book data
1,772 ratings,
4.05
average rating, 691 reviews
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published
April 12th 1999
(first published 1987)
by Ballantine Books
binding
Paperback, 345 pages
isbn
0449004023
(isbn13: 9780449004029)
description
One of the country's leading researchers updates his revolutionary approach to solving--and preventing--your children's sleep problems
Here Dr. Marc We...more
Here Dr. Marc We...more
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| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gigi's Company: The Last Letter Game (Book Titles) | 607 | 276 | 4 hours, 7 min ago | |
| healthy sleep habits | 2 | 32 | 09/05/2007 05:40PM |
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 2,149)
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avg 4.05
editions: all | this edition
editions: all | this edition
Read in February, 2007
This book was recommended to me by a good friend who had literally poured over every book she could find on the topic of sleep. She sees it as the sleep bible.
Unfortunately, I had a hard time with the book for several reasons.
1) It's very dense with a small typeface - note easy to read when you're exhausted and looking for a solution.
2) It's totally unclear where in the book there's actual practical information on how to help your child sleep.
3) The author ...more
Unfortunately, I had a hard time with the book for several reasons.
1) It's very dense with a small typeface - note easy to read when you're exhausted and looking for a solution.
2) It's totally unclear where in the book there's actual practical information on how to help your child sleep.
3) The author ...more
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This is the most amazing sleep book ever written. I read it with my first and it is a miracle! It totally teaches you how to train your kids to sleep. I refreshed my memory and re-read parts of it with our second and it still worked wonders. Every parent of a newborn should read this. You'll never regret that you did!
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2 comments
Read in August, 2008
recommends it for:
anyone with an open mind about nighttime parenting
First off, let me say that I didn't actually "read" this book cover to cover. I skimmed it. A LOT of people recommend this book, and I can see why. But it bugs me. In my opinion, the author has a "do or die" approach, like if you don't help your child sleep better NOW and in his (the author's) way, he/she is going to suffer for it for the rest of their lives. It made me feel guilty as a parent for not doing everything he says, like I'm harming my child, which I know I'm not. ...more
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I feel like all the books say the same thing in different ways and then sell it as the ONLY thing that works. The funniest thing is that they also seem to say that if you pay attention to your child you will notice patterns and respond according to your best instincts. DUH!! Pay attention to what your child needs. I never thought of that! I feel like most of these books are written to make mothers/parents feel bad, especially if you are breastfeeding. God forbid you don't like to hear your...more
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4 comments
I really love this book – though I notice I almost always hear negative reviews and comments about him which is a huge shame. People think of him as having a "cry it out" stance and of being anti-"attachment parenting" but this couldn't be further from the truth. What is great is that he doesn't have one philosophy or think there is one method of doing things. He gives many different sleep strategies that include no crying, some crying, and "cry it out" and he t...more
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Read in June, 2008
I obviously did not sit down with this book with the intention of escaping to another time and place. This book was read for more practical reasons...getting Gwen (age 2.5)to be a well rested child (especially with trips planned in the near future and a baby on the way). Her naps and bedtime had recently taken a turn that resulted in loss of sleep for Jerry and me. I would strongly suggest this book to anyone in a similiar situation. Written by a pediatrician who has studied sleep and raised 4 c...more
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2 comments
Read in September, 2007
recommends it for:
parents
Decent.
This book is really not great for babies under 4 months of age, although it did introduce me to an important concept (don't keep a very young baby awake for more than 2 hours!). It is geared more to babies 5+ months and toddlers, preschoolers, children. For the first four months, definitely go to Dr. Harvey Karp's "The Happiest Baby on the Block," which is astoundingly good--and I recommend the DVD more than the book.
Dr. W is extremely knowledgeable ...more
This book is really not great for babies under 4 months of age, although it did introduce me to an important concept (don't keep a very young baby awake for more than 2 hours!). It is geared more to babies 5+ months and toddlers, preschoolers, children. For the first four months, definitely go to Dr. Harvey Karp's "The Happiest Baby on the Block," which is astoundingly good--and I recommend the DVD more than the book.
Dr. W is extremely knowledgeable ...more
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Read in January, 2007
recommends it for:
sleep obssessed parents
*sigh* i am obssessed with sleep. and it's not something i'm proud of. my first child was a crappy sleeper and i was set on making sure that the second one would be better rested. well, here i am, with baby #2, and though she definitely sleeps better, she's still, you know...a baby. and she has her good days and her bad days. that said, weissbluth's book is really good about explaining the science behind infant sleep and stresses the importance behind having a well-rested child in a culture wher...more
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Has a copy to sell/swap
This book makes me feel like a failure as a parent when my child has sleep issues. I hate his preachy tone and militant approach. I have literally thrown it across the room in frustration. Several times when we have encountered a new sleep issue with Nora, I go back to this book, hoping that he'll have some good advice. We are currently trying his "sleep rules" approach to deal with her getting out of bed a thousand times a night, with some success, but I think it has more to do wi...more
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Although the writing feels confused and hodgepodge-y throughout, Weissbluth provides concrete information and advice on how to help your child sleep well, especially for first-time parents. I followed the author's suggestion of reading certain chapters while pregnant and felt like I had a good handle on what to expect and how to help with regards to sleeping when my daughter was born. Now, I often refer to the book's month by month guide on how parents can help their children establish healthy...more
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1 comment
The sleep bible! I swear this is the book that saved my life and now has me pregnant for the third time. Sleeping babies are the best babies ever, and this book teaches parents how to make sure their kids get all the sleep they need, how to get them to sleep, details on how much, napping, falling asleep in cars, etc - I still read it for my 3 year old and review it for my 1yr old...plus it has tips all the way to to the teen years. I have not met anyone yet who has religiously followed it say it...more
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3 comments
recommends it for:
parents
The book is a little hard to navigate, but there is some really helpful information in here. I like how he divides the book into age-specific chapters. It's nice to go straight to the chapter relevant to your child to get a sense of what sleep patterns are healthy for that age. His suggestion to always soothe a newborn to sleep within one to two hours of wakefulness was so helpful - it really cut down on cranky periods. The idea that more sleep = more sleep was counterintuitive at first, but...more
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Read in January, 2007
recommended to Christi by:
friendrecommends it for: parents-to-be, parents of babies/children
This is one of the best things I read as a new mom. Although the book is obviously written by a doctor, and not a writer, if you can get through the charts, stats, and somewhat disorganized chapters, it is life-changing. I didn't follow this book 100%, as I don't think it's realistic to do so. Life doesn't always revolve around your baby's sleep. But it should as much as it can, and this book tells you how. My baby slept through the night at two months, and has never had a problem with nigh...more
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Read in October, 2008
recommends it for:
parents to be, parents
I loved this book so much that after returning it to the library, I bought a copy of my own!
My daughter had gotten to a point where she would not fall asleep unless it was or or next to me. I couldn't put her down in her crib without her waking up and screaming. I read a few books - all that I could find time for with a fairly cranky daughter around - but nothing was really working. Everything else that I read seemed kind of theoretical. This book was full of science (not too much a...more
My daughter had gotten to a point where she would not fall asleep unless it was or or next to me. I couldn't put her down in her crib without her waking up and screaming. I read a few books - all that I could find time for with a fairly cranky daughter around - but nothing was really working. Everything else that I read seemed kind of theoretical. This book was full of science (not too much a...more
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Read in September, 2008
I am currently re-reading this book since I have a newborn again. With my first baby, I didn't find out about this book until she was 8 months old, and it was a life saver! But the sleep training was brutal, though absolutely worth it! She started going to bed at 6p and sleeping through the night! Now she's 3 and still goes to bed by 7:30p without any trouble. I am hoping that starting out from the begining with my newborn will be a little easier.
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Read in August, 2007
This is by far the best parenting book I've ever read. It is a little long and repetitive, but the information within are invaluable. It's basically this: A child with healthy sleep habits is a happy child. And the book will help you know how to do it! Recommend highly to any new parent.
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Read in December, 2008
Oh my goodness, If I could meet Dr. Weissbluth I would give him a huge hug and kiss and tell him thank you thank you thank you. This book was the answer to the one problem I most wanted solved - how do I get my new daughter to sleep! First, this book normalized our experience. In other words, this book showed us that what was going on with our daughter was normal and that a lot of people have a hard time with their child and sleep. Second, it educated us on what infant and newborn sleep should l...more
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This book has great insight on how to train your baby to fall asleep on its own, sleep through the night, and teaches about the importance of sleep, how much a child should get at different ages, etc. It's been a great tool for my husband and I while raising our children.
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Read in January, 2005
This book had some really good information in it. It was helpful, but I thought it was so disorganized. There were times when I went back to certain parts the book months weeks after reading it, just to consult again about my sleep problems, only to discovered that due to the disorganized writing style I had misinterpreted the information.
Speaking of disorganized, did you all enjoy that mile-long sentence?
anyhow, I appreciate that the author acknowledges that there is mor...more
Speaking of disorganized, did you all enjoy that mile-long sentence?
anyhow, I appreciate that the author acknowledges that there is mor...more
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Read in May, 2008
This book has been my sleep bible. I don't know if it is for every child or family, but it has certainly helped mine. The author poses the theory that sleep begets sleep, which is a little counterintuitive, but so true for my child. The more she sleeps, the more she's able to sleep. The less she sleeps, the less she's able to sleep. He's a big proponent of putting your child to bed early to combat and prevent sleep problems. Madeline still has plenty of sleep issues when her schedule is d...more
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