If you’re reading this, you are probably in the throes of sleepless nights with your infant. Maybe there are bags under your eyes and dark circles. You’re probably yawning and wondering why you have the only baby in the universe, it seems, who refuses to sleep. Take heart, there’s help.
Perhaps you’ve thought about “sleep training” but have felt unsure about which method to choose. If so, the following guide will help you take the guesswork out of choosing the right sleep plan for you and your baby.
The Sleepeasy Solution
In a nutshell: This approach, developed by Jill Spivack and Jennifer Waldburger, pediatric sleep experts who own the popular Los Angeles-based sleep consultancy Sleepy Planet (which has loads of Hollywood clients - yes, celeb babies cry too!), was developed with an efficient yet compassionate approach in mind. In short, you might hear some crying, but you’re going to discover how to phase your baby into learning how to sleep.
The Sleepeasy Solution, both the book and DVD, walk parents through the sometimes-wretched process of starting a sleep-training program for their baby. Spivack and Waldburger’s compassion and understanding for parents’ raw emotions come through the pages and across the TV screen. They walk new parents through how to deal with those emotions, helping them build a bullet-proof sleep plan for their babies. Overall, the program offers a great middle ground between a “no cry” and a “cry it out” system, and it’s ideal for parents who are not interested in either extreme.
Pros:
- Jill and Jennifer speak in ways that real parents can understand. For example, when they say that babies need their “sleep nutrition,” you’ll feel encouraged to continue with the program (instead of giving into heart-tugging cries).
- You’ll receive lots of handholding and reassurance. Their compassionate approach soothes babies—and parents too!
- And, more than just nighttime sleep, this program gives you age-specific tips on frequency and length of naps - another hot-button topic for new parents. You’ll be flipping back to these pages frequently as your baby grows.
Cons:
- Like any sleep program, you’re going to hear some crying. This method isn’t cry-proof (though few are), so prepare yourself for some tears, even if they’re only temporary.
- This method advocates for frequent “check-ins” on your infant while she is crying, so for the first few nights that the baby is adjusting to things, expect fragmented sleep (though this should only be temporary).
- The authors aren’t pediatricians or scientists, so you won’t learn a great deal about the science behind infant sleep.
What the experts say: “We pride ourselves on having created the ‘least-cry’ sleep program,” says Spivack. “We are also happy to offer exhausted parents who are too tired to read the option of watching a forty-five-minute DVD to get the answers they’re searching for. In essence, the DVD is the next best thing to having sleep consultants right in your living room, guiding you through the process and holding your hand every step of the way.”
Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child (Weissbluth method)
In a nutshell: Considered the infant sleep bible by many parents, this information-packed book was written by the renowned pediatrician and childhood sleep expert Dr. Marc Weissbluth. Parents will learn about the deep-rooted causes of their babies’ sleep problems and find research-based approaches on how to correct them.
Pros:
- You’ll learn how to start sleep-training your baby as soon as you bring her home from the hospital.
- The book’s findings are based on actual research studies.
Cons:
- While the author doesn’t believe excessive crying is necessary to sleep train, it is part of the method. So, parents should be prepared for some tears as they implement new “sleep rules.”
- While some may enjoy the long explanations about the science behind infant sleep, others might feel that it’s long and unnecessary.
What the experts say: “You can’t fight circadian rhythms,” says author Dr. Weissbluth, professor in clinical pediatrics at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. So, learn the principles in this book and embrace them! “Children who are out of phase behave as if they have chronic jet lag syndrome,” he continues. And for those that say crying it out is cruel? “Sleep deprivation is cruel, too,” Weissbluth counters, underscoring the fact that infants with sleep problems are chronically sleep deprived.
The No-Cry Sleep Solution
In a nutshell: For parents looking for a gentler approach to sleep training, Elizabeth Pantley’s The No-Cry Sleep Solution may be it. Pantley’s approach avoids agonizing nights of crying in favor of more subtle ways of teaching your baby good sleep habits. Parents who favor co-sleeping and subscribe to the “attachment parenting” movement will most likely feel at home with this approach.
Pros:
