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Sleep book - Weissbluth vs Pantley
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Anonymous
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which would you recommend - Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child - Marc Weissbluth or The No-Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers and Preschoolers: Gentle Ways to Stop Bedtime Battles and Improve Your Childs Sleep (Pantley) - Elizabeth Pantley?
Thanks |
Anonymous
| They are completely different. I'd get both. Neither did anything to solve our sleep problems, but I felt that Weissbluth offered good, basic information and advice (principally sleep begets more sleep), although I found his tone extremely difficult to take and I personally could not implement extinction (one of his recommended strategies--although recommended principally as a last resort). When I read Pantley I was initially very optimistic, but I found myself unable to apply her recommendations. Her techniques require a lot more patience and self-discipline over a longer period, and I was already too exhausted to follow through. Or maybe our child was just unusually resistant. |
Anonymous
| I followed Weissbluth from about 4 weeks and never needed extinction. Just followed the principles. DD fell into a great sleep schedule - two regular naps and 12 hours at night (she's now 8 months). Started sleeping through - 12 hours - at 4 months. I also bought Pantly but never needed to try another strategy. |
clarabow
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You are a lucky dog. For OP and others, following the basic principles of healthy sleep (routines, knowing your child's tired signs, etc etc) will help enable but certainly won't guarantee "ideal" sleep patterns in a baby. Read everything, and then adopt what makes sense for you and your family. Most of the basic stuff like a good bedtime routine and starting waaay before your baby is obviously tired is universally agreed upon, but what to do when your tot does not exhibit the ideal pattern of STTN and long naps is where they all tend to differ. I'd throw Ferber into the mix for education as well. A little less didactic than Weissbluth, and somewhat different data on typical sleep for each age, whether an early or late bedtime makes sense, etc. |
Anonymous
| I swear by Weissbluth! I read Pantley and a few others, but found that they just didn't tell me what to DO. (Maybe it was the sleep deprivation -- I had an 8 week old who never napped and slept 3-4 nonconsecutive hours each night). I loved Weissbluth, which I really credit with my 2 year old's love of sleep and his bed. He'll actually tell us when he's sleepy and has been known to ask to go to bed early because he's tired. Which reminds me, I should read it again before #2 arrives . . . |
Anonymous
| "Secrets of the Baby Whisperer" saved my sanity. LOVED it and DS responded well. |
Anonymous
| Second the Ferber recommendation. And the rest of Clarabow's advice as well - seems right to me! |
Anonymous
| Pantley worked wonders for us...it took a just under a month but out 11 month old went from 2-3 night wakings to 11 straight hours without fail. I was so relieved that we didn't have to resort to some sort of crying, because we live in an apartment with cranky neighbors! |
Anonymous
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I'd check them all out from the library and browse to see what makes sense for your situation.
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Anonymous
| Loved the Pantley book, but it sounds like you might not need one! Whatever you are doing sounds like it is working. I do agree with PPs that it is good to read more than one book (if you have the time) to find the mix of tactics that work for you. No one single method will work for every baby, so it is good to have more than one tool in your tool chest (so to speak). |
Anonymous
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Get both. Pantley has better practical advice, Weissbluth has useful info on sleep patterns.
Mostly you need to know whether your kid will feel better or worse after crying. Crying it out (CIO) doesn't work for all kids. Some just get mad and all worked up. CIO was horrible with my son, and the Pantley book was invaluable. |
Anonymous
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Those two books are at totally different ends of the spectrum. And they will both tell you you're damaging your baby if you don't do it Their Way -- so ignore that part...
I agree with PPs, skim them both and see what is helpful to you. There's no one philosophy that's right for every baby/family. |
Anonymous
| Pantley was much more useful to me. |
Anonymous
| May I throw in Gina Ford? Not well known in the US but really, really good. You cannot take everything in this book as gospel but it is essentially about establishing a routine from day one although we did from 6 weeks with our son (now 2). Our children are both good sleepers (although after much work on establishing routines!!). |