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 Kindle Edition

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 is an excellent book! My husband read this book before our baby was born. Although I found a synopsis to be enough for me (no need to read a whole book for five main techniques), as an engineer, he really liked understanding all of the "whys" behind the methods, and understanding the reasoning gave him more empathy for our baby. My husband started implementing the techniques in this book immediately in the hospital right after the birth, and they really worked! It was extremely helpful for his confidence as a dad and for my confidence in him / us as we started the adventure of parenting (especially when I was recovering from childbirth in those early weeks). We have continued using these techniques for months, and they make a huge difference. Sometimes babies get overly tired and don't even know why they are crying anymore, and these techniques help to soothe quickly to get down for a nap. Truly, I do not know where we would be without a good swaddle and turning our baby on his side while swaddled, because he can be losing it completely and then the swaddle / gentle bounce calms him down very quickly. The one thing I wish the book did mention but does not is that it IS possible for a swaddle to be too tight on the legs - the latest research shows that babies need room to bend and straighten their legs for safe growth of their hips, so it's ok to do a fairly tight swaddle such that their arms cannot escape, but there does need to be slack at the feet.

It is very recommended to read for a new parent. Very easy read but very valuable. It gives tips on how to soothe a crying baby. However, what lacks in this book is how to put the baby to sleep and keep them asleep. It does tackle it briefly, though.

As a first-time mom, navigating the initial stages of motherhood felt overwhelming—until I found this book. It provided me with much-needed guidance and peace of mind at a time when I felt utterly lost. Motherhood is challenging, especially in the beginning when everything is new and you’re still getting to know your own child. This book became my go-to resource, helping to ease my anxieties and offer practical advice that I could trust. Because of how much it helped me, I now give this book as a gift to all my pregnant friends, confident that it will serve as a great guide for them as well. For any new parent feeling daunted by the journey ahead, this book is a treasure worth having.

I read this book before our first child was born 20 years ago, and now I give it as a gift to new parents. Any book that helps you understand your baby's needs and aids them in sleeping through the night is a must! If you've ever been a sleep-deprived parent, you know exactly what I mean. People were always surprised at how well our babies slept, and it continued through their toddler years. I owe it all to this book.

A must have for new parents

I must read for any new parent. I was struggling a lot with the newborn phase and this book completely changed my whole experience. I’m so grateful I found it. My baby was so much happier and I followed the practices in this book and my husband and I were so relieved.

Some of these concepts are intuitive for many people, but I’d argue that anybody can learn something from this book.

Very practical, real and grounded guide on handling a newborn baby through weeks 0 to 12, the fourth trinester. It is a great book walking parents through the very first days of parenthood, step by step. With a new born baby in hand, most of us are quite clueless on what to do with the baby, mostly helpless and sometimes even scared of how delicate the baby seems. This book truly is a life saver in empowering parents in handling their baby. Loved it thoroughly and Dr.Karp does a great job in keeping the narrative well sequenced.Pros-1) love the reassuring tone of Dr.Karp, he focuses on giving parents a lot of confidence and writes in a very understanding tone of the true difficulties parents face. His simple and effective methods are a life changer.2) Teachings are very practical, easy to follow and implement/experiment on what works with each unique baby, and well backed by research, evidence, analogies and short snippets from parents who have transformed using these techniques3) The book is well structured into 2 parts, Part-1 on why managing a new born is unique and hard and Part-2 on how to manage. One is free to follow any sequence suited and does not have to necessarily read in the chapter order of the book.4) Consistent message is handled, and there are many instances which are so very relatable to new parents. Contrasting that to olden days/indegenous cultures give a great insight into why parenting is so hard in today's context and how to cope with those struggles.Cons-1) Book gets repetitive during the read, literally same sentences are repeated several times in many chapters.2) For a book that speaks to calming babies and improving sleep, very little is spoken about sleep and feeding habits/nutrition suited for new born. In that sense, the book falls short of giving a rounded perspective to parents on the ingredients that makes a happy baby. For example, how many feeds, effect of light exposure on sleep routines etc are absent and not even cursorily spoken about.Verdict -Definitely worth the purchase, it's a fun read and is very relatable in the struggles explained and the understanding tone of communique makes it a beautiful reading experience.

This is the magic trick every new parent needs. Definitely helped me through the first few months.

I was very skeptical that 5 simple steps would work fir a very fussy baby and i am so glad i was wrong. By following the 5s rigorously, just in the first try my baby magically stopped crying and slept