The Happiest Baby on the Block; Fully Revised and Updated Second Edition: The New Way to Calm Crying and Help Your Newborn Baby Sleep Longer

I don't know why I didn't leave a review on this book as soon as I finished reading it! My daughter was quiet for the first week home from the hospital, but along came week two and around 8 pm one night she began to cry, and this time it was different, we literally could not get her to stop. She cried until around 4 am, and I was terrified that we had a year of colic crying ahead of us, but prayed it was just a fluke and that the next night things would be different. However, 8 pm rolled around, the crying began, and we had a repeat of a night full of inconsolable crying. I had never felt such all encompassing exhaustion in my entire life and I just prayed that there was a book that would have answers for me. So the next morning I took to Amazon and began my search. After reading reviews I decided to give this book a try - the length was perfect, thank you Harvey for getting straight to the point and telling us exactly what we needed to know! I was able to implement the S's the following evening at 8 pm when the crying began and I believed with every fiber of my being that it was going to work - AND IT DID!!! Simulating the womb experience was exactly what my daughter needed to soothe her overstimulated little newborn nervous system and she calmed down in less than a minute and fell into a blissful sleep that lasted until her next feeding, after which we repeated the process and she was asleep again. She was sleeping through the night after a couple of months, and we continued to use Harvey's method until eventually she didn't seem to need it anymore. This book was a lifesaver, I have given it as a gift at every baby shower I've attended since I first discovered it, and I'll continue to give it as long as I live!! This book could just as easily be called Happiest Parents on the Block - I am so very grateful that I found it when I did!

I'll preface by saying this book could probably be reduced by about 1/3 of it's length (there' a LOT of repeated information and sometimes he either bounces around to much between topics and/or takes too long to get to the point) BUT that doesn't change the fact that his techniques genuinely do work amazingly and we've found them to be a major help in knowing how to almost instantly calm our newborn son down when he's upset. There's probably nothing in here that's necessarily groundbreaking, but I think the strength of this book is that it lays out a very methodical and likewise comprehensive approach to how to address fussy and upset babies step-by-step as opposed to just trying random techniques you read/heard about from scattered sources until you find something that maybe works... We learned of the book from my brother who suggested just skipping over the the beginning segments and getting right to the 5 S's (a suggestion the book likewise makes if you're time-crunched and/or already have a fussy baby to contend with), but I read this book before our son was born (hence had a lot of time!) and I decided to read the whole thing and don't regret it. You won't really learn much outside of the chapters on the 5 S's that you can actually use to help your baby, but nonetheless I found it kind of interesting just to learn some of the history/context/info on the mindset of babies and why they do some of the things they do. I find it comical to read some of the Amazon reviews from people saying the book is a waste of time pointing out that you could just read about the 5 S's via a short article online - of course you could, but that kind of defeats the point of reading a comprehensive book and source of information on the particular topic that's much more thorough than a 1 page article can be. If you want to get the most out of the book and be well-prepared, take the time too read the book in my opinion, it's not that long and even for a slow reader like myself I got through it very quickly. Have definitely already recommended this book to several friends that are expecting!

Dr. Karp's approach to soothing fussy infants is not just a technique but a revelation, providing a compassionate and effective toolkit for calming even the most colicky babies. The book introduces the 5 S's—swaddling, side or stomach position, shushing, swinging, and sucking—as a gentle and reassuring method to replicate the womb environment. Dr. Karp's insights into the calming reflex and the fourth trimester concept offer a deeper understanding of newborn behavior. As a parent, I found the practical tips and step-by-step instructions immensely helpful during those challenging moments when my baby was inconsolable. The reassurance that comes with understanding a baby's needs and providing comfort in a way that aligns with their natural instincts is invaluable. "The Happiest Baby on the Block" isn't just a manual for calming babies; it's a guide to building a strong and nurturing connection with your little one. If you're a new parent seeking an empathetic and proven approach to soothing your baby, Dr. Karp's insights are a must-read. 📚👶💤✨

This book is pretty much a lifesaver for a new mom. The techniques work. I removed one star only because it is increadibly repetative. By the time I finished I am pretty sure it explained the 5 S's 5 times. That aside, the technique works. My husband hasnt read the book and he just cannot always get our daughter to calm down. I told him the technique, but it is different than reading HOW to use the techniques properly. For example my husband will do the 5 S's but not at the same time. He will fly from one to the next frustrated the baby is still crying. I feel every new Mom should read this. It is nothing controvercial and nothing we have never heard before. It is just an excellent instruction on how doing these things together can calm the baby(and explains why).

Exceptionally practical book for every new parent and grandparent

We were desperate to help our newborn sleep better without constantly having to hold him. I am 100% against co-sleeping and wanted to find a safe solution for both baby and us to sleep better. I did alot of research on what book to buy and ultimately chose this one. I read this book in 2 days when my baby was 1 week old. After sticking to the recommended bedtime routine and using the calming tactics in this book, I am happy to report our 4 week old is sleeping in 2-3 hour increments (from 9:30 pm - 6:00 am) in his bassinet (we use a rock n play) every night and is relatively easy to put back down in between feedings. I can also tell baby is definitely getting familiar with his bedtime routine and I think he actually looks forward to going to sleep at night. I highly recommend this to expecting parents and those with newborns. Sleeping is easier every night for us thanks to the info in this book. One piece of advice-- be consistent and stick to the same routine every night. It may take a week or so, but the results are definitely worth the persistence.

Not that I am hoping my baby will be a screamer, but if he is I hope that the lessons learned from this book will be put to good use. It’s a decent read in terms of learning actual techniques - hence the five stars - however its length is equivalent to being given a 2,000 word assignment and you reiterate the same five things four times in different ways. I would recommend buying the video on Amazon Video for like $5 to see how the man actually puts these techniques to practice.

I give this book to all the new moms I know. It gives them something to hang onto when their newborns are hard to soothe.

So far, we love the book and the reaction of our two days old daughter to the 5 S’s. Had the book given to us by a friend of my partner’s I was somewhat skeptic about it because of the title. But in the end I’m glad I read it. It’s not as catchy as the title suggests: I don’t want the “happiest baby on the block”; just want a well-adjusted baby. And I feel that this book is a great way to achieve that. This is an evidence- and practice-based method that works great for us. Highly recommend!

L'ho comprato per fare un regalo, l'avevo già letto prima della nascita di mia figlia, lo straconsiglio

Life saver! All the advice worked like a charm and saved our sanity during the first few months of parenthood. Ever since every friend who is expecting for the first time gets this book as a baby shower gift from me.

So far it’s a very good and entertaining book abt babycare but it’s not as hands on as other baby books. I think it’s a good read but I wouldn’t recommend this as the first go to book. If you intend on buying only one or two baby books, this isn’t the one.

Muy buen libro, de los mejores que hemos leido (y eso que hemos comprado muchos). Es claro y da buenos consejos.