Book Review: Baby Whisperer

I can't even remember how I discovered it, but Secrets of the Baby Whisperer is, in my opinion, the best baby care book out there. I love its balanced approach, falling somewhere between the extreme attachment parenting crowd and the extreme scheduling, let baby "cry it out" crowd. 

The basic premise is to get your baby on a flexible routine of eat, play, sleep, following their cues. She believes in teaching baby to self soothe and learn to fall asleep on his own in his own bed, but with the parents' help. Leaving baby to cry alone breaks trust, so the parent is there along the way to soothe when needed. 

There is also an online message board where you can get your questions answered. They will look at your routine & help you tweak it and problem shoot with you to solve sleeping, eating, and other problems. 

One warning I got when first starting the book, and one I now agree with, is that her advice on breastfeeding is not entirely accurate. If your baby is gaining well & happy, then go with it, but if there are problems, it would be best to get breastfeeding advice from a certified lactation consultant & not this book.