Baby Book - Sleeping

I really like Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child by Dr. Weissbluth. It has helped me tremendously.

Good luck!!

Weisbluth I think is the author of "Good Sleep, Happy Baby"
I didn't discover it until my som was 6 months and it changed my life in 3 days.

Nicole, I am currently reading "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Marc Weissbluth. He is a pediatrician and sleep researcher at Children's Memorial Hospital here in Chicago. This book came highly recommended to me by several of my friends with kids. I have a 4 mo old son, so I'm starting to try some of the techniques. You are smart to read up about it before your twins arrive! :)
Good luck-I hope this helps!

Hi Nicole - Patty loaned me her copy of Weisbluth's Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Baby....Remind me to bring it to you. xooxx A.

Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child (or something like that) by Dr. Weissbluth! Everyone I know I uses this book.

Nicole,
There are soo many books and so many schools of thought. Our son is five months old and we were given Dr. Weissluth's book "Healthy sleep habits, happy child". Honestly, I thought is was really confusing but did have some good advice in places. He is a big component of crying it out. Our son was colicky and we tried it...he cried for 2.5 hours and I couldn't take it any more. We have decided to try the Ferber method...cry for ten minutes, console, cry for 15 minutes, console, etc. It has worked for us...my son now falls asleep on his own (in the last week) and when he wakes at night is able to fall back asleep without assistance. Sorry for the lengthy message ...hope this helps!

V.

Ones that were helpful, but I will not say that any are a "bible" are Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Dr. Weissbluth, and The Happiest Child on the block - I forget the author - were both very helpful.

Good Luck!

Two books I would recommend -

For the first three months I HIGHLY recommend The Happiest Baby on the Block. It is invaluable. I promise, if you folllow the five guidelines, your babies will be happy and sleepy.

For after the first three months, I recommend Weissbluth's book, Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child. It's great to follow throughout their changes in sleep.

Good luck!
K.

Nicole,
I would recommend Happy Sleep Habits, Happy Child written by Dr. Weissbluth. It is the only book I read about sleep and I followed it to the word and it worked. My 1st son was sleeping through the night before 3 months old. There are several books out there, but I would advise that whichever book you decide to read that you only read ONE book. Otherwise you will drive yourself CRAZY by reading multiple books that have different advice. Good Luck! A.

Many people seem to like the Dr Weissbluth book, but it didn't suit me. He seems to follow the Ferber method of strict scheduling and letting your baby/ babies cry to sleep.

Although I do not agree with a lot of what they say, I tend to prefer the Dr Sears books. I have the Baby book but he also does a Sleep Book, which I have not read. I am not a strict scheduler - I like my baby to sleep when he is ready to rather than sticking him in his crib when it is convenient for me. By doing things his way, he has developed his own routine of 2 - 3 naps a day which are fairly predictable (9-ish, 1-ish and maybe a 4 o'clock one) and bedtime at 6.30 til 6 in the morning (although he does wake up to be fed) which is what the Weissbluth/ Ferber books aim for.

Good luck,

R.

Hi Nicole! I did not use any books for my first daughter she is a natural sleeper, now 2-1/2, and I did read Secrets of the Baby Whisperer by Tracy Hogg when my second daughter was one year. I wish I had read it sooner, but it wasn't too late. It took ONE nap time to get her on track. She was very good about falling asleep, I always lay them down awake, but if she woke up, which was often, she had a hard time getting back to sleep. I just don't have the heart to let my girls cry it out, which is the Ferber method. Tracy Hogg has a totally different approach, which worked well for me. My daughter is now 14 months old and takes two 1-1/2 to 2 hour naps a day and sleeps 12 straight hours a night. Whatever method you choose, stick with it! That is most important. If you keep trying different methods, you will only confuse the baby.
Keep in mind by two months most babies can sleep 6 straight hours, even breast fed, maybe more if formula fed. My first daughter was sleeping 12 straight hours at 9-1/2 months and she was exclusivly breast fed. It may feel like you haven't slept in years, but it will get better. I wish you the best of luck!

The Happiest Baby on the Block by Dr. Harvey Karp.

Nicole,
Dr. Marc Weisbluth (also my son's pediatrician) is an expert on infant sleep. He has a book out on this subject. Its supposed to be very good.
Diana

Congratulations on your twins! I found the book "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Marc Weissbluth to be very helpful in terms of explaining the sleep needs/habits of babies at various ages. I also read "The No Cry Sleep Solution", but didn't like it as well as the Weissbluth book.

Best of luck to you!

M.

I have two recommendations - polar opposite approaches, but I took from both.
1) Healthy Sleep Habbits, Healthy Child

2) No cry sleep solution

My daughter woke every thirty minutes for a while - it was miserable. These really helped. Hang in there!

Nicole,

my sleep bible was "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" my firends are so amazed that I just put my 8 month down and she goes right to sleep!!! I think it is the best book out there for me anyway!!!

G.

Hi, we started out with Ferber when my daughter was 6 months--but I think we waited too long and it really didn't work (though it's worth the read anyway).

We then switched gears (we were very desperate) to Dr. Weissbluth (Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child??). It a no-nonsense, straight forward book that I wish I had read BEFORE the problems started. It was hard to hear my daughter "cry it out", but a lot of what he says about sleep is so true. It only took about a week with this method and we got success.

WORD OF CAUTION: No matter what book/method/approach you decide to go with, it is really, really important to not let your babies fall asleep in a swing!! We made that horrible mistake without even thinking about it. THen at about 6 months we realized that our baby could not fall asleep without constant motion (swing or car). If I get the chance to do it again, I am going to limit the swing and place a sleepy baby in a crib!!
Good luck!

My baby cried a lot and would never sleep unless she was on my chest. My pediatrician borrowed me his video"The Happiest Baby on the Block : The New Way to Calm Crying and Help Your Baby Sleep Longer"
by Harvey Karp and it worked. There is a book and video, SInce your babies are not born yet I would read the book and watch the baby. It really works if you do it from the beginning.

Nicole,
"Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Marc Weisbleuth is excellent.
B.

I'm sure you've already gotten this advice, but the Sleep BIBLE is Healthy Sleep Habits for Happy Babies (or something like that) by Dr. Weisbluth. I swear by it and so do all my friends.