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As Janice and my babies grow bigger in our bellies and prepare to permanently alter our lives, so grows my dread of the impending sleepless nights.
The sleepless nights of newborn life (and baby and toddler life) seriously panic me. I need sleep — and the thought of trying to manage a toddler and a newborn all day after a night of nursing and trying to convince a baby to sleep freaks me out. And let’s not forget I still need to make time to work on 5MinutesForMom.com and our online stores Pedal Cars and Retro Collectibles and A Rocking Horse To Love.
As you may know, in preparation for the madness, Janice and I have both hired Au Pairs to come and help us survive. But even with the help, sleepless nights scare me!
And so it was with a very open mind that I picked up Elizabeth Pantley’s book “The No-Cry Sleep Solution”.
This is the second of Pantley’s books that I have read cover to cover and thoroughly enjoyed reading. I love her non-judgmental attitude and the way she offers ideas and suggestions for all types of mothers who follow different parenting styles.
Although Pantley chose co-sleeping for her family, she does not try to force such attachment parenting techniques on other families.
She recognizes that some babies are breastfed and some bottle-fed, some co-sleep while others learn to accept a crib. Some babies find attachment toys, some love pacifiers and some suck their thumbs. Pantley is open-minded and sincerely wants to help all families regardless of whether they subscribe to attachment parenting theories.
Families are unique. Babies are unique. Even babies within the same family differ from each other and may benefit (or demand) a different style of parenting than their siblings.
Before I gave birth to Julia, I knew little about “attachment parenting” and I had never even considered co-sleeping. But by the time Julia was 5 months old, it was clear that she would benefit greatly from co-sleeping.
For me the decision to bring her full-time into my bed — and abandon the efforts of continually putting her back in her crib all night long — was a tough one.
You see, I’m a rule follower and a serious worrier.
When doctors and the media declare babies must not sleep in adult beds, I listen. It’s the way I am — I follow authority.
But when at 5 months old Julia spent all night waking and begging to be near me, I had to listen to a new authority — the authority inside of me as a mother who knows what is best for her child.
I followed every precaution. I even went to Sleep Country and bought a new king size FIRM mattress with no pillow-top cushion. I placed the mattress directly on the floor. I used only a tight fitted sheet and only one pillow that I ensured never neared Julia. I wore warm pajamas and lived without a quilt. (Don’t tell… but I even had my husband temporarily relocate to the guest room so that I could easily move from one side of Julia to the other as I switched sides while breastfeeding without worrying about him rolling over on her.)
And, most of the time, I never told anyone!
I had never met anyone in person who had ever done anything as radical as sleep on a mattress on the floor so that their baby could sleep without fear of falling. But now, as I have spent time online meeting all different types of moms, co-sleeping on a mattress on the floor seems common place.
But even though I’ve never regretted our sleeping arrangements, I would never tell another mom that she ought to make the same decision.
It’s too personal. It depends on too many factors.
And now as my second baby’s arrival comes closer, I still do not know how the sleeping arrangements at our house will eventually work out.
My husband and I have agreed to try and have the new baby sleep in a crib and I imagine we’ll stick with that for at least the first few months if not longer… but I can’t promise anything.
I’ve learned that I need to listen to my baby while at the same time manage the needs of our entire family. And this time it is more complicated because I still have Julia co-sleeping with us. We’ll have to wait and see what works.
And so I am thankful for the sleep plans and all the ideas and suggestions in Pantley’s book. I can follow her ideas and learn to help my baby sleep whether we choose a crib or a family bed.
I must say I have loved having Julia co-sleep. I’ve never regretted that decision. But our situation this time is different, and it’ll be interesting to see what happens. I’ll have to keep you posted!
How about you? Where are you at with sleeping babies and toddlers? Do you currently have a little one who is keeping you sleep deprived?
If yes, leave a comment asking to be entered in our draw for a copy of “The No-Cry Sleep Solution”.
If you’re done your sleepless days, please also comment and share your story.
And most importantly, please do not feel judged whether you choose to breastfeed, bottle-feed, crib-sleep or co-sleep. Everyone is welcome and everyone is different. We love hearing about all your unique situations.
And please share your sleep and bedtime tricks. Pantley’s book is full of fantastic sleep routine ideas and I bet some of you have great ideas of your own.
When we do the draw for the book, we’ll only enter those in the draw who have specified they are interested in receiving a copy of the book.
Congratulations to last week’s winner of Pantley’s book “The No-Cry Potty Training Solution”:
#80 – Chelsey
Nichole says
I’d love to read this book. I’ll take all the advise I can get !
Ashley says
Right on time! Baby #2 is 6 days old, but never too early to catch up on some literature!
Nikki says
I am definatly interested in this contest. Please count me in.
kailani says
With my first daughter, I just couldn’t handle seeing her cry. I would have to rock her to sleep every night, sometimes for hours!
With the second one, I figured a little crying didn’t hurt anyone. I would just put her in her crib and leave. Boy did she cry. But now, when it’s bedtime, I just put her down and she’ll fall asleep on her own. So much easier this time around!
Wendy says
I am def. interested if the contest is still open. My daughter is 14 months and still wakes at night and has a hard time falling asleep without being nursed!
Melissa O. says
I actually bought this book while I was pregnate and it is great. My dd still is sleeping with us and nursed at bed time for 2 years. We never had problems with sleeping through the night and my daughter actually never cried until she was almost 2. I was able to go back to work when she was 6 weeks without feeling horrible because we had so much close time with nursing and co sleeping. I hope the mommy that gets the book learns a lot from it. The main thing it taught me was to really look at our family and see that we were happy with co sleeping and didn’t need to change to meet the “norm”. : )
Julie says
The book sounds “heavenly!” After two ambitious boys and many hectic nights, the book sounds like it will be very helpful for our third. Third times a charm…right??
amygeekgrl (Crunchy Domestic Goddess) says
good for you for following your mommy instinct and trusting your heart knew what was best for your little girl. 🙂
we have co-slept with both of our kids. our son (9 mos) is still in the same bed with us and our daughter (3 yrs) sleeps in her own bed right next to ours. it works great for us. 🙂
Jenn says
No need to be entered in this one, I have the book and also love it. I am though, still co-sleeping with my nursling toddler. He’s gonna be 4 in November and co sleeping sorta fell in our lap.
He was a hard kid to nurse, and it took us several weeks to get “good at it.” The only way I could nurse in the beginning was sitting up, and the only way Zachary would sleep was sitting up…so we sat up and slept.
After a while I got tired of sitting up, and worked to teach us both how to lay down, sleep, and nurse when needed!
It’s awesome, now, I love waking up to him, smelling his hair, and seeing his little eyes opening up to the world.
It might have been WAY different had I been married, or had other children (in bed with me) – but this totally worked for us, heck in the beginning we slept on a TWIN bed! 🙂 It was cramped with love I like to say!
I agree, co sleeping, along with breastfeeding, and SO Many other area’s of being a mom are so personal – great article Susan, it brought a tear to my eye!
Erin says
I said I would NEVER have my kids in my bed and I ended up having both my girls in bed with me for the first 2 months of their lives (3 months for our second baby). I thought it would be hard to sleep with a little person in bed with me, I worried about my husband rolling on to her, I worried about getting even less sleep than before. But it was amazing. You are so aware of them even while you sleep peacefully. I helped me survive the first 3 months of their lives (I had to nurse every 2 hours even at night for both my girls and so I didn’t want to get out of bed 5 times each night). If I have more babies, I’ll probably try to put them in beds from the start, but if I have to have them in bed with me again, I’d do it in a heartbeat. So precious and they grow up so fast.
Bailey's Leaf says
I’m a rule follower. Doesn’t seem to fit with my profession as an artist, but I admit to it. That being said, our daughter came to us as a foster to adopt and they had the strict rule of no co-sleeping. We were also sleeping on my husband’s teenage waterbed, so I was scared to death that our daughter would die by sleeping in our bed. My solution when ear infections and whatnot came about? I slept on her floor with her. Not a comfortable solution forever, but when those darned eye teeth were coming in, she had her first shots and so forth, I sacked out on the floor. That way, I kept consistent with keeping her in (or at least near) the bed and was still right there with her. But, shhh, I did fall asleep with her occasionally on the couch while holding her. I would put my feet up on the edge of the couch so that there was no other place for her to roll, other than in my lap!
Tina says
Did you plan your pregnancies to occur around the same time? That is so fun. Um, my daughter is 8, but she only recently started sleeping through the night. LOL. She is just one of those kids who wakes up to go potty and wants her mommy to go with her. It doesn’t even my bother me, but it definitely interrupts my hubby’s sleep!
Christelle says
EVERYONE is INVITED to my ONLINE BIRTHDAY party!!!!!!
Stop by and celebrate with me 32 years of wonderful blessings!!!!!
:0)
Sharon says
I am a huge Pantley fan, and LOVE NCSS. Great book. :
I never thought I’d co-sleep, either, until my baby was born. lol He was colicky and very high maintenance. So we found ourselves co-sleeping. Suddnely we all got some sleep, and we realized we were happy w/ our sleeping arrangements. We enver had a scare w/ harming him, thankfully.
That boy is now 3, and his twin bed is adjacent to our queen in our BED room. I specify BED room, not bedroom, because all beds are in that room. He sleeps in his own bed, next to ours, for now. When he is ready, he will be in his own room in that twin bed. We still welcome him into ours if he needs to be closer.
We also have a 4 month old. Since day 1 we’ve co-slept w/ him. He does go in the crib at times. The rest of the time he sleeps next to me, then there id my dh and our 3 yo’s bed next to dh.
We love this for now. If either dh or I was not happy w/ it, we wouldn’t be doing it.
To each his own. Like you said, us moms have this greater intuition, which personally, I feel guides us in a far superior way than any dr, book, or other parent ever could.
Best wishes to you! Great post!
Carrie says
I think that the “experts” saying that parents shouldn’t sleep with their children is total b.s. Most people the world over wouldn’t even consider leaving a human baby alone all night to sleep.
If the experts knew that their opinions came from none other than the Puritans, who separated people from their kids to “prevent” incest (as if cosleeping and child abuse had anything to do with each other – actually babies in cribs are much more likely to be molested), instead of any hard data, they might change their tunes.
I think babies and mommies should sleep where everyone gets the most sleep. That will obviously vary by family.
My 4 all happily co slept and I think I was far less sleep deprived than my friends who fought with their kids to get them back to sleep (or to stay in their beds) at night. There were also a lot of benefits for our family.
In addition, African American parents are more likely to cosleep than their white peers, and I also think the expert party line is also quite culturally insensitive.
Who are these book read American doctors to tell most of the world how to live? How arrogant. They’ve been wrong so many times. Like in the 20s-40s, the standard line was “don’t hold your baby too much”, “don’t spoil him”, “don’t smile at him”, etc. What utter nonsense, and yet generations of mothers followed that advice.
Mothers need to listen to their God given instincts a little more and the experts a little less.
Elizabeth’s books rock!
Nesting Momma says
oh this is so refreshing to read! I am what I call a intuitive momma…I don’t label myself. My first was the tricky child. I wouldn’t let her cry it out because I could tell that she was distressed. She loved to nurse so I let her. I had not read any books on attachment parenting,didn’t even know that it was a “way” of parenting. I felt guilt for nursing her to sleep and yes she slept in bed with us. I have to admit I did all of this because I wanted to sleep. I later googled “weaning baby when they don’t want to wean” and found amazing articles about how it was ok to nurse to sleep…my second self weaned at 8 months,loves her crib and her passy..go figure. Same parent, two very different kiddos…again I used my God given intuition and all is going well!!Thanks so much for sharing your story! I am off to buy Elizabeths book!xoxoDonna
Caryn says
I have an 8 week old that I’m still trying to get on some type of schedule, but with not much luck. His feedings are somewhat consistent, but sleep times are sporatic at times. I try to keep him in his crib at night, but he gets really fussy at times and keeps us all up! So we carefully put him in the middle of the bed, and Voila! I hope this book will help me learn how to improve his sleep patterns.
lauren says
Hannah has slept in her crib since she was about 6 weeks old, before that she slept in a pack and play next to my bed. I was SO scared of co-sleeping after reading some other books, etc…
When she was an older infant (6 months-14 months, maybe?), she would occasionally nap with me, but at night with mommy and daddy there, she thought it was play time, not rest time.
Now, at 22 months old, she literally dives into her crib at night after we put her in her pj’s. Most of the time, she doesn’t even want to be rocked to sleep. She is very affectionate during the day… sits on my lap, gives lots of hugs and kisses… yet if she’s sleepy, she wants her bed, and nothing else will do.
julie says
My situation was very similar to the previous post. I slept my newborn daughter (now 15 months) in her crib for the first 8 weeks, and then she started sleeping 9 hour stretches. When she’d wake in the early mornings, I would bring her into bed with me until we’d both wake up for the day.
Around wintertime, I starting bringing her into the bed with me all the time to avoid getting in and out of bed during those cold nights. (At four months she started sleeping terribly at night.)
I enjoyed co-sleeping with her, but at 10 months, she couldn’t sleep with us so near to her. If my husband or I moved an inch at night, she would wake up and scream. She would get so mad. She also had a hard time napping alone during that age. Slowly I transitioned her to her crib, and she was much happier that way. Although, I miss it greatly and hope to co-sleep with my future babies.
I’m also very interested in this book and learning more about attachment parenting.
tammy b says
don’t need the book cuz i’m done with that part of my life…:(
but w/my 1st, she would go down in her crib and i would put her back after nursing, but when she started sleeping through at 8 weeks (THANK YOU GOD!!!) and she woke up about 5:30 or so, i would bring her into bed with me and nurse and leave her – hubby was already up and out…
the twins were actually pretty easy once they got home – well except for all the feeding! anyway, they co-slept with eachother in the crib and did so until they were more than 2….they would on occasion sleep with me as well…..i know how you feel, it’s scary to try and figure out how to work everything out with that 2nd (or 3rd, or 4th) without gyping the older sib(s), but like everything else, it always seems to work out….we, as mothers, are more capable than we give ourselves credit for!
good luck!
mama k says
First off, I LOVE this book.
I’d love to win an extra copy so I have one to loan out too! I too love how she focuses strictly on the sleep solutions and doesn’t get preachy on other parenting issues.
I started out wanting to cosleep with a cosleeper/side-car attachment. Then baby came along and he decided he really wanted to be snuggled up against me. Well we have a pillow top mattress so I was a little freaked out to have him in bed with me. But after a few months, I relented since I usually fell asleep while nursing him anyway and he was on his side/back so he wasn’t going to smother.
It was awesome! All of us got much more sleep this way. I highly recommend trying this arrangement if you are nursing and baby is still waking to eat at night. I have mentioned this to a few preggo friends and they act like I’m crazy. Like you mentioned, it’s like cosleeping is the BIG parenting secret. We all do it at some point, but we don’t tell anyone for fear of judgement or something.
Around 6 months, it stopped working for us. Baby and I are both light sleepers so we kept waking each other up. We gradually weaned him to his own bed in his own room. It was no big deal.
Both DH and I still wish he was in our bed sometimes. I miss waking up to his cute little face and snuggling with him late at night. I especially miss it on those crazy teething nights. But I don’t miss getting kicked or rolling over and waking him up. 🙂
Beth says
I have two boys. My two year old sleep thru the night no problem but my four year old is afraid he is going to miss something. We have to keep a sleep journal and take to the doctor here soon. Last Thursday i would say was the worst almost every hour and half until 3am he came in to make sure I knew he was awake and to tell me he had to tell me something that would not wait until morning. This sleeping this is draining me. He does this almost 5 out of 7 nights a week. The doctor said after two months of journaling he is hoping to find a pattern to help but as far as I can see no pattern, he is even up when we play outside and run crazy all day long. I just don’t know what to do.
Going crazy
Tired Mom
Angela says
We’d love a copy of this book.
Erna says
I’ve enjoyed reading all the responses to this post. I don’t really need the book because I’ve read it before. We tried a lot in Pantley’s book with our first but nothing really worked. :0( We spent a lot on “loveys,” and other sleep aids with the hopes that they would help. She co-slept with us until after our second was born. Then, there was a time she was having a hard time getting to sleep, we weren’t sleeping well, and we just had to move our cuddle bug out of our bed. Unfortunately, she ended up crying those nights. We tried a lot to ease her into her bed. I think the one thing that comforted her a bit more was having a “daddy” and “mommy” bear beside her in her bed. She still sleeps with stuffed animals in her bed . . . a dog on each side of her. She comfort nursed until I had to leave for the hospital due to my water breaking at 24 weeks and I had no control of easing her out of nursing. I will say that the co-sleeping arrangement made it a bit hard on my husband and parents when I was in the hospital for a month. The were so gracious to lay with her until she slept, get up, and go to sleep with her again. They were all on “rotation” because my husband works shifts. So, it was something I appreciated but it was a hard arrangements for others in an emergency situation.
Our second was put in a crib by our bed the day she came home. She was a preemie and I didn’t have enough of a milk supply to nurse her. So, she was bottle fed (older sister was nursed). I would feed her, burp her, and put her back in the crib. We tried co-sleeping with her once to see if it would help her with her night waking but it wouldn’t work at all. Even after 6 months she was waking every hour to two hours. We eliminated all issues with her formulas, etc. Sadly for my sanity, I was getting to a really bad place emotionally, we had to let her cry it out. We tried to do something like the Ferber method but it just made matters worse. After a few days, she was sleeping through the night. She’s just a very independent little girl in so many ways. Then, we had to get rid of the soother and that was a whole story in itself. We were going to ease it away from her but it broke and she threw it out. So, once again, there were tears for a few nights for her soother. We would let her know it was broken and she chose to put it in the garbage. Now, she sleeps through the nights MOST nights. She has a few rough nights here and there but is very content to be in her crib. After a successful move to a toddler bed, she started popping out of her bed again and wanted her crib. So, for her, a crib is her place of choice. (I do wonder if part of the desire to sleep alone came about as a result of being in a bassinet in the hospital for a month and half.)
I had to smile when other shared that they never talked about co-sleeping. I was that way too. However, I’ve broken the silence and find a lot of people are more understanding about sleeping arrangements these days. I guess I’ve been on the nursing & bottle-feeding sides, co-sleeping & crib sleeping, not wanting my first baby to ever cry & having to let my second cry at times because I was only one mother with two hands. I agree with others who say to follow your heart more than anything. Both my girls are happy and healthy, both have good appetites and enjoy healthy foods, and we all sleep despite whatever arrangements we once had. We’ll see how baby #3 adjusts to this family in the new year. :0)
Teresa says
Please enter me into your drawing for a copy of this book. I was just discussing how each little person is so different. My first baby was a perfect “babywise” scheduled sleeper and she started sleeping through the night in her crib by 12 weeks and never looked back. I am not sure if my second just has a very different personality or if I am doing things differently but at 10 months we still have 1-2 trips to the nursery at night. I am currently looking for different ideas and would love to win this book (otherwise I think I will purchase it).
Jessie says
I would love to be entered into this drawing – thanks!
Promises Fulfilled says
With my first child (who I breastfed for 12 months), I used the concepts in “On Becoming Babywise” and “Secrets of the Baby Whisperer”. My son slept 12 hours through the night at 15 weeks, and has done so ever since. I am planning on using this same concept of “scheduling” with our second.
Kelley says
Id love to be entered into the contest!
Anjanette says
I’d love to be entered into the contest. We are pregnant with our first and doing lots of research. Right now cosleeping and/or using a bassinet next to the bed is sounding the most feasible since I’ll be breastfeeding and we live in a studio apartment with no room for a crib anyway. This book has been recommended to me by my sister and my pastor’s wife, so I should probably check it out!
Stephanie says
Can you tell us more about hiring an “Au Pair?” How did you go about it? How much did you charge? Will your “Au Pair” live with you? I’m VERY interested. Thanks!
Stephanie says
What a wonderful post! I love your accepting, nonjudgmental, and warm tone.
When my daughter was itty bitty (think: 1st couple of weeks), she slept in a bassinet. Then, she co-slept with us until she started to roll over. Now, we do the “mattress on the floor” thing like you do and love it.
But, I’d love to win a copy of Pantley’s book. As we begin to think about baby #2, it would be great to have some “sleep solutions” at our fingertips. Please enter me!
Angela says
I was totally anti co-sleeping and then had a baby. Prior to that I was introduced to the concept by a friend who successfully did it with her second kid. I got home from the hospital and realized within an hour of putting the baby in his basinet in our bedroom that hte up and down was going to kill me so that night we decided to try co-sleeping but I was SO afraid. So we put our newborn baby between me and a wall in a top ramen box. Yes, our baby’s first bed was a case for ramen noodle packages. It worked and got me comfortable until we 0could do it without the box.
Kelly says
Oh, please enter me. I but would appreciate my own copy, both for myself and to lend to my sister-in-law who is due in the early part of next year.
Pantley’s shh-shh-shh method worked wonders for our 4 yr. old. We went from difficult times getting him to go to sleep and frequent night wakenings to pleasant sleep for all, all thanks to shushing him back to sleep.
Faerylandmom says
We co-sleep during the nursing days, just because it’s easier for me. Baby & I both get more sleep, and I feel more free to let Baby have floor-time during the day, since we’re snuggling all night. Nothing deeper than that for me. 🙂 It was never really an “issue” for us – for which I am glad.
Lisa says
I am due with my first baby in February and am terribly nervous about the sleeping situation (or rather lack of sleeping 😉 We will definitely have the baby in our room for quite awhile since the nursery is upstairs, but whether we will cosleep or not is something my hubby and I are still debating. Obviously, the baby will play a big part in this decision depending on what she will tolerate/do best with once she is here.
I would love to be entered in your contest for this book, as I am reading everything “baby” I can get my hands on right now to educate myself!
Sara says
I have checked this book out of the library before and really enjoyed it. I’d love to have my own copy. We’re getting a lot more sleep these days but I’d love to have my 15mo old able to sleep all night (or at least not wake up at 4) before baby #2 gets here in February. Then of course it’ll be starting all over again and learning how the new baby sleeps and what he/she needs.
Our first moved from her bassinate at 3 months but moved back to our room at 5 months when we put her crib up against our bed so I wouldn’t have to get out of bed to nurse. It was a wonderful arrangement and we didn’t change till she was standing up and I worried about her not staying in her crib or me having to stay with her for an hour till she was sound asleep. Sleep really was a battle for us but things are so much better now. This too shall pass!
Suzanne says
I have Elizabeth Pantleys book and found it useful but not until my baby was about 6 months old. The book I SWEAR by is The Secrets of the Baby Whisperer. I strongly suggest you read it as it really opens your eyes and “slows you down” to really getting to know your baby and it’s wants and needs 🙂
Kimberly says
My first daughter slept in a crib and I would get up every night, several times, to nurse her. One evening I was SOOOOOOOOO tired and I remember just being really upset that she was awake and was in no hurry to go back to sleep. She was crying and I was crying……It was a horrible, horrible night…..
Since then every single one of my 6 children has co-slept with my husband and I. And not one of them has decided to sleep with us forever and ever..They all have eventually made it into their own beds and sleep well through out the night. I have learned over the years, there are alot of EX-PERTS….But the best person to listen to is yourself, and your child. What ever works, just do it……..
LoryKC says
I had a bassinet next to the bed when my kids (now 9 & 6) were infants. I’d bring them into bed to nurse and often we’d both fall back asleep there. We did move them to a crib once they were sleeping through the night — though there were many nights we were up again after they’d started sleeping through!
I did not get a special mattress or sheets when they slept with me. I was more worried about hubbie rolling over but he was in residency and was so tired, once his head hit the pillow he did.not.move!
We’re expecting baby #3 in October–we’ll see how things change. It’s been 6 years since I’ve been up during the night with an infant…almost feels like starting over!
Sarah says
I would love to be entered in this drawing…there are always great suggestions out there. I have a daughter (5 months) who sleeps in the crib next to us right now. She doesn’t sleep through the nights, yet. I think she likes the comfort of mama milk. My 2 year old sleeps through the night, but we are trying to get him into a “big boy” bed right now, and that is NOT going over well. He really loves his routine, and comforts.
Thanks for this give away!
Laura says
Please enter me into the drawing. Thanks!
Chelsey says
My oldest son was a great sleeper from the day he came home from the hospital. He is now 5 and loves to sleep. My second child is 3 and we are still having a hard time getting him to sleep through the night. Now that we expecting our third child in December, I would love this book. Hopefully I can try some new things and maybe get a few more hours of sleep.
Kristine says
This is absolutely something I’m concerned about as the birth of our son gets closer. Our first son spent the first six months of his life in an orphanage in Russia, and therefore came home to us well “trained” to sleep in a crib alone. My husband and I often regret that we didn’t co-sleep with him after his adoption, as he had significant attachment issues until recently.
I would love a copy of this book!
Jessica says
I love that book, although my baby now 4 months decided on her own that she wanted to be in her crib, and has slept through the night for about 3 months now. Gee, can we order another just like her? I can only hope that we wouldn never need the book to help with another child, but alas, one can only be so lucky!
I can always pass the book on if I don’t end up needing it!
Tiffany M says
I have 4 children and we love co-sleeping. We currently have a 13 month old in a side car. We plan on more children and we will co-sleep with all of them. I would love a copy of this book, I have heard it is a wonderful resource.
Diane says
It seems that once a parent…..sleepless nights are always a potential dilemma. My own children are now 27, 25 and 15…and while they slept for the most part in their cribs…there were many nights when they joined us in our bed. In fact, as they grew, our sons took to sleeping in a sleeping bag next to our bed during their pre-teen years. They would go to sleep in their own beds and if they awoke during the night they would simply come and find the sleeping bag and pillow that had been prepared for them…and quietly slip back into their slumber. Somehow, we knew they wouldn’t be sleeping next to us by the time they graduated from high school!
And yet, even the parent of an adult child looses sleep. It’s never ending…so my experiential advise is simple….do WHATEVER works for you! Sleep is important…..and we must grab it however we can!!!!
How exciting to be preparing for your new little ones!
Diane
Cole's Mama says
I need this book for sure!
It is such a struggle to get our son to sleep at night or nap time. He got in the habbit of sleeping in Daddy’s arms at night and now he’s just too big to share our queen bed with us. He flops around like a fish all night and keeps me and Daddy awake. But getting him in his crib and sleeping through the night is impossible. And then there’s the fact that DH wants another baby. I may never sleep again!
Please enter me in this contest.
Joanne says
With our first baby, we read the Happiest Baby on the Block and the 3 “S” technique helped-however our son did not sleep through the night until he was 6-9 months old. I would love to win this book and try the solutions with our next NYC (not yet conceived) baby.
Jodie Allen says
Even though I don’t need this book, I had to comment b/c after a long 2 weeks we finally have my 9 month old sleeping through the night! I say this as I knock on wood with every part of my body!
My first daughter (now 25 months) slept with us for the first 6 weeks, but we were in a double bed and it was tight. I literally just held her in my arms, and although it went against what “experts” say about the danger of sleeping together, it was simply WONDERFUL. She went to her crib just fine. My second daughter (9 months) slept with us until she was 6 months old. The king sized bed and the fact that the girls share a room kept her with us longer. I also NEVER told people she slept with us b/c most were horrified and others thought we were weird when I did mention something. Part of it was that I just loved having her near me and the other was that I wasn’t sure how to transition her without totally disrupting my toddler. At 6 months she went in the crib but started waking up 1-3 times a night for a bottle. We were tired and gave in. The last 2 weeks I just cut her cold turkey b/c we needed NEEDED more sleep and I knew she was forming a habit instead of being actually hungry. Anyway, it may be too harsh for some parents, but we just let her cry most nights and after about a week we now have two silent and sleeping babies from 7pm-6am. I can’t ask for more!
Thanks for sharing your personal stories about co-sleeping! I think people need to hear more about it, be educated about it and stop judging others! It’s not for everyone, but I love that you are helping people be more open-minded. THANK YOU!
MommaBlogger says
I used to keep a pack and play next to the bed for easy retrieval of the baby when it was time to nurse. But someone gave me a real bassinet with my last one, and I loved it. I’ll be using it with this one too.
With co-sleeping, I didn’t sleep on the floor, but we never really had any troubles. I had the pack and play pushed up against the bed so I wouldn’t have to get up to get the baby, and it provided a nice block. I also had a few extra pillows around just in case. I did notice that when I was nursing at night, I was more aware of when I was getting a little too close to baby. I think the only time that I ever had a concern was when I was very ill, and barely cognitive when I was awake. Those times (which were thankfully rare) I made sure my husband was a little more aware for me.
Btw, my husband has often sent himself to the couch, since he tends to get punched a lot by the babies when they’re nursing. So don’t feel bad 🙂
Stephanie says
Read this:
Remember, if you don’t find our Baby Sleep Through the Night DVD helpful, we will refund your money, no questions asked.
WOW! Doesn’t get any better than that! Although, you might find it at your local library like I did.
Stephanie says
My first son was a dream as far as sleep went. We had him in a bassinet in our room and then a crib in our room until he moved up to a toddler bed in his own room.
Our second boy was a whole different situation. I breastfed him longer and he would wake up about 3-5 times a night wanting to suck or wanting a pacifier. After 7 months of waking up every single night 3-5 times I had had enough.
I HAD to do something so…we happened to be in America at that time so I went to the library and it was there that I found this old video called “Helping your baby sleep through the night”.
I checked it out and I thought it was great. It was an actual program that you do with your child and they almost all but guarantee that you will have your child sleeping through the night from 4 days to 2 weeks.
I found this video online. Although the video is severely outdated it is wonderful. Here is the link: http://www.helpingyourbabysleep.com/
If you are still experiencing sleepless nights I HIGHLY suggest you get this DVD (also has a download option) and try this program. It was simple enough for me and oh the first night of full nights sleep after 7 months was like heaven!
Happy Sleeping!
Steph
Kristin says
My baby is almost 1. I really thought that by 1 she would be sleeping every night all night in her crib like a big girl. That is not happening. Actually, she would prefer to sleep in my bed right next to me, really practically on top of me, still waking up approximately every 15 minutes and occasionally screaming. She is going to be a big sister in March and I am scared out of my mind to have a not-sleeping 19 month old and a newborn….I really don’t want a 4 person bed!
Melissa R. Garrett says
Not sure why there was a smiley up there where I meant to say “my first baby, now eight”
Sorry!
Melissa R. Garrett says
My first baby (now 8) slept through the night at 3 months old. My second (almost 6) slept in his own crib but had VERY rigid bedtime routines (we now know he straddles the autism spectrum). He was difficult! My third (almost 27 months) has not slept through the night. Once. I’m tired. I also work at home. We co-sleep, as well. She has to have boob to fall asleep (yes, I am still nursing) and then she goes into her crib for 2-3 hours. At that point, she wakes up and comes into bed with us. This has been our routine since she came home from the hospital. There are nights when I am so tired, I don’t even remember walking into her room to get her out of her crib! We are going to be switching her to a big girl bed soon, and we are crossing our fingers that we can start weaning her out of our bed. I miss sleeping next to my husband. I also miss, well, you get the point . . . 😉
Just trust your own instincts and do whatever works for you 🙂
Sarah says
I had read Pantley’s book and tried her suggestions for almost a month and we got close to a sleeping through the night child but it was not until I read Weissbluth’s Healthy Sleep Habits book that we succeeded.
When my daughter was 9 mo old, is when I knew that getting up two or three times a night was not a good thing for me. The first four months she slept in a bassinet in our bedroom and she transitioned to a crib very easily.
Not sure what I will do w/ my second child being born in Dec. This time I will be a little more prepared but I also know that making plans sometime backfire on you.
Good luck and many blessings on your growing family.
Deb says
My children have all slept in cribs, although we did a bassinet in the bedroom for the first several months with my second two children and I did bring them into bed with us fairly often while they were still breastfeeding. My kids all sleep through the night fairly well now.
But, I have a close friend who has a 4-year-old who has mostly co-slept since she was a baby. My friend has been trying to get her to sleep in her room as there is just not enough space in the bed and her daughter continually kicks her all night. She’s tried many things to get her daughter to sleep in her own room, but it’s difficult when dealing with a stubborn, spirited child who wants nothing to do with her own bed – especially when you’re tired and sleep deprived yourself. She’s expecting another baby this winter and the sleep situation is a huge concern. I’ve tried to help her, but my kids have usually been good sleepers, so I don’t know what else to suggest that she hasn’t already tried. It sounds like this book may be something that might have some new ideas for her!
Donna says
My LO usually sleeps great at night, but recently she has been having trouble going down and occasionally has a rough night. I have 4 dc and never have co-slept regularly, although this LO has often ended up in our bed when she was younger or during these rough nights. I always was a fan of creating a daily routine, which I believe helped all of my dc sleep through the night at an early age. But, I’d love to win this book and read some more ideas for helping my LO sleep (and any babies that might be in my future).
Kris says
Hugs to you…I feel your pain! I’m actually blogging right now because I have a ten-month-old who detests sleeping with a passion, just like her brother and three sisters did. I keep telling myself that “one of these days” they’ll all sleep well. After all, my teens never seem to be awake anymore!
I’ve had only one baby who would sleep well in her crib; the others fought slumber like their lives depended on it. I think the book you linked to is the only one I haven’t tried! Hmmm…..
Jen says
I was in the same state of panic of how we would sleep when I brought my second daughter home from the hospital. I decided we would side car. We had our 21 month old between us in the bed and then the our new baby in the side car. Here is pictures of her:
http://www.attachmentmoms.com/Co_Sleeping_with_Baby.html
*hugs* I am sure you will figure out what works best for everyone. I love co-sleeping though and still have my girls co-sleeping with us 🙂