sleeptraining.org All methods

#5 in popularitySince 1993Schedule-based; crying at sleep times allowed

Babywise

Gary Ezzo & Robert Bucknam, MD, On Becoming Babywise

Feed on a parent-set schedule in an eat–wake–sleep cycle, aiming for long nights early.

Find the book
Starts
Birth
Results in
7–9 weeks
Crying
Cry it out
Evidence
Weak

Check with your pediatrician. The AAP has warned that Babywise's scheduled-feeding advice can cause poor weight gain and low milk supply. Check with your pediatrician before limiting feeds.

Overview

On Becoming Babywise, by Gary Ezzo and pediatrician Robert Bucknam, centers on “parent-directed feeding”: feeding about every 2.5 to 3 hours on a schedule rather than purely on hunger cues. Days follow a repeating eat–wake–sleep cycle with a fixed morning wake time and bedtime, and the book aims to phase out night feeds by about 7 to 9 weeks. Some crying at sleep times is expected.

The eat–wake–sleep pattern is widely borrowed by other programs. The feeding schedule is the most criticized part. The American Academy of Pediatrics has warned that following it can lead to dehydration, poor weight gain, failure to thrive and low milk supply.

How it works

  • Set the first feed of the day. Choose a fixed time for the first morning feed, often 7 a.m. Every other feed and nap is timed from it.
  • Feed on a parent-set schedule. In the early weeks, feed about every 2.5 to 3 hours, counting from the start of one feed to the start of the next. That's roughly 8 to 10 feeds in 24 hours. The authors say to feed sooner if your baby is hungry.
  • Give full feedings. Keep your baby awake through each feed so they take a full meal instead of snacking and dozing.
  • Follow eat, wake, sleep. Each cycle goes feed, then awake time, then a nap, so your baby isn't fed to sleep.
  • Put baby down awake. Lay your baby in the crib for naps and bedtime without rocking or feeding them to sleep. Some crying is expected. Rule out hunger, a wet diaper or illness, then give your baby time to settle on their own.
  • Wake baby to keep the schedule. During the day, wake your baby to eat if a nap runs past about 3 hours. At night in the first weeks, feed when they wake, and don't let them go more than about 5 hours without a feed.
  • Watch for healthy growth. Track wet and dirty diapers and weight gain using the book's growth checklist, and see your pediatrician if your baby isn't gaining well.
  • Let the night feed fade. Keep a late-evening feed around 10 p.m. and let the middle-of-the-night feed drop away as your baby sleeps longer. The book aims for sleeping through the night by about 7 to 9 weeks.
  • Stretch the cycles. As nights get longer, daytime cycles grow to about 3 to 3.5 hours and feeds merge, from 8 or more a day down to about 6. Once nights reach 9 to 10 hours, cycles can move toward 4 hours.
  • Drop the late-evening feed. Later, the 10 p.m. feed goes too, leaving one long night from bedtime to the fixed morning wake time.
  • Carry the routine forward. As solid foods start, the routine continues with fewer, longer cycles. A sequel, Babywise II, covers 5 to 15 months.

Pros

  • Very predictable days
  • The eat-wake-sleep idea is widely borrowed
  • Some families report long night stretches early

Cons

  • The AAP warned its feeding advice could cause dehydration, poor weight gain, failure to thrive, and low milk supply
  • Rigid for breastfeeding

Evidence

Weak. No supporting trials; significant pediatric criticism.

Details

Popularity
#5 of 39 · Very high (estimated)
Since
1993 (33 years)
When to start
From hospital discharge; eat-wake-sleep cycle used through ~6 months
Day structure
Clock-based schedule
Format
Book (series)
Good fit for
Parents who want a highly predictable day and will have their pediatrician monitor feeding and weight gain.

Similar methods