Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child | Marc Weissbluth

Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child | Marc Weissbluth | It worked for us

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Healthy Sleep Habi...

	Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child Marc Weissbluth Ballantine Books, 2003 - 345 pages average customer review:based on 1119 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Best baby book ever

I am a pediatrician who just had my first child. I did not know about this book until friends suggested it when my child was about 3months old and wouldn't nap well in his crib. I found the book to be extremely helpful and useful. It totally changed our lives, and we have an extremely good sleeper now. Our child loves his crib and was sleeping through the night with good daytime naps by 4 months. We have since given this book as gifts to all our friends having babies, and everyone says the book it is great. It is a must have for new parents. Very easy to read as well.

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It worked for us

I'm a dedicated follower of this book's principles. I'm also a fan of Dr. Weissbluth's style and approach, which seem sensible and moderate to me. His methods and advice worked very well for our family and we continue to consult the book as different situations arise (a baby's sleep keeps changing as he/she gets older!).

Helpful Content, Sometimes Irritating Presentation

As my daughter passed the three-month mark, her fall-asleep-nursing, nap-in-the-carrier/stroller/lap sleep habits fell apart. She was just so interested in the world that she began to resist sleep, especially during the day. On the recommendation of a friend, I consulted this book. The most helpful thing about Dr. Weissbluth's book is that it explains the biology of children's developing sleep needs and abilities. He is very clear about what the sleep goal -- timing, duration, etc. -- should be for each stage of development, but not too dogmatic or judgmental about what method we the parents use to get to the goal. With the information I learned, I was able to figure out a training method that worked for us. (It involved some crying, but never for extended periods of time.)

The content is so useful that I decided to return the library copy I had been using and buy my own. The presentation, however, sometimes annoys me. The organization is perplexing at times. Dr. Weissbluth occasionally lapses into a tone of, "Gee willikers, I sure know more about this than almost anyone else." The many real-life stories that are included are intended, I'm sure, to illustrate how varied families' experiences are, but since they all follow the same plot, which goes, "We were exhausted and miserable, we followed the good doctor's advice, now everything is hunky-dory," it starts to sound like a cult.

My recommendation, then, is to read it for the information, which is tremendously valuable, but don't rely on it to make you feel reassured and comforted!

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Take it with a grain of salt - it's a guide, not an instruction manual.

These kind of books invariably attract passionate reviews from both ends of the spectrum. Attatchment parenters and readers of Sears and Pantley (I have both authors, more than one book from each in my bookshelf) or those who read Gina Ford (I have hers too) and let them 'cry it out' (oh the shame). Generally crying it out or controlled crying are only resorted to if you start reading any of the books, no matter whose side you're on, too late to learn how to instill good sleep habits to start with.

Many of us are attachment parenters who have found that their child needs a little more routine and a lot of help with their sleep than having a strict attachment parenting style can offer. Sometimes hard decisions need to be made for the wellbeing of the whole household not just the child. Yes, parenting is an all-day and all-night job, however if both baby and you are exhausted and cranky then maybe you need some help.

I found that Dr W (I am typing this with baby no 3 napping in my arms) 'appears' to support co-sleeping but on reading the book feel he perhaps doesn't; but this doesn't bother me as I got a lot out of the book anyway. I have 3 children who have been 'guided' by this book, the oldest being 3.5 years the youngest being 3 months (and she still sleeps with me, yes in my bed, at night) and they all sleep (bar one feed from my youngest) from 6/6:30pm to 6:30/7am sometimes even 7:30 if all the stars are in alignment ;).

So take the reviews with a grain of salt, and read the book for what it is - a guide, not an instruction manual on the 'correct' style of parenting. You'll get a lot out of it.

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