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

As a first time mom I was dismayed when my baby cried all of the time and only seemed somewhat less miserable in my arms. He wanted, no needed to be touched all of the time. He nursed a lot, and slept very little. He had colic for SIX months and I think I cried along with him every day.We went to the doctor but there was nothing physically wrong with him. I felt like it was our fault,that we were doing something wrong. Until I found this book and bought it out of sheer frustration.Thank goodness for this book and for the Sears! Finally, someone who understood what we were going through. Finally, someone who gave solid advice and ideas for how to deal with the situation. Not to break the baby of his behaviors, but how to deal with them, diffuse them, roll with them and help him grow. I was able to get past the feelings of guilt and failure and be a better parent to the baby we had.As time went by, he slowly grew out of the high needs behavior and now he's a happy, spirited six year old who brings us joy every day. Fortunately, our second wasn't high needs and slept through right away but he's now a very spirited toddler, so I have used this book again, as a reference. For people who expect every word in this book to apply to them evenly, I think you'll be disappointed, that isn't what a reference book is or does. This book will help you in many ways but not everything will be applicable to every single thing, nor is it supposed to make you feel bad if you don't do every single thing they suggest. It's a great reference for those parents who are at their wits' end in dealing with a high needs baby and I am so very glad I found it!

I am a new mother of now a 3 month old daughter. From the beginning people would always remark how alert she was being that she is so young. Ava was a very restless sleeper, so I started to sleep with her on my stomach. Now she sleeps 8-9 hours a night. Everyone tells me that I am spoiling her and that is why she always needs to be held and I should put her in her crib to sleep. YOu start to doubt what is best for your child. This book really helped to reassure that I am doing what I FEEL is best for my daughter. Never doubt your instincts is a good message this book delievers. I suggest this book to anyone, regardless if they have a high needs baby or not!

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 found this book very useful - as the mother of a very fussy baby (now a very high need 2 and a half year old) I was at wit's end trying to figure out how to calm my baby and why she just didn't sleep like my friends' babies. The book reinforced the fact that my daughter was born very sensitive and I would have to work on bonding with her, creating security and consistency in her environment, and most of all to understand her and myself.

This was the only book I found that had information about the hidden causes of fussiness (in our case it was a food sensitivity!). My pediatrician at the time didn't even hint on what the book thoroughly explains -- that what appears to be colic might not be, that babies don't necessarily have to suffer through it, and a detailed elimination diet to help relieve their pain. All that, plus wonderful soothing techniques that can be applied to any baby in those first few blurry months. Thank you Dr. & Martha Sears!