The Babywise series of books was observed to be in direct contradiction to the AAP's own policy statement, "Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk," which recommends 8–12 nursing sessions every 24 hours for newborns, feeding until the baby is sated.

[5] In the late 1960s, Gary Ezzo studied at Mohawk Valley Community College in New York state, but did not earn a degree.

[6] Anne Marie Ezzo was raising two children at the time and had for a short while trained as a nurse in a hospital pediatric unit.

[10] Subsequently, the Ezzos continued to investigate early parenting and with five other couples formed Growing Families International (GFI), organizing as a non-profit in 1987 and becoming a for-profit in 1989.

Grace Community Church was initially supportive of the Ezzos and their parenting ministry, but in 1997 after four years of discussion, the church reversed its position, criticizing them for creating a divisive atmosphere between parents following the book's practices and those who favored demand feeding for infants, sleeping with their infants, and sling-type carriers for babies.

[9] To create a secular version of the book, Gary Ezzo partnered with Robert Bucknam, a pediatrician from Louisville, Colorado, to write On Becoming Babywise: More Than a Survival Guide which appeared in 1993.

[14] The material presented in Baby Wise is a re-articulation of various practical methods which are reminiscent of parenting styles advocated by other Evangelical child-rearing advisers.

[17] The book was intended for mothers wearied by the demands of attachment parenting, in search of more freedom and time for themselves including the pursuit of careers and other interests.

"[17] Baby Wise has been criticized by mainstream health care professionals for giving dangerously wrong information about infant growth, feeding, sleep and development.

Critics include, for example, T. Berry Brazelton, developer of the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale;[2] and Arnold Tanis, of the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

[4] The Baby Wise program has been associated with infantile failure to thrive, dehydration, malnutrition, problems with milk supply in breastfeeding mothers, and involuntary early weaning.

"[3] Sears regretted not speaking out earlier, and said about the book that it was "probably the most dangerous program of teaching about babies and children that I have seen in my 25 years of being a pediatrician.