Moms on Call | Basic Baby Care 0-6 Months | Parenting Book 1 of 3

My #1 Parenting Book Recommendation!
If I could give this book 6 stars, I would. It’s a must read for any new parent…or maybe also for parents who are looking to do things differently this time around.A friend of mine highly recommended it for sleep training purposes, but I didn’t think much about it. This, in spite of the fact that I once put her infant child to bed for her well before I had a baby, and her baby knew the bedtime routine better than I did. Somehow, the baby coached ME through it. 😉 At any rate, my baby had settled into a decent schedule with somewhat set intervals, and he was sleeping pretty good stretches at night. However, I wanted to get on more of a schedule so that I knew how to plan things for us throughout the day. I ended up picking up the book and reading it as we returned from a road trip. We started sleep training the next day at about 14.5 weeks. The first night was rough for all involved, but we dropped our beloved swaddle, night/early AM bottle, and put him into his crib in his room for the first time – all at the same time. Night 2 was much better, and we were basically set at night after that. We did have trouble with him waking up too early for a while (5:30-6am – book calls for 7:30pm – 7:00am sleep), but that stopped after maybe a month or so. And we’d usually let him cry it out unless it was really close to time to get up (6:30/6:45). Now, he doesn’t wake up crying anymore, even if he does get up before 7. He rolls around and plays in his crib for 15-20 minutes before he starts letting us know it is time to get him. Enough time for me to pretend to get “5 more minutes” of sleep and to run to the restroom before the morning begins.3.5 months later, sleep training with the help of this book is one of the best parenting decisions I’ve ever made. We did it before the “4 month sleep regression” and did not notice any issues with his sleep in that time period. We did have to go in early in the AM (5ish) when he started rolling, couldn’t get back to his back, and would scream as a result, but thankfully that only lasted about 2-3 nights.As much as I’d love for him to be on a schedule like clockwork, I’m honestly not that great at staying on schedule myself. However, the routines established courtesy of this book have really helped to make sleep possible no matter where we are (at home on the East coast, traveling on the East coast, in Chicago, or even Hawaii). Even if we can’t get a bath in, or if we have to give him a bottle out at dinner instead of at home right before bed, once we wipe him down and/or put on his PJs and hit the white noise machine (Hatch Baby Rest at home or a portable one for travel), he knows the deal. We laugh because even if he is totally wired, he’ll often start rubbing his eyes as soon as we turn the white noise on. We go back and forth on putting him down when drowsy or waiting until he’s fully asleep, but even if we wait, it never takes more than 10-15 min max for him to go to sleep. I’ll accept that some of this may be because he’s just a good baby…and he likes to sleep like I do…but I also give MOC full credit.I won’t lie, when people talk about their 6, 9, 12, *24* month old children who still don’t sleep through the night, I quietly thank MOC. If they ask me how my baby is sleeping, I tell them….and then recommend the book. I also recommend it to all new moms. I even got the toddler one for a friend who was trying to get her baby in her own room and to drop the night bottle at 1.5 years old. She found that book helpful for that and also for the potty training portion.This 0-6 month book was also helpful when it came to introducing solid food around 4 months, and it was reassuring to read the section on falls after he flipped off the couch once. 😉 I also got a better technique for clipping his nails (while he is awake). The book basically has all the practical advice that a new parent needs.The book is a quick read and doesn’t necessarily have to be read chronologically. If you just want to do the sleep training, you can just read that part and maybe a section or to before/related to that. Same for introducing solids. I’d read Babywise while pregnant, and though I guess I got some nuggets out of it, I don’t remember much that was particularly actionable. Someone also recommended the “Healthy Sleep Habits” book to me when my son was about a week old. I ordered it….like I really had time to read…and I let out an audible chuckle when it arrived and I saw how THICK it was (like 600 pages). I managed to read bits and pieces, but it is super scientific and research heavy. It also lacked the “do this and then this” that I really wanted. MOC tells you exactly what to do and when to get the results you want, and that is much appreciated. I also felt that the advice pretty much lined up with the “Healthy Sleep Habits” book, just without referencing (endless) studies. I tell people that if they only have the time/desire to read ONE parenting book…make it this one.I could go on and on, but I’ll just say this: JUST GET THIS BOOK!!Kindle edition is best so you can reference it (schedule, food lists, etc.) on your phone wherever you are.

This Pediatrician Approves!!
Listen. I’m a pediatrician and I loved this book. 10/10 would recommend. Really great practical advice and I even learned new ways to help families when their babies are sick!!! Absolutely loved it!!!

A Great Resource for New Moms
I am really excited to read this book, as on first look it feels like it will answer many questions about the “4th trimester”. I have been recommended this book a lot by new mothers because it covers various topics like feeding, sleeping, sicknesses, etc. This feels like the perfect resource for the new mom!

I was initially quite concerned when I read the mixed reviews on this book. I still decided to give it a try. I’m so glad that I did. My baby boy is the happiest little child. He is hitting all his milestones and our doctor is pleased with his development. We also get quality time as new parents who are raising him all alone in this pandemic. Its a win.As a new mum, I didn’t realise the term “sleep training” has such a huge stigma in our society. I see it as creating a good routine for my baby and our family. We are not putting little babies to work. So some people need to read this book closely to understand the authors’ intentions. You take what applies to you and your family and opt-out from the rest. Our little boy sleeps in our room in his crib. We are planning to put him in his own room at the age of 6 months. So again, no one is asking you to lock your baby in a room. You can still follow the routine without compromising what’s important to your family. The same principle applies to whether or not you want to start your baby on solids at 4 months. The authors aren’t forcing you to do so. This book is merely a guide to help new parents. It also DOES NOT promote cry out method. Our boy is thriving in his new routine and he is happy. That’s the most important part. Mums really need to stop shaming other mums who do not want to stay up all night feeding their baby. We still bond with our babies without doing so.I highly recommend this book. My only suggestion is to take what applies to you. It’s written from a perspective of 2 nurses and not intended to define psychological effects on children. For me personally, it felt like a friend guiding me through how to tackle the initial newborn stage.

Loved it, we used the techniques and our son sleeps through the night since we stopped brastfeeding. I’ve got the whole serie

After 10 years of working in childcare I finally had my first child. I knew the repercussions of babies, toddlers and preschool age children who didn’t have quality sleep, yet I realised I didn’t know how to even start.I was also stumped on why my 2,3 and 4 week old baby would not sleep for hours. It didn’t make any sense. I started researching and discovered wake windows and then I discovered Moms on Call.Moms on Call doesn’t focus on wake windows, although you can see it in the schedules that the book provides.Instead, moms on call focus on setting up quality sleep habits, daytime and nighttime, bath time, and future goals of sleeping through the night.Moms on call offer a nap and play schedule for babies in different weeks and months of life, and you know it’s just a guide.I began following the schedule and sometimes I’m 30 mins ahead or behind. But that doesn’t matter (so far) because I am learning and my baby just wants there to be a schedule to feel safe. Not a mum rocking her after 9 hours of on and off again feeding because we’re overtired not actually hungry.I would suggest this book to every parent. Even the organised ones because this book helped relieve tension and the guessing for me.