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7th out of 196 books
—
255 voters
Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child
One of the country's leading researchers updates his revolutionary approach to solving--and preventing--your children's sleep problems
Here Dr. Marc Weissbluth, a distinguished pediatrician and father of four, offers his groundbreaking program to ensure the best sleep for your child. In Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, he explains with authority and reassurance his step-b...more
Here Dr. Marc Weissbluth, a distinguished pediatrician and father of four, offers his groundbreaking program to ensure the best sleep for your child. In Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, he explains with authority and reassurance his step-b...more
Paperback, 528 pages
Published
April 12th 1999
by Ballantine Books
(first published 1987)
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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 is strongly opinionated and has kind...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 is strongly opinionated and has kind...more
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!
4 likes · like · see review
Aug 20, 2008
Kelly
rated it
2 of 5 stars
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. Also, it's almost li...more
6 likes · like · see review
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 baby...more
3 likes · like · see review
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 tells you which strategy is likely...more
11 likes · like · see review
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 about sleep patterns and methods. This...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 about sleep patterns and methods. This...more
My sister has raved about this book for years now. I never read it since our previous foster children didn't seem to have sleep issues. Now that we have a newborn and toddler and scheduling them can be difficult - I gave it a shot. Within days we had a better sleep schedule for both children! We didn't even realize the toddler had sleep issues. We were told he was just a handful, difficult, and extra cranky cause he didn't nap well. It was his 'personality'. Turns out he needed an earlier bedtim...more
*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
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 with the holiday...more
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 s...more
2 likes · like · see review
Apr 25, 2012
Alissa
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
parents, new parents, soon-to-be parents
Recommended to Alissa by:
Jennifer Leigh
How you rate this book will depend upon your need. If you are reading for knowledge, this book is incredibly enlightening. If you are a tired parent looking for solutions, the research and analytical stuff with bog you down and irritate you. But Dr. Weissbluth does offer solutions to problems. After reading about half of the book, I had put it down for a while and then hit a patch of night waking with my son. Once I revisited the appropriate section (that had not been applicable at all to us bef...more
1 like · like · see review
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
5 likes · like · see review
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 aft...more
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 as to be over...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 as to be over...more
This is a great book with a lot of helpful advice. I know people who either love it or hate it. They key with this book is using it to prevent sleep problems. However, if sleep problems occur, he offers a few approaches for each. You can choose which one you like best, but you have to choose one and be consistent. I think a lot of the negative reviews come from inconsistency. Also, sleep issues are serious and need to be handled as quickly as possible. A few reviews mention that it makes them fe...more
This book offers good practical advice on children's sleep habits. This month I've been trying harder to get both my kids some better sleep--and that means "protecting their sleep times" as Dr W says. The take away message from this book: the better sleep your child gets during naps, the better sleep the child will get at night. I also liked learning about the science behind sleep. This is good information for anyone who wants to learn about the importance of sleep (something I'm very fond of!)....more
Dr. Weissbluth's book is one of the most recommended books for new parents distressed at the lack of sleep in their house, and for good reason. He goes into depth about normal baby sleep cycles and offers strategies to help exhausted parents for nearly every complaint they may have. Dr. Weissbluth's main point that really sticks to the reader is that sleep begets sleep. Contrary to popular opinion, an overtired infant will not simply conk out and sleep for 12 hours - rather, the opposite happens...more
What I liked:
It worked- my baby is on a schedule! Weissbluth is in favor of nursing before sleep, which I find to be more realistic and less harsh for the baby. Trying to do a sleep schedule AND stop nursing before sleep was too much for my baby. He recommends waiting until your baby is 4 mos. old to really focus on the schedule or attempt to let them cry it out (if they have a difficult temperament, like my baby). He recommends a very early bedtime. This has made a huge difference for my baby a...more
It worked- my baby is on a schedule! Weissbluth is in favor of nursing before sleep, which I find to be more realistic and less harsh for the baby. Trying to do a sleep schedule AND stop nursing before sleep was too much for my baby. He recommends waiting until your baby is 4 mos. old to really focus on the schedule or attempt to let them cry it out (if they have a difficult temperament, like my baby). He recommends a very early bedtime. This has made a huge difference for my baby a...more
I really, really didn't like this book (as a mother or as an editor). The tone is condescending, and the author uses scare tactics to tell you that you as a parent can't do this by yourself--the only right way is his way, or you are ruining your child. Your instincts are wrong. He barely addresses those children whose sleep issues stem from other very real problems; he almost dismisses the idea that cases of colic may be very painful. (He believes all colic is caused by improper sleep, so if you...more
Let's start with the positive. His notion that children calm down and sleep better and generally behave better after 6 weeks was spot on with my two children.
His ideas about not allowing infants longer than 2 hours of wakefulness has also worked well. He also talks about watching for signs of sleepiness, which I have found to be astute, although difficult to be watching my baby carefully for signs of sleepiness in the midst of everything else that goes on.
The idea that children don’t sleep as...more
His ideas about not allowing infants longer than 2 hours of wakefulness has also worked well. He also talks about watching for signs of sleepiness, which I have found to be astute, although difficult to be watching my baby carefully for signs of sleepiness in the midst of everything else that goes on.
The idea that children don’t sleep as...more
I followed Babywise for my first child and was very happy with the outcome. I tried to use it on my second child as well. But a second child causes a little more of a dilemna because you're trying to make their schedule coordinate with the older child's. Plus my second child was much fussier than my first due to reflux and milk protein allergy. Out of desperation, I decided to read Weissbluth's book to see if it can fit in better to our current lifestyle. I still have the hope that I can use som...more
Weissbluth means well, but the entire premise of the book is based on a selfish outlook on parenting, under the guise of looking out for your child's best interest. Of course, any child will stop crying at some point after they're left along long enough in their own misery, and of course I will affect (and probably lessen) crying in the short-term while your child is in the "no one cares" mindset. But the long-term effects are what scare me. Even an infant values most highly your desire to comfo...more
We read this at the advice of our family doctor. I did find some useful tips in it as far as recognizing sleep signs and avoiding your baby getting overtired in order to target naps. While we are never going to be parents who let our baby "cry it out" it did offer helpful guidelines for allowing some self soothing and the importance of sleep. It has helped us get our daughter back into a routine of regular naps. She had established a natural and regular nap pattern, but had surgery at 4.5 months...more
Dec 05, 2011
Molly
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Molly by:
Stacy
Shelves:
non-fiction
Another blogging friend who was a new mother sent her copy of this book along to me when she learned I was expecting a baby. She told me that this book, more than others she shared with me too, helped her and her husband best raise their son who presented challenges to sleeping. I am all about learning everything there is to know so I dove right in.
I really grabbed hold of the statement that "sleep is not optional." That children require sleep in order to grow and be healthy. I liked that. I cou...more
I really grabbed hold of the statement that "sleep is not optional." That children require sleep in order to grow and be healthy. I liked that. I cou...more
I haven't actually had my baby yet, so I don't know how well this works in practice. I just know it's got a good reputation for working.
I'd suggest using this more as a handbook rather than reading start-finish. There actually is practical info in here, but you have to work for it. Skip the intro, and use the index and TOC to help you cut through the crap. The individual case studies are interesting but don't really give you any tools, so you should feel free to skim or skip those too.
Main dra...more
I'd suggest using this more as a handbook rather than reading start-finish. There actually is practical info in here, but you have to work for it. Skip the intro, and use the index and TOC to help you cut through the crap. The individual case studies are interesting but don't really give you any tools, so you should feel free to skim or skip those too.
Main dra...more
I admit I bought the book when my son was 9 months old (he's now 2), and never read it. I was sure it was going to tell me to let him "cry it out," and I didn't want to hear it. But I reached a breaking point with my 7 month old daughter this week and decided that I Had to give it a try, or quietly (?) go nuts. Sure enough, it does tell you to let 'em cry it out, but it backs up this advice so well - and allows enough flexibility - that I actually feel pretty good about it. In fact, as much as I...more
Alright, I am giving this book stop ratings for it's content, but not its construction.
The information in this book is based on medical sleep studies of children and gives very concrete facts, expectations, and strategies while still assuming a wide range of normal in children's sleep aptitudes. I appreciated the different real life examples, the month by month break down of the first year, and the chapter on sleep problems. I love the premise that teaching your child healthy sleep habits makes...more
The information in this book is based on medical sleep studies of children and gives very concrete facts, expectations, and strategies while still assuming a wide range of normal in children's sleep aptitudes. I appreciated the different real life examples, the month by month break down of the first year, and the chapter on sleep problems. I love the premise that teaching your child healthy sleep habits makes...more
Nov 29, 2010
Breeana Shill
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Moms, Dads, Parents, Anyone with kids.
What a lifesaving book!
Like many first-time parents, I started off pretty darn ignorant. I did everything wrong regarding my firstborn's sleep habits for the first about 9 months. I became a miserable being surviving on almost no sleep and lots of frustration. My baby turned into a sullen little thing, too. I knew something had to be done when I realized he hardly smiled or giggled at all.
I researched different sleep-training books and liked the reviews from Amazon.com on this one, so I bought i...more
Like many first-time parents, I started off pretty darn ignorant. I did everything wrong regarding my firstborn's sleep habits for the first about 9 months. I became a miserable being surviving on almost no sleep and lots of frustration. My baby turned into a sullen little thing, too. I knew something had to be done when I realized he hardly smiled or giggled at all.
I researched different sleep-training books and liked the reviews from Amazon.com on this one, so I bought i...more
Sep 28, 2010
Syd
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
New and expecting moms
Shelves:
non-fiction,
kindle
I give this one two stars not because the ideas were bad. The concepts are fairly sound and it is helping me get my 3 month on a napping schedule that will help him grow and be happy. I've already seen significant improvement in his mood.
I give it two stars because the book repeats itself over and over and over. It needs a good editorial scrub. It's as if someone felt it should be a certain number of pages, so they kept stretching the material. It's very redundant and honestly, could be boiled...more
I give it two stars because the book repeats itself over and over and over. It needs a good editorial scrub. It's as if someone felt it should be a certain number of pages, so they kept stretching the material. It's very redundant and honestly, could be boiled...more
Though I marked 4 stars, I have to first add the disclaimer that there are several parts to this book that horrified me. For example: letting your child cry it out (CIO) until they vomit, and then not going in to clean the mess until the child is asleep or until the next morning...?! But the research indicates that CIO has no lasting negative effects, and this book strikes me as being the MOST evidence-based, scientific book on sleep rather than merely anecdotal/philosophy based as most of the o...more
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“...please remember that leaving your baby alone protesting for more fun with you while you get dressed is not the same things as abandonment. Similarly, leaving your baby alone protesting for more fun when she needs to sleep is not neglect. ”
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