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Book Review: The No-Cry Sleep Solution

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Book Review: The No-Cry Sleep Solution 1Every once in awhile, I read a parenting book where the author strikes me as a potential mentor…the kind of person that I’d love to go out to coffee with to ask all of my child-rearing questions. Elizabeth Pantley, author of The No-Cry Sleep Solution: Gentle Ways to Help Your Baby to Sleep Through the Night, strikes me as that kind of person.

The tone of her book is warm, encouraging, hopeful, and seasoned with experience. As a mother of four, she speaks with candidness and compassion about the challenges of sleep during the early years of parenting.

In her introduction, she talks about how there are “two basic schools of thoughts when it comes to babies and sleep…’cry it out’ or ‘live with it.'” And she went on to say that, “I wanted neither.”

She explains that she tried the ‘cry it out’ method once when her daughter was young and “…after two hours of torment…I was convinced that this was a simplistic and harsh way to treat another human being, let alone the precious little love of my life. To allow a baby to suffer through pain and fear until she resigns herself to sleep is heartless…“

Thus, the premise of her book is that you can indeed have the best of both worlds – more sleep without tears.

Pantley offers thoughtful, research-based recommendations for helping babies sleep longer and more peacefully. She has ideas for almost every situation you can think up from the newborn all the way through the toddler stage – the all-night “nursling”, the colicky baby, the teething stage, co-sleeping babies, crib babies, and beyond.

I especially appreciated that the book didn’t provide a 3-step process or one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, it offered a “menu” of options to fit families with different backgrounds and approaches.

In sum, I truly believe this is the best book on “sleep” that I’ve encountered thus far. Pantley offers reasonable, compassionate, and gentle advice to parents in need of a good night’s sleep. I highly recommend this book to all new parents and parents-to-be (no wonder the book has an almost five-star rating on Amazon.com – out of 626 reviews!). I add my full five-star rating without reservation.

WIN IT! One winner will receive an autographed copy of The No-Cry Sleep Solution: Gentle Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night by Elizabeth Pantley. To enter, simply leave a comment and your e-mail address on this post prior to Saturday, January 5, at midnight. The winner will be announced and contacted on Sunday, January 6. * Winner must provide a U.S. mailing address.

* UPDATED* The winner is #10 fulmer fam. Congratulations!

Comments

  3. I wish I’d had this when my kids were babies. I did Babywise with my son. ::shudder:: And then I threw it in the trash with C and did my own thing with her and R. I was happiest with R, and the most laid back.

    Sorry for serial commenting. :-) I’m just getting caught up on your blog. Lots of great giveaways going on here!!

  8. I would love to win this book because we are still having quite the challenge on getting our 6 month old to sleep through the night. We are at the point where we need a little help.

  12. My sweet neighbor is going through this right now and I’d love to let her read it and have a chance to read it myself before my next baby arrives.

  18. Getting ready for baby #2. I’d really like to get my hands on this book. Crossing my fingers! :)

  20. This book saved my life after baby number three. I would love to have it again for reference now that I have a resistant toddler. I loaned the book out and have yet to get it back. Another copy would be perfect!!!

  22. We were blessed to have a baby that was a very good sleeper. But since no two babies are the same, I’m sure we won’t be so lucky the next time around. And if that’s the case, I’m not going to be prepared, since I didn’t have to read much on this topic the last go-round.

  23. Sounds like a great book. I have a 2.5 month old and would really be interested in trying some of these tips. Thanks please count me in. sunkistmas(at)gmail(dot)(com). Thanks.

  25. Oh my, I am going to get this book if I don’t win…I didn’t know it existed! Thanks for the great find!

  26. I really need this book. I am on my seventh child and still need help. I refuse to let him cry it out, he is terrified of his crib! We co-sleep, but my husband wants him out becuase he doesn’t sleep well at night and dh thinks the little guy will sleep better alone.
    Been there, done that 6 other times, but this kiddo is different, lol.

  28. Oh, please, please, please! I forget how to get kids to sleep!

    email: FireMom at stopdropandblog dot com

  29. i have read parts of this from the library, but would love to have a copy to keep!

  32. I have bags under my eyes and cry nightly because my daughter’s not sleeping. I could use this book!

    fieryirishangel AT gmail DOT com

  34. I’d love to win, as I am anticipating many sleepless nights when our son is born in March. Thanks for the heads up on the book.

    katwalck(at)hotmail(dot)com

  37. I would love to win this book. My husband and I have different opinions on the “cry it out” solution and I’m having trouble finding good information on other ways of handling the situation. This book sounds like the answer to my prayers.

  43. OMG does that book have a chapter on how to get an 8 month old back to sleep after he wakes up 5 times during the night screaming like freddie is under his bed? Seriously enough.. I would love to win this and hopefully it will help us and if not my cousin has an 18 month old and a 3 week old and I knnnow she would want to read it as Im not sure her 3 week old has slept more than 2 hours a night since he came home.

    I blogged you too of course :)

  50. Hi, I have a friend/neighbor who would love me to give her this book! Thanks very much…..Cindi
    jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com

  56. I NEED THIS BOOK!!! Bridget is almost 2.5 and has only slept through the night once. And by “slept through the night” I mean from 11pm-5am. We need help! She sleeps in our bed (my husband now sleeps in Bridget’s bed) AND she nurses through the night. I am exhausted!!

    Lis Garrett
    http://www.MelissaGarrett.wordpress.com

  57. Wow…I am so glad that I’m not the only one who thinks crying it out is harsh…
    I have a 6 month old who does not sleep through the night yet. Of course I’d love for him to sleep through the night. We just haven’t been successful with any of the methods we’ve read about.
    I think he fits into several categories at this point…he is the all-night nursling who co-sleeps and is now teething! Ha! Anyway…thanks for the introduction to this book…I actually just ordered the sleepeasy solution on Amazon (go figure!) Anything for a happy baby and a good night’s sleep. This book sounds wonderful and I appreciate many views and opinions on the subject. I try to incorporate multiple viewpoints when it comes to parenting…

    Thanks for the review….your topics seem to be right on topic with the stage of life I’m in with my little one…I’m so glad I found your blog!

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