Why I Won’t Be Second Guessing Using Babywise With My Next Child

This post originally appeared at Babywise.Life.

With our first child we didn’t know about the Babywise method until we were a couple of weeks in as new parents.

We didn’t know much as new parents really- not even about things like growth spurts in babies, or even how to swaddle. 

I feel like I am a wealth of knowledge and confidence with our parenting methods now, but at first we were just figuring things out as we went. Figuring everything out. 

We’d heard of using schedules with your baby. (One of the basic ideas of Babywise). But the term “Babywise” just hadn’t come up yet.

When it did, we were so excited to have found it. It just made logical sense to us to have our baby on a good schedule and routine.

Then came the second guessing…

I was new at this whole parenting thing. So, when things didn’t work perfectly, I doubted myself.

“Should I really be waking my child from her nap?”

“Shouldn’t I be feeding on demand, since I’m breastfeeding?”

“What if my supply tanks?”

“We can’t seem to adhere to a schedule anyways…”

“The internet says Babywise can cause failure to thrive!”

In the throws of sleepless nights and being brand new parents, we started questioning our choice.

According to the internet, I should be feeding on demand, I should never wake a sleeping baby, and Babywise was something to run from.

Well, I have to say, I am so incredibly thankful that we decided to ignore the self doubt, and continue forth with Babywise.

Our daughter and our family have benefited so much. And, I’ve since learned that, if you actually read the book, Babywise is a wonderful tool and not one to shy away from.

The Benefits:

1. Our daughter learned how to sleep
2. She learned how to sleep without relying on being fed to sleep
3. I knew when I could leave the house during the first year
4. I was never caught off guard. I knew exactly when my baby was going to eat and sleep, and we could be home for those events.
5. Our daughter was alert, happy, and ready to learn when she was awake.
6. She was well rested.
7. We were ALL well rested.
8. We were better parents as a result.
9. There are no bedtime battles in this house. Sleep is appreciated by all (even our now toddler).
10. Our daughter puts herself to sleep for bed and back to sleep on her own, if she wakes in the middle of the night.

I could go on and on. The benefits are HUGE.

I am now pregnant again, and I can’t wait to try Babywise again. This time, I’m going into it with experience. Experience is knowledge, my friends!

Now I know that in the first few weeks, the schedule is simply a goal.

Now I know that, come the 3rd month, everything really falls into place-

• Naps lengthen.
• The schedule is spot on.
• All of the hard work I put in in the first couple of months will really pay off.

Now I know, that my milk supply actually benefited from the use of a schedule.

Now I know that there are so many ways I can help to train our child to sleep well, without using cry it out methods.

Now I know that the “articles” online that say Babywise causes “failure to thrive” are written by people that have never even picked up the book. 

Now I know that Babywise was the best thing we could have done for our baby.

And, best of all, now I have the confidence to implement it without second guessing myself. Because now I know that the Babywise method works!

Click here for more information on the Babywise method (how to implement it and what it is).