The Happiest Baby on the Block - The New Way to Calm Crying and Help Your Baby Sleep Longer (DVD) Reviews

• WOW!!! She CAN stop crying!!!

  
  By A1HW4O8XGHWSPM on 2002-08-22
  After 5 straight weeks of sleepless nights, my husband and I were walking zombies. Our infant would wake every hour to 2 hours throughout the night and just scream. During the day she would also scream uncontrollably - even though the doctor found nothing wrong with her physically. I had convinced myself that she just wasn't a happy baby like our 6 year old was and life with Isabel would be tough!

  Then I searched Amazon one night under "Colic" and found this book and video. Even though we have absolutely no time to read, we did watch the video (while she wailed). My husband tried the swaddling and shhing techniques that night and she quieted down after about 10 minutes. Now 1 week later she calms after 5 min or so AND she is sleeping 4 hours at a time. We feel great and she finally looks peaceful - and not agitated.

  Both the book and video are geared toward the first 3 months of life.... and the notion that most babies 1st 3 months of life are really the 4th trimester in their developement. Our first child slept soundly from day one..... but we were blown away with this second one. Thank you Dr. Karp! We finally feel like humans again and the stress level in our home has dropped tremendously.
  
  

• NEW solutions for crying, difficult babies

  
  By A1ER5AYS3FQ9O3 on 2004-07-31
  Raised 3 kids, thought I knew most of the techniques for ssothing babies, helping them through rough days (colic, teething, fussy times). But this video brings NEW research and tips to make life easier for parents of new babies...and if you're an aunt or grandparent, you'll learn something new too. SOme of the suggestions are simply amazing, making specific sounds gently into the baby's ears and seeing an instant, peaceful transformation.
  Many of these suggestions come from looking at life from the baby's perspective and, in retrospect, seem like common sense (but not as easy as it sounds, otherwise there'd be no need for this video). Well worth your viewing time and could bring relief to many an exhausted parent (and baby).
  
  

• Unbelievable: common sense solutions for crying babies!

  
  By A1IANEBSMVGHS9 on 2003-09-23
  Dr. Karp applied common sense to the "problem" of crying babies that most new parents face, by borrowing from traditions being used around the world to calm babies down as if you had "flipped a switch." He acknowledges the existence of a 'fourth trimester', i.e. the first three months of the baby's life and the need to use techniques to make the baby feel as in the mother's womb to calm him/her down, appealing to their calm reflex.

  These techniques are summarized as the five S's: Swaddling (very tight, to resemble the tight environment of the uterus), Side or Stomach position (otherwise known as the football hold), Shushing (as loud as the baby cries), Swinging (making the head jiggle slightly, to replicate the mom's movements with the baby in her tummy) and Sucking (with your finger, or a pacifier in place).

  As intuitive or odd these techniques may sound to you, you need to view this video: it will probably make the difference for you as it has for so many parents. As I write this, we're in our last couple of weeks of pregnancy, and we're ready to apply them to our upcoming baby boy.
  
  

• Overly simplistic

  
  By AZIALX9IWTMQF on 2005-07-03
  I felt that this product tried to take advantage of the desperation and desire to do *something* that parents of colicky/extremely fussy babies experience. There are certainly helpful ideas for soothing babies- especially swaddling and the need for a bigger square blanket to get a really good swaddle on. But Karp makes his technique sound like a cure-all- one technique that fits every baby. It just isn't so. Every colicky/fussy baby likes something a little different and what soothes your baby may differ from day to day. The Karp method of loud "shhing" made our baby scream. She does initially struggle but then relax with swaddling and that has been our saving grace. I recommend that if you have a fussy baby that you do try swaddling, try white noise, try soothing repetitive noises, consider a pacifier (interfered with our babies nursing though), but that you don't waste your money on this book. Much better books include Dr Weissbluth's The Fussy Baby and Dr Sear's The Fussy Baby Book. If you do want to try out the Karp method, do purchase the DVD rather than the book so you really understand the technique. And hang in there, it really does get better. The more we learned what our baby needs to be comforted, the less she cried and the more we started seeing her sunny personality coming through... it will all be worth it in the long run!
  
  

• Happy baby =Happy Parents

  
  By A1DYZ84555DURB on 2004-01-26
  Our 5 month old son has slept through the night since he was 6 weeks old and we owe it to Dr. Karp's techniques. The 5 S's work great...swaddling and shushing are our favorites. This DVD is a must for all new parents. Everyone says we are just lucky, that we have a good baby. I think we have a good baby because we utlized these techniques from the beginning. A well slept baby is a happy baby. Our son is truly the happiest baby on the block, and we are the happiest parents on the block! (And not sleep deprived!) Thank you Dr. Karp for making our first try at parenting easy! By the way, at 5 months he still sleeps swaddled.
  
  
• Works only if...
  By A2I2KEHTK2A0JP on 2006-06-16
  We're using these techniques on our second child and it works. However, it only works if you do them like the DVD shows you. I've had friends that see the movie, think it's great, but somehow missed it when it came to applying it to their screaming infant. Then they complain about what to do with their child, and say, "We just have to find what works".
  
  You have to figure out which combination of the 5 "S's" work, or maybe you need all them. It varies on the day. But if you do them like the DVD shows you, then it does work. After all, the infants in the DVD are not acting. Every one of them is screaming, and they stop! They are all from different families and races.
  
  
• People envy our sleep
  By AGOCUK7HRQ7P7 on 2006-06-19
  We are lucky parents...our baby sleeps pretty long (4 or more hours at a time). All of these techniques work pretty well. A pediatrician recommended the book version of this at the hospital...but once that baby is born, you won't have much time to go through that, and the book has a lot of filler that this DVD doesn't. I checked both the DVD and book out from my local library. While I do not use the same swaddling technique as Dr. Karp, I do use similar blanket swaddling methods and storebought burrito-wrap swaddlers, and they work like a charm. Our baby was born in the UCSD system, so they recommended this, probably b/c they're on the same system as Dr. Karp (UCLA).
  
  To the neg reviewers who say that this stuff is all common sense, I would have to disagree. People marvel at my ability to calm our baby as if it's some voodoo...but it's what I learned from this DVD and a pediatrician at the hospital. The real benefit of DVD over book is that you get a clear picture of what Dr. Karp is talking about and how he calms babies.
  
  
• Real Happy Babies!!!
  By A35V1IWI0ZBSE6 on 2006-07-11
  This video is the real deal! I have used these techniques on my daughter, my nephews, and my friends' babies. I always buy this DVD for EVERY babyshower and for all of my friends who are expecting (i just bought 2 more!). These techniques work in less than a minute (sometimes instantaneously). You are able to spend more time cuddling, sleeping and getting other stuff done!It is AMAZING!!!
  
  
• A must-have for all parents
  By ACJ9E14E3N49V on 2006-07-14
  I purchased this DVD, along with the book, because my baby had colic. After viewing, I tried just one of the tips and she responded immediately. The DVD demonstrates the tips from the book on how to calm a newborn. The DVD/book set has just become my standard new baby gift.
  
  
• A "Must-Have" For Every New Parent
  By on 2002-07-31
  This video is amazing! The companion book is very interesting and helpful, especially with the background and medical research that underlie the techniques in the video. But for new parents, the video is an absolute god-send! It is enormously helpful to see Dr. Karp apply his techniques to a dozen screaming babies, and calm each of them within seconds! Watching the video really brings home the point that calming babies is not a hit-or-miss exercise, but a REFLEX that anyone can learn to trigger. And for stressed out new parents, watching the video is simple, easy and clear. My three-year-old even mastered the technique and regularly applies it to her dollies. Really, if you have a fussy baby, or are looking for a baby gift that will be used and appreciated, the video and book are a must.
  
  
• a must have for new parents
  By A1E5T7C8VAQMO2 on 2004-07-23
  We are parents of a 5 week old girl - our first child. At about week 3 we noticed more and more crying in the afternoon/evening. Luckily she would calm down by about 11:00 and sleep for 3 hours, so I know we don't have it as bad as some parents. Nonetheless, it really starts to wear you down. On more than one occasion we questioned our decision to have a baby. We tried the Mylicon drops, but those didn't seem to help much. We talked to our doctor who tried to assure us that this is just a phase some babies go through. Then I remembered a book that was featured on Oprah a couple months ago. Being the skeptic that I am, I didn't pay much attention to it. But desperate times call for desperate measures. We looked up the book here on Amazon, and sure enough it got great reviews. Even better, there was a DVD version for those of us that don't have the time to read the book. So we ordered it and had it shipped overnight. As we were watching it, our daughter started fussing so we followed along with the 5 S's. Sure enough, she calmed down within a minute. We were amazed. We use these techniques everytime she starts to fuss and almost everytime we are able to calm her down. Keep in mind that this isn't a cure for colic/crying, but they are ways to help babies calm themselves. The DVD also includes a Q&A session where Dr. Karp answers a lot of common questions, as well as a 3 calming sound tracks. They are sounds recorded from inside the womb, with different degrees of intensity. Pretty bizarre, but they seem to work. Sure beats running the vacuum cleaner! We definitely recommend this DVD, and we will give it as a gift for any new parents we know.
  
  
• DO IT..DO IT!!
  By A1UMLHYHLR5LAE on 2005-04-06
  I read a few of the reviews from people who didn't like this DVD and I can't figure out why this didn't work for them. We had the book and we didn't really use it much as our baby was fairly calm. At 4 months she really took a turn and we started to jokingly call her the Unhappiest baby on the block. A friend suggested we watch this DVD and I didn't because I had read the book and besides..I thought it was just for newborns. She borrowed it to me anyway and we watched and realized from actually being able to SEE Dr. Karp use his method as opposed to trying to visualize it from the book we weren't doing it right. Our swaddle was inferior to his method and we were no where near jiggling her the way he does. So at 5 months in desperation we tried it one night. LIKE A CHARM. But you do have to do it just like he says. My husband and I thought this DVD was GREAT. The book is good too and has extra information, but the DVD is much better/practical and quick to watch as opposed to reading a book.
  
  
• LIFESAVER for new parents!
  By A114XCKJG7OZSC on 2006-04-18
  This is the first time I have ever written a review of a product and it is because I hope that others can get the benefit that we have received from using the techniques in this video to get our 2 week old calm and to sleep. I cannot speak for every baby but I know that this method works MAGIC for our baby and it has allowed my husband and I more sleepful nights since we started using the techniques in the video. I recommend just getting the video as it really shows you how to do the very simple techniques rather than reading about it. The video only takes 30 minutes where the book takes quite a while to read and doesn't show the techniques nearly as effectively as the video-
  
  Best of sleep success to you!
  
  
• A Must Have for all First Time Moms!
  By A3W18M8J25XAYA on 2006-07-12
  This DVD was recommended by a stranger that pulled me aside when I was 1 day past my due date and said that this DVD was a must have. After watching the DVD and using its techniques I completely agree that if you use the 5 "S's" described in the DVD you will have the "Happiest Baby on the Block"
  
  
• Good DVD
  By A1J4M8PD9S79B6 on 2006-02-24
  Great ideas to use with infant. This was recommended to me while I was in the hospital after having my son. One of the nurses said she uses it with all the babies in the nursery. The DVD offers great tips on calming your baby. They have all worked for us so far!!!
  
  I only gave this 4 stars because I would have just rented this. It's not really something that you need to buy. Once you see it once you've got it all down. I would probably recommend getting the book if you have the time to read it. I'm sure there is much more information in it.
  
  
  
• Almost too good to believe.
  By A271XVM1HEBU8I on 2006-03-21
  As new parents, a crying baby is a stressful thing. I think a stressed parent passes that on the baby and it becomes even more difficult to calm the baby down.
  This DVD gave us concrete tools for helping a crying baby calm down and relax. Having these tools helps the baby, but it also helps us to relax knowing that we can handle it. I think that makes a huge difference in itself.
  Seriously, this DVD is downright amazing. You won't regret buying it for one minute. It takes one hour to watch, but it will save you hundreds of hours of sleep in return.
  And no, I am not being paid to write this. I'm just a happy parent with a 14-day-old baby boy.
  
  
• Ended our sleepless nights
  By A97R2RMCBRVTY on 2006-07-06
  On the list of things bought for our precious first born, this one has the highest value. A $20-30 or so bought us precious sleep and a warm and fuzzy feeling that we can finally soothe and calm our baby. A few days after we came back from the hospital we had a fussy newborn and red eyes begging for bed time. As soon I realized we were really getting hurt and it got so tiring that I was afraid my wife was going to lose her milk, I did a search on Amazon.com and found this DVD, express shipped it here, played it durig a feeding session and since then we feel blessed whenever we remember the first week's curse. You don't know a meaning of the word 'relief' until you've gone through something like this! It's amazing how a few simple tricks can make a difference like heaven from hell. Seeing a demo of the techniques on a DVD in this case is worth a million words.
  
  If you are doing everything properly and as instructed, there is only several exceptions when this won't work including when your baby is hungry, wet, hot or cold, or sick.
  
  
• Excellent Resource!
  By A3HGCMM4XQD6H on 2006-07-10
  This DVD has taught me how I can calm my newborn baby boy when nothing else worked. As a first time mother this has been a life saver and I strongly recommend it to all parents. I also read the book which elaborates on many of his points in the DVD. Both are great!!
  
  
• Wonderful baby video!
  By A3IFTXSHTCG3VK on 2006-08-10
  This baby video was wonderful - clear concise details on how to calm a crying baby. As the mother of a two week old newborn, I can say that the suggestions have worked perfectly to get my baby to go to sleep! We definitely have a much happier baby due to these wonderful tips and suggestions.
  
  
• lifesaver
  By A3DHPH3B21E5OJ on 2005-11-30
  I received this dvd as a gift from my sister, I was a bit skeptical, since I usually think these things are a waste of time. My 4 week old has been diagnosed with colic, given useless medicine by the doctor and has screamed most of the time since we got home from the hospital, I thought I would just have to wait it out. I watched the video, did the technique and could not believe the difference, my screaming baby was fast to sleep, laying swaddled in his crib within two minutes. Out of the hundreds of dollars of baby gifts we received, this was by far the best, I'm going to give it at every babyshower for now on. I never write reviews but I just had to for this product.
  
  
• A Must-have for new parents
  By A292OX57KDSU63 on 2005-12-04
  My husband and I found this DVD to be extremely helpful as new parents. It was nice to have something to refer back to when all else was failing...particularly in the middle of the night! Some of our friends had more limited success with the book version, however the DVD was perfect! Most importantly it was brief, easy to view, and well-organized.
  
  
• You HAVE to get this DVD if you are a new parent or expecting!
  By A2ICA6CDDX7YUD on 2005-12-06
  What a wonderful DVD!!! A breath of fresh air is all I can say! No matter if you have a fussy baby or not, Dr. Karp teaches you the "5 S's" to soothe your baby. DVD also includes a ?/answer that is excellent. Our daughter is 3 weeks old and started out sleeping not so well. Finally, we were getting things down pat (with the right formula, etc.) and thought it was good that she was only getting up 2 - 4 times a night. Now it's once a night!! She can instantly calm by the techniques that we've learned. Dr. Karp is a genius and I highly recommend this DVD!! Also bought the book but of course this DVD is even more useful!
  
  
• A must have for a Happy Baby!
  By A22LWDXSMEKQI on 2006-02-19
  This is a GREAT DVD! We have the book, but didn't have time to read. The DVD was wonderful b/c my husband and I could both watch the video and get many, many, many useful tips to have a healthy baby. In my opinion, this is a must have!
  
  
• A MUST HAVE FOR ALL MOMS!!!
  By A3OFW0XAPAOPTH on 2006-06-25
  Before my second daughter arrived I checked this DVD out from my local library and am I glad I did! My first daughter cried constantly for the first 3 months and my husband and I did everything we could to calm her down, but to no avail. This DVD is a godsend! After using the 5 S's on our second daughter, she calms down within minutes. I have decided that this DVD will be my new baby shower gift. Buy this DVD for yourself or anyone you know, because it will be a lifesaver!!!!
  
  
• A Must See
  By A15TSJMN7YO0JR on 2006-06-28
  This is a must see video. Dr. Harvey does a great job at demonstrating 5 very effective calming techniques on real children. The techniques REALLY work especially the swaddling, which I was already doing, but will now do more religiously and tightly. Secondly, the SHUSHING works instantly and magically. Last but not least, I learned that if your child takes a pacifier you should tag on it as oppose to push it into their mouths this way they learn to suck harder to keep it where they want it - in their mouths. This will most certainly be a gift I give any parent from now on.
  
  
• Not the slickest production - but the method works!
  By AIXEINOQ9GOGY on 2006-08-20
  This is not the slickest production where instructional videos are concerned. A lot of badly shot footage. BUT WHO CARES? The method works! We went through 12 weeks of lotsa crying before we found this video (of course, we don't have time to read no book!). It has been a charm! Really makes things a lot more "sane" around baby and the (slightly less frazzled) parents! I strongly, and without reservations, recommend this video.
  
  
• Worked wonders with our son
  By AF5AGOAJAHETF on 2005-11-13
  We watched this when our son was a few weeks old and it worked immediately to soothe him. I wish I had watched it sooner. I also read the book, but the dvd was much more helpful.
  
  
• SAVED OUR LIVES!!!
  By A1U68BQVKHRC8B on 2006-02-20
  Our son had colic and would NOT stop crying. We got this DVD and it really saved our lives. I recommend this technique to any parent of a newborn.
  
  
• Happiest Baby on the Block
  By A3FIHDE29Z4K91 on 2006-03-26
  A must for new, first time parents. And grandparents.
  
  
• I am AMAZED!!!!
  By A1D3CXCIJ3SVCE on 2006-05-07
  As a mother of 4 children, I thought I knew everything about babies!! However, after 3 straight weeks of sleepless nights and harried days with my newborn, I was pulling my hair out!
  
  A friend suggested this dvd and out of desperation, I overnighted it. The techniques were so simple I couldn't believe they'd actually work. --But, boy did they work!!
  
  I feel like the "supermom" I used to think I was! Recently, I went to a party. When everyone found out I had a 3 week old baby at home, they told me I looked way too rested to have a baby only 3 weeks old! I owe that to Dr Karp!!!
  
  

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