Sleep Training:
Which Method to Choose? page 2

Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child (Weissbluth method) 
In a nutshell: Considered the infant sleep bible by many parents, this information-packed book was written by the renowned pediatrician and childhood sleep expert Dr. Marc Weissbluth. Parents will learn about the deep-rooted causes of their babies’ sleep problems and find research-based approaches on how to correct them. 

Pros:

• You’ll learn how to start sleep-training your baby as soon as you bring her home from the hospital.

• The book’s findings are based on actual research studies.

Cons:

• While the author doesn’t believe excessive crying is necessary to sleep train, it is part of the method. So, parents should be prepared for some tears as they implement new “sleep rules.”

• While some may enjoy the long explanations about the science behind infant sleep, others might feel that it’s long and unnecessary.

What the experts say: “You can’t fight circadian rhythms,” says author Dr. Weissbluth, professor in clinical pediatrics at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. So, learn the principles in this book and embrace them! “Children who are out of phase behave as if they have chronic jet lag syndrome,” he continues. And for those that say crying it out is cruel? “Sleep deprivation is cruel, too,” Weissbluth counters, underscoring the fact that infants with sleep problems are chronically sleep deprived.

The No-Cry Sleep Solution
In a nutshell: For parents looking for a gentler approach to sleep training, Elizabeth Pantley’s The No-Cry Sleep Solution may be it. Pantley’s approach avoids agonizing nights of crying in favor of more subtle ways of teaching your baby good sleep habits. Parents who favor co-sleeping and subscribe to the “attachment parenting” movement will most likely feel at home with this approach. 

Pros:

• This gentle approach will appeal to parents who absolutely can’t stand the thought of hearing their baby cry.

• Pantley’s plan works for babies as well as toddlers - and those who are bottle and breastfed. She gives specific instructions for each unique situation.

• Her approach is endorsed by the renowned family physician Dr. William Sears.

Cons:

• While Pantley’s method was proven successful by 60 “test mommies” in her book, the process was a slow one - as in 10 to 60 days before progress was made.

• Because this sleep training is gradual, it means you’re not going to get that full night’s sleep you’ve been dreaming about - at least for a little while.

• Instead of the baby doing the work (crying it out), you’re going to be doing the work. Expect to put in the middle-of-the-night hours you need to make this solution a success for your baby. And until she gets it, expect a lot of yawning during the day.

What the experts say: Beloved pediatrician Dr. Sears wholeheartedly believes in Pantley’s method. In the forward of her book, which he wrote, he says “I’ve found a book that I can hand to weary parents with confidence that they can learn to help their baby sleep through the night - without the baby crying it out.”