Healthy Living Books Books

Rating: - No miracle answers - but a good range of options for when you don't want to "cry it out"
I came to this book in desperation when my second child was 9 months old. He was not a good sleeper. He (and consequently I) had never slept for more than 4 hours at a time (and that was on a good night!). We tried the "cry it out" approach, but it didn't work - my son just cried longer each night and I felt very uncomfortable with it all. At that point I was feeling quite despondent, wondering what other options I had or whether it was a case of enduring what was rapidly breaking me.

The title of this book ("The No-Cry Sleep Solution") is misleading in that there is no one solution presented. It's more like a smorgasbord of suggestions and you determine the combination that works for you. I must say, when you are exhausted this doesn't feel like the answer that you have been waiting for. But I was very encouraged by Pantley's emphatic assurance that with trial and error, almost everyone finds something that works for them.

My son's sleep did improve, though it was a gradual improvement over a couple of months. There are no overnight solutions here. Nevertheless, I liked the book. It's written in a gentle and helpful style and some of the suggestions are definitely worthwhile.

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Rating: - barbaric
Babies are meant to breastfeed through the night not starve/sleep- it amounts to the same effect - dehydration and discomfort

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Rating: - Not very practical
I bought this book to help me understand why my 10 month old has starting waking up through the night, I am still none the wiser. However, after reading this book, it made me feel less inadequate but still didnt give any answers as to why he is waking and what can I do to help solve the sleepless nights. The book is aimed more at newborn babies and babies that are still breastfeeding as I found some of the chapters irrelevant. I have now gone on to buy Gina Fords book even though the no-cry sleep solution states that controlled crying is a con! I wouldnt really recommend this book at all.

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Rating: - Amazing!!!
That's the word I would use to describe the book. With my second daughter (who was just as the first one a terrible sleeper) a health visitor suggested I "let her cry it out". The result was both of us crying haf the night and now almost two years on, she still is a horrible sleeper.

When I was pregnant with the little one, I read this book. We started the system when she was just three weeks old and she is a delight. She'll fall asleep on her own at night. When she wakes up for a feed, she'll drink, and go back to sleep.....just like that! No dummy's, no walking her to sleep, no endless crying, just blissfull sleep!

She is happy, content and well rested, and I'll be too....as soon as I teach my middle daughter to sleep ;-)

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Rating: - Wonderful - it works!
At last, an alternative to the endless advice to let babies cry it out. This book offers a wide range of gentle advice to gradually help your baby and you get a good night's sleep. I loved the style of the book as the author is so clearly an experienced and loving parent who has gone through sleep problems herself so you know she really understands. This book is not a quick fix, although I imagine most people looking for a book on sleep problems are prepared to work at getting it right. It is well worth taking the time to read the whole book and then gradually apply all the solutions that are relevant to you. It worked for me and was so reassuring as I knew I did not want to leave my baby to cry and at the same time needed to know I was not the only one out there and that there was help at hand. I would recommend this to everyone. Definitely buy it.