Eat, Play, Sleep: The Essential Guide to Your Baby's First Three Months

by Luiza DeSouza

From a caretaker of newborns who’s had years of hands-on experience with celebrity clients—a practical and reassuring guide to the first three months with your new baby.

Are you a new or soon-to-be new mother? Are you caught between self-doubt and conflicting parenting advice coming at you from every direction? Are you unsure who to trust—your mother, sister, friends, or “the experts”? Luiza DeSouza is here to help. Her best advice? Take your time, trust your maternal instincts, and choose a course that fits your needs—and your baby’s personality.

For thirty years, Luiza has been helping new mothers navigate the skills, practices, and support it takes to start a family. For her, mothering is not about programs or techniques. Rather, it is about the connection between you and your new child. And for that reason, she believes that attitude is more important than approach. All mothers are different, but the three most important qualities remain the same for patience, openness, and attentiveness.

Can being patient, open, and attentive guarantee that your baby will be a good sleeper or easy to feed? Of course not! But no matter what challenges your newborn brings, these three key qualities will help you rise to meet them. Like having your very own baby nurse right at your side, Eat, Play, Sleep is an indispensable guide to a good start and a happy, healthy first three months.

—Learn the best methods for feeding your infant
—Discover the secrets of “good sleepers”
—Understand the importance of a predictable routine
—How to use “play” to help establish a routine
—Tips for introducing bathing and massage
—How to deal with crying, especially if you have a “difficult-to-calm” baby

And much more!

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction

304 pages, Hardcover

First published February 24, 2015

Reviews

[Carmel (Rabid Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read tons of books during my pregnancy, and only picked this one up when my little one hit the three month mark, so I skipped to the relevant-for-me chapters. I found Luiza DeSouza's three-minute method to be particularly helpful. I was already practicing it without even realizing it, but it was nice to receive some positive reinforcement that I was on the right track. We'd already been practicing daytime crib naps, and I knew that baby had reached the point of being physically capable of sleeping solo overnight. After finishing the chapter, boosted by extra confidence, we gave it a go. On the first attempt, he made it 5 hours, and on the second a full 10. I was so pleased! I'd also identified the EAT, PLAY, SLEEP pattern on my own through journalling, but again, it was reassuring having the author put my efforts into words. I can't speak for the 1-2 month sections, and most of my success can be attributed to being attuned to my baby's needs/schedule however, this guide did help me to connect some of the invisible dots. Teaching your child healthy sleep habits is one of the most important early lessons IMO because a well-rested caregiver & baby makes all of the other challenges more manageable.

[Alyssa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too fear-mongery.

[Ensley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn’t finish. I realized with my first baby that I read MANY books on childbirth and zero on newborns/breastfeeding. I also had a particularly difficult time with the newborn stage and was trying to prepare myself more this time around. Unfortunately the information was so general I didn’t really find it worth reading. If you’re really looking for newborn resources I’d skip this and go straight to Taking Cara Babies website/Instagram. Much more straightforward, specific, and hands on advice!

[Kate Langford · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not sure how one gets an infant to play after eating - nursing most often puts my infant to sleep. No way am I going to wake her up and make her play when she's trying to sleep! Beyond that, the author over-emphasizes scheduling. I think it would be extremely frustrating to try and follow her methods.
Skip it.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up from my library because I am desperately trying to read all I can about having a baby before I actually HAVE a baby. Mainly I grabbed it because it had a nice cover and wasn't at least 10 years old. I found it surprisingly good. The tone was calm and soothing, and for the most part the author laid out several options about hard choices like breastfeeding and circumcision and said, whatever you do, it will be okay.

The one tenet she stuck to hard was the title Eat, Play, Sleep. Basically from day 1 start putting your baby on a tiny bit of a routine where eating is followed by activity (not much for newborns, but increasing as they get older) such as changing, tummy time, talking, or bathing and massage. Then as the baby starts to get tired (but before he gets overtired) you get him settled for sleep. Even at night she recommends doing a feed, then a change, but don't talk to him during and basically try and pretend everyone is still asleep. Night feeding isn't social time. Supposedly this helps the baby not associate feeding with sleep.

She also uses a 3 minute cry it out method, where if the baby (NOT INFANT) isn't sleeping at night, you wait 3 minutes before responding to fussy cries (really upset cries get responded to anyway, those might be poop). 3 minutes seems like a non-torturous amount of time.

Anywhoo I really liked the calm tone of the book, non-alarmist message, and the very common sense advice.

[Cara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I unfortunately cannot recommend this book. While the author has some good advice, and I like how this book is organized and broken up, it has outdated advice. It was hard for me to finish the book after reading some advice that I questioned. She recommends crib bumpers and cleaning the umbilical stump with alcohol, both of which are outdated and refuted. However, this book was written in 2015, and perhaps that was the best advice available at that time.
I respect that this author has 30+ years of experience with babies, and I have zero. But can we please reserve the word “nurses” for those who have put in the time, money, effort, and experience to go to nursing school and work as an RN? I understand she went to a “nursing assistant” program in Brazil. But it is completely different.
I do not recommend this book, but gave it two stars because I like some of her advice, such as getting your baby on a schedule, incorporating a routine like bath and massage with consistency, etc.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed the straight-forward advice that can be applied in various situations, and emphasis on being patient, open, and attentive. Echoed approaches I've liked from other books including giving baby space to sooth himself, creating routine, observing baby carefully to learn his preferences in lieu of verbal communication, and ultimately using intuition to adapt recommendations to baby.

[Amanda Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt like this book was a good reminder for baby #4. It was pretty consistent with most other baby books that I’ve read, and had a lot of the same information. Would be great for first time parents.

[Anna (Beets) Lewis · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit archaic (some stereotypes about women being the primary caregivers, assuming everyone will try to breastfeed, etc), but had some useful knowledge/advice about playtime & sleep as your little one progresses & develops through the early months.

[Debsty · Rating 2 out of 5]

The next time I read a childcare book about how there's a correct way to do things and all other ways aren't, I'll track the author down and give her a piece of my mind... in 2020. Not right now, not anytime soon - because I.AM.SO.TIRED. What?! Put baby down drowsy but not asleep!? You don't say! Do you know how quickly he realizes he's no longer in my arms?! Do you know how loud a newborn can wail?! What?! You method works for ALL the babies you've worked with, you say? GOOD FOR YOU! DO THESE BABIES POOP UNICORNS AND FART RAINBOWS AS WELL?!

[Laura Rowlands · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was getting tired of reading baby books but so glad this was gifted to me! Makes the idea is having baby #1 a little less stressful being able to think of an easy way to think about caring for him.. Now only if actually following eat, play, sleep is as easy as reading the book!

[Kacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a super easy read and I think it's a great option for parents needing ideas to implement routine and structure, specifically with sleep. I don't agree 100% with her philosophy but found a lot of her ideas valuable.

[Jacqueline · Rating 2 out of 5]

Outdated info

[Gabriela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found some useful ideas and tips to try.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book about the importance of giving your newborn structure and routine in the most loving way.

[MrsReganReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of good ideas - if only having a baby was as easy as it seems here! So hard to really do these things... I wish!

[Kadi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good refresher on newborn care. I agreed with most of her philosophies even though it was obvious she is not a mother herself.

[Duy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick read, very helpful for me.

[Amber (Allgood) Jensen]

I made it to page 46... I'll pick it up another time