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

William Sears (Author), Martha Sears (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1996

Describes the characteristics of a "high-need" baby, suggests ways to soothe a fussy child, and discusses nutrition, discipline, and communication.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"High-need" babies crave touch and motion, can't self-soothe, have difficulty sleeping, nurse often and well into their toddler years and are intense, draining and demanding, say pediatrician Sears and his RN wife, parents of eight children and authors of The Birth Book and 12 other parenting titles. Informed by their experience with a high-need daughter and by observations of patients, the Searses outline how to handle such fussy babies, rehashing their theory of "attachment parenting"?carrying the baby in a sling, nursing on demand, sharing the family bed and responding rather than letting the baby "cry it out," etc. Parents are encouraged to focus on the positive: a high-need baby, the authors say, "cries impressively" and "values being with you"; he or she isn't a "difficult sleeper" or "clingy." Desperate parents will be grateful for the many tips and the mommy-burnout survival list. But veteran moms and pops may have trouble swallowing some suggestions (bounce gently on a trampoline with baby). Readers may also yearn for substantiation of claims that fussers grow up to be confident, expressive, responsible teens and adults. Still, the authors' warm-fuzzy "You're okay, baby's okay" outlook may be just the right medicine for many anxious parents of demanding children.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

William and Martha Sears, a pediatrician and a nurse, respectively, have written this book to provide guidance and support for parents of children who have high needs for comfort, feeding, and the like from birth. The authors cite both their own family experience and the stories of their patients and others. The guidance they provide flies in the face of parenting advice of the last several decades, but the positive results of high-touch, intensive, attachment parenting?a concept the authors first introduced in Baby Book (LJ 2/1/93)?are evident. This well-organized book will most likely appeal to educated baby-boomer, baby-buster parents. Recommended for consumer health collections.?Mary J. Jarvis, Methodist Hosp. Medical Lib., Lubbock, Tex.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown and Company; 1 edition (September 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316779164
• ISBN-13: 978-0316779166
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 0.8 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (73 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #36,062 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

59 of 61 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars "How to turn a fussy baby into a wonderful child!" October 20, 2000

By Kelly TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Our daughter was THE "poster child" for colicky, fussy babies. She had colic so severe [crying 10-12 hours a DAY for first 12 weeks!] that our Pediatrician told us "This isn't colic, she just has a bad disposition." [UGH - we don't use him any more needless to say - and the crying stopped abruptly at 12 weeks]. After the colic passed, she continued to be a VERY "hands on, high need" baby. She was quite a challenge to parent that first year.

Thank goodness I found this book! I can still remember the first time I read it - the sigh of relief that I wasn't alone and the wonder at all the great ideas and suggestions in the book. We put these suggestions to work in our parenting and followed Dr. Sears' advice to the letter. Now we have an angelic two year old - she's a joy to be around. She is now the easiest kid in the world to parent - the most easy going, friendly, and sweet kid you could imagine. Now my friends all say how lucky I am to have such an easy toddler! I think it is due in great part to Dr. William and Martha Sears and their wonderful insight and advice - their suggestions certainly worked for us!

42 of 44 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars The ONLY book that helped me! December 28, 2000

By Ellina B.

Format:Paperback

I have gathered a vast collection of child care books, and none of them were as helpful as this one. It was frustrating when my friends/family just didn't understand how it was that I simply "couldn't put my daughter down" until she was about 7 months old... how it was possible that she didn't like to be touched, but had to be held all the time... how she simply didn't nap... I was told that I was only making it worse by indulging her ("let her cry a bit!", "teach her to be patient!", etc.) Well, when I read this book, I felt an enormous sense of relief that my baby wasn't the only one like this. I was also thrilled to learn about concrete ways to care for my not-so-ordinary baby. We have ended up with a happier child and happier mom, too! This is THE book for parents of high-maintenance, high-sensitivity, high-needs babies.

50 of 56 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars It's my son in print! October 13, 2000

By Ms J. A. Heirtzler

Format:Paperback

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.]

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars My High Needs Baby is Now a Happy Six Year Old April 25, 2004

By Emma VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

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!

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars It was great just to finally get some reassurance! November 14, 1999

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

After suffering through six months of sleepness nights and napless days, it was great to just hear that we weren't alone - or worse, doing something wrong which was promoting the behavior we so much wanted to get rid of. It was also reassuring to read that what we were instinctively doing would not lead to a spoiled baby later as so many people had told me. It gave us the strength to go on!

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars BUY IT NOW!! December 5, 2004

By Colicky Son

Format:Paperback

I am a pediatrician and a first-time mother. My extremely colicky son was not what I expected from motherhood. This book was both reassuring and informative. I saw myself and my son in nearly every description. My only regret is not buying it sooner! My son is now a well-adjusted 21 month old. We are much better at predicting his "high-needs" and he is much better at verbalizing them to us. However, I still refer to it often as both a mother AND a pediatrician. I have recommended it to many families in my practice. Even if you are not a big believer in attachment parenting, there is very useful advice in this book.