Review of Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child (Hardcover)

This was an excellent book - I cannot tell you how much this book helped our sleepless, colicky infant.But, several friends with non-colicky babies actually recommended this for any infant.This book is a wonderful middle ground for those parents who do not want a severe schedule (BABYWISE) or the opposite end of the spectrum, attachment parenting (Dr. Sears).It was the only book that I found that spoke knowledgeably about colic, and gave the only helpful advice available on the subject (believe me, we tried it all).It is not a cry-it-out book, although some may look at it in that light.What it teaches you is this: 1.watch your child. 2.put him/her down to sleep when you first see the signs of tiredness 3.most children under 6 months do not stay awake for longer than 2-3 hours at a time without needing a nap. 4.DO NOT just put your child down to nap when you feel like it - that's just letting him/her cry, not TEACHING them to sleep. 5.Most children need to go to sleep at night earlier than you'd think. 6.Going to bed earlier promotes later sleeping (weird, but true.As the author says, it's not logical.It's biological - sleep promotes sleep) There's a lot more too.I really like that the author's data is based on studies that he has done involving the patterns of children who naturally sleep and nap well.No, it didn't give us a perfect baby. We happen to have a very sensitive high strung girlie, who also power-naps.But we went from a cranky post-colicky baby who took no naps or 15-20min naps and got up many times per night to a sweet smiling girl who now takes 3 45min-1 hour naps per day and sleeps from 6pm-7am (waking 2 times to nurse).Oh yes.The nursing.She used to think that nursing was the only way to get to sleep.After diligently following the advice in this book, she now can get to sleep on her own, no nursing.Not that it's perfect - she still cries 5-15 minutes at times before naps.But she is sooooooo much happier now.Gotta think something's working.



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