If I love hearing one success story, then I even more love hearing success from several moms all at once. In this post, I have compiled success stories shared by seven different Babywise Moms. 

Babywise Gives the Gift of Sleep for Any Child

Babywise Gives the Gift of Sleep for Any Child. Babywise works for all types of babies. 

I have six children. Five of those are mine by birth and all five of those I have had the privilege of parenting since birth have been raised with Babywise and the subsequent books (Pretoddlerwise, Toddlerwise, Preschoolwise, and Childwise). In fact, I am overdue to read Teenwise for my now-10 year old! 

I cannot say enough what a blessing this book has been to me and my kids! I find over and over again that when I follow the principles my children are happier, calmer, and just more fun to be around. Because, let’s face it, tired, cranky babies aren’t nearly so fun as well-rested ones! And obedient(ish) toddlers are far more enjoyable than disobedient ones.

My youngest baby is now 7 months old. He was my latest to sleep through the night (defined as sleeping from at least a 10pm dreamfeed until 7am), but even so he was sleeping comfortably an 8+ hour stretch by 13 weeks old. Oh, and he has reflux. In fact, three of my Babywise babies have had reflux and all slept through the night by 3 months old. 

For those who think Babywise only works for babies who are naturally good sleepers, here is our baby breakdown using terminology from The Baby Whisperer as well as my own observations :) 

Babywise Success Happens Over and Over Again

Babywise Success Happens Over and Over Again. Babywise goes beyond baby sleep!

It is that time of year I love: the Babywise Success Stories Week! I fully love reading the successes, small or large, that you are experiencing. I think it is for two reasons. One is I get so many inquiries from parents looking to solve problems. In short, I hear a lot about problems and not a lot about the wins. Another reason I love it is to see that all of the time and effort spent here on the blog is absolutely worth it. You are implementing the principles found in Babywise and seeing success through it. I love that!

Each year as we start this week, I think about my own successes. A major goal of parents when they first turn to Babywise is typically getting baby to sleep. That is what they are worried about and what they need fixed. I was that same parent. Good sleep is what made me turn to Babywise. As I read through the book, I quickly realized the focus of the authors was far beyond sleep. Sleep is great, vital even, but it is just a small part of the focus and possible success of Babywise. 

Babywise is Work but It Works

by Lisa

I first found this blog as the mom of a 3 week old little girl. A mom in my church had given me "on becoming babywise" but I was looking for more guidance. This blog was such a huge help. I scoured it almost daily and had great success with baby 1. 19 months later came baby 2, of course as all babies are different I had to reread the book and many blog posts and had great success with her too. 

And then baby 3, if I had not had babywise success with the first two I would not had stuck it out for #3. She had a tough time sleeping, and is still (at 19 months) finicky about naps. She does sleep well at night, but it has been next to impossible to find out what causes short naps with her. 

As I write this I am nursing baby 4, he's two weeks old and we are working on starting to implement babywise with him. It's such a comfort to know that I will be getting a good nights sleep in a few months time. I don't function well without sleep and with an infant, 19 month old, 4 and 6 year old, I need to be functioning!! Babywise works, sometimes it is work to do it, to stay home at nap time, to be home early enough for bedtime, to protect your routine, but it is so worth it to have happy, well rested kids!

6 Ways Babywise Has Set My Children Up For School Success

Right now I have all three of my children in school. My oldest is going into 3rd grade, my middle is entering kindergarten and my youngest will be continuing with a second year in a 3 morning a week preschool class. 

Babywise techniques have benefited my family in all areas of our lives but today I specifically want to focus on how Babywise has set my children up for success in a school setting:

They Are Well Rested

Everyone knows that sleep is so important for our children (and ourselves!) to be successful. Having been on schedules since birth, my children arrive to school each day well-rested. We stick to a strict bedtime and the kids who attend a half-day school also nap each day. Our oldest is going into 3rd grade and goes to bed by 7:45 each night with a 6:45 wake up time each morning. 

They Are Obedient 

From birth my children know their place. They do not "rule the roost" and they are not given more freedoms than they can handle at each given age. They are taught to reply with a "yes ma'am" at any instruction they are given and to obey what Mommy says right away. This not only makes home life run smoothly, but makes them model students as well. With a classroom full of kids, teachers are always telling me how wonderful it is that my children obey so well. 

They Are Potty Trained

This obviously is geared more to the younger school age kids but when my barely 2 year old entered preschool it was a huge advantage that she was already potty trained. It makes it easier for the teachers to not have to be changing dirty diapers and having a set schedule of times when they use the potty makes it easy for teachers to know when to take them! 

They Are Good Listeners

My children are taught from early ages to listen to Mommy. We read a lot as a family and attend church regularly where they are expected to sit quietly. They have self-control and are able to sit still and listen without being rambunctious. 

They Are Able To Focus 

Independent playtime has many benefits but a large one I've seen with my children is their ability to sit and focus on a given task. Even my more "busy body" child is a stellar student in the classroom. They all are able to sit and focus without becoming distracted or board or in "need" of constant entertainment. 

They Are Self Reliant

I strive for my children to be independent. They are able to do age-appropriate tasks on their own with minimal help or assistance. They are taught to be helpers and I receive many comments from teachers that they are quick to jump in and be a leader to their peers. 

I am proud of my children and their good choices at school and am thankful that Babywise techniques have really set them up for success! 

Emily blogs over at The Journey of Parenthood. She has three children and is in the process of adopting. She loves a Disney World, can't resist a good deal, and always keeps it real. 

How Schedules Impact Sleep for the Baby and the Entire Family

by Elisabeth

During the months leading up to the birth of our first baby, my husband and I received a variety of advice from friends, coworkers, and even people we didn't know regarding how to best prepare for life with a newborn. We generally listened with open ears as we were excited but also a bit apprehensive for what would lie ahead of us. One thing was certain, though: I loved my full night's sleep and was committed to getting our soon-to-arrive baby sleeping long stretches as soon as possible!

This is where Babywise entered the picture for us. Multiple people recommended reading the Babywise books before our newborn arrived and we are still incredibly grateful for this. Perhaps the most valuable concept that we have gained from these books has been the importance of schedules and how they dramatically influence a baby's (and parents!) quality of sleep well into the years ahead.

We can attest to the slight inconveniences of prioritizing our babies' schedules in order to instill outstanding sleeping habits in them. This predictability has, over the course of time, produced long afternoon naps and 11 to 12 hours of undisturbed nighttime sleep in a nearly two year old and four year old. While there have certainly been minor setbacks due to sleep regressions, baby growth spurts, illnesses, etc., we have noticed that the kids bounce back quickly as their bodies seem to crave the rest they are used to having. The same goes for traveling. If our family loosely adheres to our normal sleep routines while on vacation, the kids adjust well to their new circumstances.

While organizing your day with a baby's schedule in mind can definitely be an adjustment compared to life before a baby, you will find that the predictability and stability have many benefits to you as well. The confidence of knowing that you have established times for your baby to eat and sleep, opportunities to plan your daily outings a bit in advance and, our favorite, a solid, restorative night of sleep for the entire family creates an environment that everyone will enjoy!

Moving Cross Country: A Babywise Success Story

I've admitted it before, I was a Babywise quitter.  I read about the main ideas when my son was a newborn and started to implement them.  Then I read more online about what a terrible system Babywise was and quit.  Fortunately a few months later I actually read the book and learned so much.  Then we had our twins and I knew Babywise was where it was at.  I've shared that story with Valerie before, and now here we are a year later.  My son is now almost 4 and my twin daughters are almost 18 months old.

This past year has had some big changes for our family.  The biggest was that we moved!  Not just moved,  we moved 1700 miles away to a place I had never been before.  My husband got a new job and we decided to go for it.  One big catch though.  He had to leave right away to start it, and I was staying behind to pack up our lives.  With three kids under three I should add.

This was a big job, and I'm not going to lie and say I did it completely on my own or without any meltdowns.  But having a schedule to work with made the whole thing so much easier.  To start out with packing with littles is tough.  My daughters were six months old, so they couldn't get into too much trouble, but my son needed to run about and play.  With set independent play times, nap times, and bed times I was able to have dedicated packing time without the kids to worry about.

My girls were only six months old and still nursing during this whole endeavor.  We already had a solid nursing schedule in place, which just made things easier.  I was used to taking time out of the day and planning around this time.  Nursing time was more than just a time to give my girls nutrients, we were able to snuggle and be close to each other.  It was also a time I could sit and talk with Ben.  Basically this time was a chance for us all to sit together, letting me really focus on just my kids.  In the middle of the chaos, we could all have a time of calm.

Knowing how our day was going to play out meant we could still get out and have fun!  This was so needed.  Kids can feel the stress of moving and packing, even if they aren't doing a lot of the work themselves.  Plus I really wanted to give Ben a chance to say goodbye to some of our favorite places.  With nursing and nap times set we could get out and do all the lasts we wanted to do.  I know this helped Ben out emotionally, as he had the chance to get some closure instead of just never going back some places again.

Once we were packed up and on the road the routine worked for us again.  The girls stopping times for nursing worked out perfectly for the rest of us to stop and stretch our legs.  We had to spend two nights in a hotel during the actual drive, a first for my kids.  I admit I was a bit worried they wouldn't settle down and sleep, meaning I wouldn't sleep.  Not the case.  We did our usual bedtime routine, just in a different place, and the kids were able to settle right down.  Driving all day was so much easier since I was rested as well.

Getting to our new town wasn't the end of our adventure.  We stayed with family for about three weeks before moving into our new place.  All three kids shared a room.  And you know what?  All three slept.  Having a solid bedtime routine means we can do our bedtime anywhere and the kids know it is time to rest their bodies.  We were able to move into our new home and the kids settled in to their new rooms with no problems.

Babywise helped give me the ability to provide structure for my kids in a very chaotic time.  Consistent nap and meal times meant everyone was fed and rested.  That alone makes it easier to handle stress.  My children also knew that their needs would be met.  While they might not consciously realize this, it does provide reassurance.  Having this structure in our days also helped me prioritize what needed to be done when.  Moving isn't easy on anyone, but having a structure in place that we could take with us anywhere made it go pretty smoothly.

 

Kim is the mom of three- a 3 year old son and 17 month old twin daughters. She blogs at Team-Cartwright.com and you can follow her on Facebook and Pinterest.

Babywise, Act 2, Scene 1: What is this?!

by Ashley Bellis

Two sons ages 4 years (J1) and 1 year (J2)

This time last year I was writing a Babywise success story. I was proud of my accomplishments with my first son. He was well-established in his sleeping and routine. Yes, there were issues. Yes, there were things about Babywise that I wish I had incorporated better. Yes, there were even some things I saw in my personality that were now coming out of my son. But overall, the apple hadn’t fallen far from the tree, and my husband and I were tickled! Our almost three-year-old firstborn was a major success in every way.

This time last year I was also pregnant with number two, J2. J2 threw me for a loop from the get go. He wasn’t conceived on time (per my schedule). He wasn’t the gender I expected (I was almost confident that he was a she based on different feelings in pregnancy). He never posed nicely for an ultrasound. He shifted from head down to transverse at 38 weeks. (For those who are curious, that hurt like the dickens. Oh my goodness, I am recalling the major discomfort now.) He shifted from transverse feet up, to transverse feet down, to full-out breech. At 41 weeks, we scheduled the C-section. J2 just wasn’t fitting my mold for how my second child was supposed to go. First child = Norman Rockwell painting (until he became a toddler).

Good news, J2 was delivered safely and healthily exactly one week before J1’s birthday. How awesome is that? Two birthdays within a week. I seriously love that! I also bonded so much faster with him than with J1. Motherly experience? I can’t say, but I felt so much connection with this little person. We came home from the hospital, and life hit. It hit hard. I technically couldn’t pick up J1 due to his size and my C-section lifting restrictions. I couldn’t drive. It was insanely hot and dry outside (early July). And not to mention, all the “fun” of the newborn stage. To any moms out there that are in the newborn stage, I understand your fear, your concern, your frustration, and your tears. My new baby wasn’t textbook. He just didn’t follow the schedule I set out for him! Why not? It worked so well for his brother. It worked out so well for me!

I had him tested for reflux. We took him to a chiropractor at 4 weeks old. I tried this method. I tried that method. I scoured and poured over resources because my baby wasn’t fitting the schedule! He was sweet as could be, but he wasn’t getting the sleep I know he needed. J2 did not have reflux. The chiro confirmed that. And after four weeks of questioning, hearing those words from the chiro himself made me cry tears of joy! And J2 did not need a regimen of appointments as his adjustment held after just two visits. I was so proud of that little baby! He wasn’t sick or in pain, something just wasn’t right in his environment; which put the pressure on me to figure out what.

At 4 weeks post-partum my mom and grandma came to visit and help. I had other friends visit before then, and everyone said, “Ashley, relax. He’s just a baby. He’s gonna cry. He will get over it.” But I, my friend, I couldn’t handle it. I just couldn’t. I had so much guilt if he was crying because he was overtired. Then I felt guilt that J1 wasn’t getting the attention he needed. And heaven forbid I had half an hour to myself. I was losing it. And my mom said, “How about we get you a swing? That might help.” I never had a swing with J1. I viewed it as an unnecessary expense that would result in a sleep aid crutch. Well, my neighbor sold me her used baby swing, and that swing changed everything. When J2 woke early, I would plop him the swing – swaddled and all. When he started breaking swaddles, he would still sleep in the swing. I could be at peace knowing he was at peace.

I returned to part-time work when J2 was 8 weeks old. The transition at the sitter’s was rough. He refused the bottle. He wasn’t comfortable in the environment. But I have been blessed with amazing sitters. My dear friend used various bottles, various nipples, various feeding positions to get J2 to eat. We tried breast milk and formula. He was a stubborn little beastie. Then, one day, the clouds opened and J2 ate his bottle right up. Then he started sleeping better. Then a schedule was falling into place! A schedule at the sitter’s AND at home! What do you know? It takes practice to get a schedule in place. Who knew time was needed?! (Disclaimer: I knew time was needed. But in the newborn phase, I forgot everything.)

I remember reading on the Babywisemom’s blog that life got better at 3 months of age, and then life was golden at 6 months. I kept shooting for that 6-month mark. My son was successful on the schedule, but he was still waking in the middle of the night. And I would feed him, or hold him, or shush him. I only used the swing once or twice during the night. Once we hit the 6-month mark, he started sleeping through the night! I couldn’t believe it! It was happening. There have been a few exceptions since then, mostly due to sickness or teething, but on the almost-eve of J2’s first birthday we are where we want to be at with him.

Something I hesitate to include, but something I feel needs to be said:

During J2’s first year of life, I have really struggled emotionally. Yes, I bonded very well with him. I love him, I love J1, I love everyone. Except myself. Dozens of times during this past year I have felt crazy. Crazy thoughts, crazy fears, crazy dreams, and more persistent crazy obsessions. I never thought about harming my kids ever. My “crazy” (as I hatingly refer to it as) always directed itself at me. After enough episodes and tears and fears, I scheduled an appointment with a therapist. I was 10.5 months post-partum. I have post-partum depression. It is a struggle to this day. I have triggers, one of the biggest being sleep deprivation (surprise surprise). Mommas, if you’re feeling like something is off, if you’re thinking violent thoughts toward yourself or your babies, if you are months into motherhood and can’t grasp reality, seek someone out. I wish I reached out for help MONTHS before I did. I had friends and family members concerned about me. I never told my husband the darkest of my dark thoughts. I could never voice the thoughts out loud (until therapy). I remember carefully selecting answers to a survey my son’s pediatrician gave me at his 2 month visit. I scored just above the “concerned” level, but I really should have placed in the “concerned” level. There is nothing to be ashamed about with post-partum depression. It’s not fake. It’s not “just a phase.” I’ve had depression and anxiety before, and this feels so much different. Confide in someone trained to help mothers. It is best for you, and also best for your family!

And one more piece of advice for the working moms:

A lot of what you read online by the Babywise moms is from a stay-at-home perspective. I love them and I adore their perspectives! Trust me, this is not a slam to them. It is an encouragement to you that your schedule will look different. Your baby will most likely take longer to adapt to a schedule. Your baby will get there. Looking back, I would love to tell myself to allow 2-3 times what other babies are doing. If the baby in the example is sleeping 6 hour stretches at 6 weeks old, it might take your baby until 12 weeks or 18 weeks. Don’t count yourself a failure just because your schedule isn’t matching what you read online. Working through two babies, I feel confident in my advice to you that babies of working moms will adapt to the routine, but it will most likely take extra time. Hang in there!

Despite the hard work, the tears, the frustrations, the times I refused to read anything Babywise because my baby wasn’t adhering, sticking with the schedule was so worth it! We did lots and lots of adjusting. Lots of reevaluating. At almost one year, we have a happy, healthy, bright, fun, curious, and flexible baby. I love him more than I ever thought I could love another baby! This past year was probably the hardest of my life. But it’s also been the most fruitful and fulfilling. I guess it describes life’s paradox at times. Without my Lord, my husband, and my boys, I probably wouldn’t be in any position to write this story. Through its lengthiness, I hope it gives you some hope.

Babywise and Twins: Consistency Wins

Last year I submitted a Babywise Success Story talking about how I discovered Babywise and the impact it's had on my parenting. At the time I wrote it, my twins were just a few weeks old and we were in the thick of the newborn stage. I wrote:

I have the confidence that the twins will eventually sleep through the night (and probably relatively soon!) and that they will fall into a napping schedule just like my other kids did. This phase of tiredness I’m in is just that – a phase – and with Babywise I can rest assured that it will be over soon and I will be back to my normal, well-rested self.

When the season for Babywise Success Stories came around again this year, I thought I might provide a brief update - a little "where are they now?" for those who stumble upon this in the throws of having their own newborns. Hopefully it will serve as an encouragement.

When I was pregnant with my twins, people told me it would be THE WORST. You think I'm joking, but you'd be shocked to hear the things that actually come from the mouths of strangers. Twins get a bad rap, and the general consensus was that caring for a three year old, a one year old, and newborn twins would be a nightmare.

There were hard moments, sure. There were multiple times that all four children were crying at the same time. There were nights I got no sleep. The logistics of grocery shopping were challenging at first. Nursing in public was impossible. Life had to be prioritized and some things fell by the wayside. One time in a Target bathroom I was busy bouncing my twins to keep them from crying while my 3 year old peed and I helplessly watched as my one year old dipped his finger into the toilet and then shoved them into his mouth before I could even scream NO! These are the things that happen when you have too many young children.

Yes, there were hard moments. But looking back on the year, it was overwhelmingly good. It was peaceful in a way you wouldn't think possible with the ages my kids were. There was order to our day. The was a clear routine. There was rest. There was sleep! When I look back on the year, the hard moments make me laugh instead of cry because they were just that, moments.

How did I do this? Babywise.

I am not a sleep guru. I did not study infant sleep, work in a day care, or put a spell on my children. I do not have a magic touch. I just read Babywise and I followed it. I started the eat, wake, sleep cycle with very short wake times in the hospital. I nursed on a schedule, waking the babies to feed them throughout the day. I focused on FULL feedings, which encouraged longer stretches of sleep and established my milk supply. I taught the babies to fall asleep independently and to self-soothe, choosing not to rely on sleep props. I prioritized sleep, turning down outside activities to establish a strong sleep schedule. These are all principles of Babywise and when diligently executed, they result in a well-rested family.

This was my third go-around with Babywise and it was by far the easiest, which I credit both to "practice making perfect" and to the fact that I was more regimented this time. I had to be stricter - there was just no other way to survive four little ones on my own. And the results were impressive. My twins slept through the night at 11 weeks, which was 1-2 months earlier than my other two. They had established and predictable naps very early on. When this happens - when all four of your children sleep through the night and predictably nap from 1-4pm everyday - you are rested enough to take on anything, even twins! As a mother, your outlook changes when you are rested. Things don't seem so terrible. Life doesn't seem so hard.

With four little Babywise success stories running around the house all day, it's impossible for me to conclude anything other than that when the principles of Babywise are applied consistently over time, the result is a well-rested child. This forms a foundation for all other skills and behaviors. Rest is vital for both baby and mom, and Babywise can help parents achieve it. 

Babywise Solved Night Sleep Issues

I read so many conflicting books before Elyana was born, from baby wearing to Babywise.  I was sure for a while we were going to do Babywise but then started thinking I would do more of a combination of methods.  I got the idea that she needed to be close to me with skin time as much as possible after she was born.  So for the first month, every time she slept, she slept on me.  By the end of the month I was exhausted to say the least and borderline depressed.  I didn’t think she would sleep any other way because from the beginning she would always cry when we tried to lay her down. 

Some time around the end of the first month I had had enough and re-read Babywise.  I put her down for a nap, she cried for 5 minutes and went to sleep.  I was shocked.  I told my husband “that was so easy!  I can’t believe I didn’t do this sooner”.  That turned out to be the easiest nap time ever.  After that she always cried for at least 11 minutes before every sleep, but at least I was now able to get some sleep.

For some reason I began sleeping in her room (we have a twin bed in there too)  I think I was trying to prevent crying so she wouldn’t wake my mother-in-law and husband.  I would hear her wake and fuss every hour or two and so I fed her to keep her from crying.  This became even more exhausting than when she slept on me.  Oh, I remember, she had reflux and that would bother her too.  At three months I talked to some ladies at church who had done Babywise and they set me straight.  By then I had had it again with the exhaustion so I started implementation that night.  I slept in our bed again and only fed her once in the night.  She only cried I think for 10 minutes or so and then slept most of the rest of the night.

She has always had a struggle with going to sleep so naps continued to be difficult.  But night time sleep was great so I could deal with the nap issues.  Your blog and the Babywise google group have been a real help during our journey and I am very grateful.

Natalie

Babywise Success Stories Week 2017

It is here! Babywise Success Stories Week! I absolutely love hearing about the success people have with their children and families. Sometimes, it is a huge shift and significantly changes life. I have had those moments. Sometimes it is something so small that it can almost seem like it isn't that big of a deal, but it still makes a positive impact on family life. I have had those moments, too. 

Parenting is never easy. Babywise helps make it easier, but it isn't a magic wand that takes away all difficulty from parenting. There are still bad days. There are still rough naps. There are still sleepless nights at times. Those moments still come. They just come less frequently. Life becomes more manageable. 

I hope you enjoy reading these success stories this week. I hope you see how life has improved for people with their successes. I hope you also see that these are everyday people simply improving life for their families. Every step we can take to simplify the parenting process is a step we can take toward being better parents who have the patience and wherewithal to respond to the difficulties that will come. 

A big thank you to everyone who sent in stories! I love reading them and appreciate the time you have taken to sending them in. If you are reading along and really wish you had sent one, I can add more to what is scheduled, so feel free to email me your story at valplowman@gmail.com.  

If you would like to share success on social media, post it with #BabywiseSuccess . I will re-post anything public. You can also tag me to ensure I see it. 

I can't tell you how many big and little moments I can see in my life as I look back on the last 12 years of parenting. I have gone from no sleep to great sleep. I have managed a reflux baby and actually slept! I have gone through witching hour, gas pains, and growth spurts. I have survived wise in own eyes, backtalk, and the never ending "why." I have gleaned great ideas for prepping my preschoolers for school. I have known how to balance freedoms. I have developed strong relationships with my preteens. 

Something I can't express enough appreciation for is Independent Playtime. This has helped me consistently through my parenting years. Still today, and especially in summer, it is a sanity saver for me. I am able to still have 60 minutes to myself where my train of thought will not get interrupted. It is an hour when I can work on something without being pulled away to help a child with something. Those 60 minutes help me be a more patient mom. That is major success! 

Stay tuned for more stories. We will have several each day this week. Enjoy!

Send Me Your Babywise Success Stories

We are coming up on one of my very favorite weeks of the year. It is the week when I post your Babywise success stories. The stories of how your baby's sleep improved. How implementing a schedule has helped your family. How your sanity has been maintained thanks to predictability in life. 

I love having these banks of stories in order to help people have easy access to the good Babywise has to offer. There are so many people intent on bashing Babywise out there (and it seems most of them have actually never even read the book), that a search for Babywise can yield nothing but negative. These stories help people see the good. 

Each year, in an effort to provide more positive stories out there, I do a Babywise Success Stories Week. I publish the stories in July. I ask you, the readers, to provide me with success stories to share on this blog throughout the week. It can be as short as a paragraph, or as long as a blog post. It can be about Babywise in general or some specific aspect of Babywise (like Independent Playtime, for example). 

My hope is that as we provide these stories, parents who are wondering what Babywise is all about can find these stories and see that there are parents who use it and love it. They can see that those parents are loving, normal parents. If Babywise is something that makes sense to them, they can move forward in using it with confidence. 

To share your story, please email it to me at valplowman@gmail.com. Follow these steps:

1. Put "Babywise Success Story" in the subject of your email. This helps make sure it doesn't get sent to my spam folder.
2. Tell me the title of your article. If you do not include a title, I will title it for you.
3. Tell me how you want to be identified (for example, I could be identified as "Valerie," "Valerie Plowman," "Val," "V. Plowman"--whatever you want).
4. It would be fun to know the number of children you have and their ages, but that is not required.
5. Type or paste your article into the email. Please no attachments.
6. You can include an image for your article. Just send me the image URL for it--again no attachments. If you right click on an image, you can choose "copy image URL." You can also often just copy a picture online and paste it into an email. 
7. You may also include a link to your website if desired, but any questionable website links will not be posted (just had to include that).

You can start sending your article any time starting now! I don't have a firm deadline, but you have at least until July 10 for sure. I will respond to you once I have it scheduled and let you know what day and time you can expect to see it up. 

I look forward to hearing from you!

Follow this link to see previously shared success stories.

Babywise Success Stories Week Grand Finale

I have loved reading the different success stories this week! This is one of my favorite weeks of the year--I love hearing from real people who use Babywise and how it has improved their lives. To wrap up the week, here are some comments from my Facebook page this week:

Jerusha said:  I demand fed my baby girl for 6 weeks and we were both miserable! She cried all the time, she wouldnt sleep, I was feeding her whenever she wanted and she had terrible stomach pains. A nurse came to my home and asked me all sorts of questions about what I was doing and how I was feeding her. I told her I was demand feeding and explained what was happening. The nurse listened and then told me the reason my daughter was in so much pain and crying all the time was because I was demand feeding her and her little tummy wasn't getting a break and time to digest properly. The nurse said I needed to get her on a 3 hourly schedule! I was shocked! This advice was completely opposite to everything I had been told. But I was desperate, and my baby girl was miserable. So I tired it. I remembered my sister inlaw giving me a book called Babywise and it was about scheduling feeds or something. I read the whole book as soon as I could and started to implement the suggestions straight away. It completely made sense. At first I was apprehensive because she had been feeding nearly every hour, so I gradually moved the time between feedings back little by little. My daughter thrived!! She was taking full feedings and went from below the 25th percentile in height and weight to the 90th percentile in six weeks. She had no pain! and was sleeping! I finally got to bond with my precious baby girl and she was so happy, we both were. I have reread babywise countless times since then and have followed the Babywise principles from that day on with my daughter and then my son and we love it!

Kelli said: Babywise was the only way i made it through (and loved) having my 2 kids 15 months apart. When my daughter was born, my son still took 2 naps and did an hour of independent playtime, giving me lots of time to focus on full feeds and getting to know her sleep cues. Now they're 4.5 and 3 and they both do 1 hour independent playtime several times a week, sleep 10-11 hours at night and nap 1.5-2 hours! (My 4.5 doesn't nap every day, usually 3-4 times per week, quiet time in his bed the other days) 

I'm a planner, so I loved having a schedule, and i still love it. :)

Christine said:  We love Babywise! Our 18 month old now tells us when it's time for bed (6:45 on the dot!), walks himself into his room and puts his arms up to get into his crib. Sleeps a solid 12 hours every night and takes a great afternoon nap. I listen to stories of parents/children who struggle with bedtime/sleeping in solid stretches and always think of how much of a blessing Babywise has been for us. Our evenings are so easy and our son is such a happy toddler!

Rochelle said: We have 14mo twins and another on the way. Babywise was so hard at first because I didn't know if it would be worth it. It is hard! But I can say it is 100% worth it. My girls are great sleepers, and I know that came from a lot of hard work. It came from consistency, knowing when to let them cry for a bit and when to intervene, routines, and working in a little flexibility. They are generally happy, calm, cooperative, curious, and are able to concentrate on things. It was great for me because I knew when they would need to eat and sleep so we could plan accordingly. It really is a lot of work, but it is so worth it! I am not anxious for this next baby, because I've seen how well babywise works with our twins! They now have independent play in their room for about an hour in the mornings and people are always amazed that they can do that. It gives me time to get ready, do some chores, etc. so that I'm not trying to do everything when they want to be playing with me.

Jolene said: There have been many times, since we have been doing Babywise (specifically schedule, CIO, and independent play), miscellaneous random challenges were made much easier (flight delays, sickness, surgery...)!! Baby knew what to expect, was so much calmer knowing I would feed him when it was time, was fine playing on his own if I needed him to do extra, etc.)

Natalie said: I have a 3.5 year old and an 11 week old. Babywise absolutely has saved my sanity over the years and I cannot imagine parenting without it! I initially read the book when my first baby was 4 weeks old after a recommendation from a friend who told me her babies slept through the night at 8 weeks thanks to Babywise. While my initial hope was just for an 8 hour stretch of sleep again before my child turned one, I've found over the years that putting your kids on a schedule ASAP truly sets them up for success as far as temperament and behavior. My daughter is and has always been so affable and well-behaved and I truly believe it's because she A) gets enough sleep! and B), always knows what to expect. Children are comforted and reassured by routines and it helps mold them into even-keeled and surprisingly more flexible little humans. 

Implementing Babywise with #2 has looked much different, but I'm determined to see it through because I know what a difference it makes it overall. With time it becomes less about sleeping through the night (though that is a huge plus) and more about creating an environment that allows your children to thrive.

Kat said:  Babywise success as per usual! 3rd time around!!

Shannon said: Starting my baby on an Eat-Play-Sleep cycle as early as 1 month of age and establishing a consistent start time to our day really set us up for success! Our little one is 8 months old now :)

A Tale of Two Brothers

by Emily 

We have three boys: 3.5 years, 21 months, and 5 weeks old.

Before our first child was born in 2012, a friend of mine told me about Babywise and how well it had worked for her family. I bought the book, read it, and decided that we were going to give it a try. There were two main reasons why it appealed to me. First, I knew NOTHING about taking care of a newborn and I loved that it gave me a plan and an idea of what my baby would need and should be doing. Also, I have always loved and needed my sleep - and I really really REALLY wanted to get that back as soon as possible after baby arrived! I had heard too many horror stories about post-baby sleep deprivation, and I didn’t want to put us through that if at all possible.

Boy #1 was born, and though it took us some time to figure out HOW to implement Babywise and get him on a schedule (this blog was super helpful then!), he ended up being an easy, happy, mostly-textbook baby. We never had to do CIO and he took almost everything in stride with little or no fussing. Granted, he didn’t STTN till 4 months old, (which is a little late per Babywise) but I believed then - and still do - that it was simply because he was a big, hungry boy and really needed to eat.

Then boy #2 came along, and he was the polar opposite of his brother in every way. He would scream and cry inconsolably for hours on end. He wouldn’t sleep anywhere except in his bouncy seat, and that only after an hour (or more) of us bouncing him. Every little change seemed to bother him. After lots of trial and error we figured out that he was sensitive to dairy, and when I cut that out of my diet he became much happier. But still - he was a chronic 45-minute napper (until past a year old!) and could never seem to roll with the punches like his brother did. It wasn’t until 14 months that I could say with confidence that he was consistently sleeping through the night! And yet - I still consider him to be a Babywise success. Why? Because, though it took much longer than *they* say it should, we taught him, eventually, to self-soothe and to sleep on his own. It took SO much more work than our first child, partially because of his sensitive personality and partially because he just didn’t (and doesn’t) need as much sleep. But even when he was only doing 45 minute naps and not STTN, he still would go down for naps awake, fall asleep on his own, and sleep in his own bed. Those are small successes right there.

And now, at 21 months, he sleeps great. Not as long as some kids, but he goes down happy; it takes us a grand total of about 5 minutes to put him and his brother to bed at night (less, for naptime); he sleeps in his own bed; he wakes up happy; and he still takes one afternoon nap a day. Those are all successes that many people don’t have, and I know he would have been a MUCH harder baby without the routine and consistency that Babywise gave us.

Now we are working on figuring out boy #3, but I am confident that he too will (eventually) learn to sleep well, as his brothers did. :)

My word of advice: don’t be discouraged if your baby doesn’t follow the timelines that Babywise gives. You CAN still use it, and benefit from it, even with a difficult child who seems like he will never *get* it. Let me tell you, STTN late is a whole lot better than never! And later, when they are toddlers, you will be glad you persevered.

Babywise Promotes The Family

To be honest, it is difficult to choose just one story of success for Babywise. I have four kids (8, 5,4, and 19 months) and we were on board with Babywise before we even got pregnant. I had watched several families who kids were so well-rounded and happy and SLEPT so well, that I said “I’m doing what they’re doing.”

One of the things I love most about it, is that Babywise promotes the family as a unit. It talks about how a new baby should fit in and be a part of the family, but the family should not revolve around just one member. Even though at times, other family members may have to may sacrifices for another member (especially a new baby), decisions are made for the good of the whole family. One example of this is school drop-offs and pick-ups. During the school year, I have to adjust nap schedules around school pick-ups.  For us, it means starting baby’s day earlier than I think they would naturally so that I can ultimately start afternoon naps earlierin order to pick up the older kids on time for school.  Another example is Church. We don’t hibernate for months at a time after a baby is born. While we are pretty schedule focused, we have decided for our family that church is a greater priority, and best for the whole family, than a good schedule is on Sundays. So we make that sacrifice.

 Babywise has served our family so well because we decided to make it work for us. We have put in the work and have reaped the benefits. I continue to recommend Babywise to all Mamas and their families because it has been so helpful to us.

Read more from Carrie at www.wileyadventures.com .

Babywise Brings Order

by Brooke Arevalo

Mom to Alynne, 2.5 & Fynnlan, 8 months; Husband: Ron

http://thearevalos.com/blog

I remember when I was pregnant with my first child, I read so many parenting books and
articles. I’ll admit, at first I was just merely trying to see if there was a way to get my future child
to sleep as much as possible. I used to sleep until noon every weekend and getting to work at 9
was a struggle for me! As I began more research, I quickly realized that beyond my selfish
desires to be well rested, there was an actual method, and great benefits, to getting your baby
to sleep through the night early on. I know many people believe children will naturally learn to
fall asleep on their own, and I completely agree. They will certainly do this, but at what age? In
the same way I encouraged and pushed my 2 year old daughter to learn how to use the potty on
her own, I encouraged her as a baby to sleep through the night. Though she was not showing
“signs” of being ready to potty train, I knew she was capable. Within 2 days, she was trained
and hasn’t looked back. Of course, if we hadn’t pushed her, I’m sure she would have figured it
out on her own someday. And the same goes for our babywise efforts. After a week of sleep
training, both of our children have slept 12 hour stretches from 3-4 months on.

With the arrival of our second child, we saw immense benefits of babywise as we learned to
manage life with two. My oldest, was very easy to manage because she had a very predictable
routine and schedule, but until we began our sleep training efforts with our baby, it was a bit
chaotic in our house. As the baby got older, I saw that naturally his sleeping was getting worse.
Ironically, though I love my sleep dearly, I wasn’t concerned with waking up 5+ times a night
with him, the days were worse. During the days, he would wake up mid-nap and need to be
held the rest of the nap. While I did enjoy the cuddles, every time he woke up, it meant screen
time for my oldest while I tried to keep her quiet, or it meant I was working and typing one-
handed while I tried to multitask my workload. We quickly realized this was not sustainable for
anyone in our family. At 12 weeks old, we started sleep training, and after only 2 days of it, he
was taking 1.5+ hour naps and sleeping through the night!

I know there is no one correct way to parent, (and I have plenty of friends who would never
dream of parenting in this fashion!), but we have seen the benefits Babywise has brought to our
home. It might be tough in the beginning, but habits are much easier to fix at 3 months than 3
years!