The Fussy Baby Book: Parenting Your High-Need Child From Birth to Age Five

Amazing book. If you have a baby that is highly active, highly sensitive and/or otherwise "high-need," this book gives terrific insight and perspective where many other books are lacking. I was beginning to feel a little crazy feeling like my baby was outside the "norm" compared to other babies who seemed so chill. Not to mention, so many books gave suggestions that simply did not work for us. This book was VERY encouraging & helpful. I would not call it a "how to" book, but it certainly aims to instill confidence and encourages motherly/parental instincts... highly recommend for parents....especially those exhausted/depleted from meeting the demands of their high needs child!!

This book saved me during the first year after my high-needs son was born. The traditional tips and tricks weren't working for him. He wanted to be held and nursed constantly and would not sleep unattached to a parent. This book helped me let go of preconceived ideas of how he "should be" and what parenting has to look like. It was so reassuring to know that it was ok to parent the way I instinctually wanted to (co-sleeping, extended nursing, baby wearing, gentle/positive discipline). Not only ok, but beneficial. My son is almost 3 now and we have an amazing bond. He is still very active and intense and needs a lot of physical contact. He is also very empathetic and intelligent and so affectionate! I read a ton of parenting books and this was by far the most helpful (especially for that specific high-needs personality type)!

During the first few weeks of my son's life, I would have gone utterly out of my mind without this book! Before he was born, I thought fussy babies happened only to other people -- those who didn't see a midwife, have a homebirth, live simply, plan to attachment parent... you get the idea :) I have been humbled completely by his personality... and this book sooo helped me to realize that his fussiness wan't anyone's fault; he was just born wired that way. And it has been an excellent reference for us to work with his needs instead of against them, and realize that his traits, so annoying at times when he was littler (he's now four months old), will help him out as an adult. [It's funny now, watching video of us when he was a newborn; we speak as though we're in the midst of a hostage crisis, counting the days since his birth. We didn't think we'd have another, but are now already considering it in a couple of years. It started out tough, but he's now a very energetic, serious, hyper-interested baby, and we love him dearly.]

I never would imagine a book that could describe 99.9% to my boy. We had started having reports of bad behaviour, lack of limits and respect for authority in the kindergarten. My husband and I started believing that we were doing something wrong. This book arrived at a critical moment just to show us that our kid is a high need child whit a great potential for life, just perfect in essence. This book empowered us and gave us a new perspective about this kind of kids and how they can be guide to obtain the best of themselves.

I have mixed feelings about this book. Like many others this book made me feel that I was not alone in having a baby that needed to be held all the time. When describing the "high-needs baby" the book described my baby perfectly. I appreciate that Dr. Sears differentiates between "colick" babies and "high-needs" babies. Dr. Sears does a good job listing medical problems that could be causing a colicky baby but does not do the same for the high-needs baby. At 15 months, I found out that my baby has severe obstructive sleep apnea. Now, looking back on the book I wonder if the characteristics of the high-needs baby are not really symptoms of sleep deprivation. If your baby does not respond to sleep training and is fussy -- consider a sleep disorder and see a sleep specialist. Sleep doctors are usually found in the Pulmonary dept. of a Children's hospital. Some areas of the country may not have pediatric sleep specialist -- if so consider talking with the sleep specialist for adults. Other medical problems that cause a baby not to sleep also include allergies, relux, and restless leg syndrome. Many pediatricians are not aware of the availability of sleep specialist. Now that my baby is sleeping she is no longer a high-needs baby. Those 16 months were the hardest of my life and I sure hope anyone out there going through the same thing gets the help and answers they need.

There is a lot of good information here for the parents of a fussy/high needs baby. I haven't read the whole book, but I plan on trying some of the suggestions soon.

Awesome book. My son is 3 yrs old and although I'm only half way through the book (not up to the child section yet only the baby section), it is like it was written about him. I struggled with him as a baby big time. Awake 18 hours a day, 1.5 hours to settle him every couple of nights. Dummy addict very distressed. And after residential clinics twice he still ended up in our bed at 2 years old. This book finally explained why he was behaving like this and for the first time we realised it wasn't us just being bad first time parents. This book goes over if your baby is high need, what to do to assist them settle to a new world better and then how these traits can actually be a blessing. Although my son was a high - high need baby with the advice in the book we look forward to raising a highly gifted child.

This will not cure your high-needs baby, but it will help you to retain your sanity until baby grows a little older. The best thing about this book, I think, was the validation that your child IS a bit different, and is this way for a reason, and that is not a bad thing. It might be a hard, sleep-depriving thing, but this book gives your pointers and tips to make the best of it while you're in it. Basically it provides support & encouragement, and that really is what you need if you are blessed with a high needs babies.

Per chi ha un figlio ad alta richiesta è un libro che consola . E non è poco

Para mí este libro ha sido la mejor compra que he hecho. Al tener un bebé de alta demanda me ayudó a entenderlo, a disfrutar de la maternidad, a ver diferentes testimonios de padres que han pasado por lo mismo que yo, a ver el lado positivo y lo maravilloso que es tener un hijo de este tipo. Me sentí completamente identificada y recomiendo este libro a todos los padres con bebés de alta demanda que se identifican con la frase "mi bebé no es bueno, es fantástico". Gracias Dr William & Martha Sears. El libro es en inglés.

Makes you rethink what is okay for your baby. Every baby is different and most actually won't conform to the "they are 4 months old and should sleep through the night". Makes you feel like you're not alone, since they have stories of actual parents In the same situation as you.Definitely recommend this book, especially to first time moms.Great ideas and I love the notion of attached parenting. Just wish my husband agreed with me more ha ha!!

Very nice book

J'ai mis plusieurs mois à le lire car avec ma fille, je ne pouvais pas y consacrer plus de 5mn d'affilée... Ce qui doit être le lot de pas mal de parents intéressés par ce livre!! Ce livre remonte vraiment le moral des parents, même s'il n'y a pas forcément de solution miracle à tous nos soucis. On se trouve confortés dans ce qu'on fait avec notre bébé (ne pas laisser pleurer, cododo etc) alors que notre entourage aurait plutôt tendance à nous pousser dans d'autres directions!Point négatif le livre est très grand, pas facile à manipuler quand on a toujours un "fussy baby" dans les parages!