No-Cry Sleep Training for Noobs

A week ago, I begged experienced mom and fellow Info Desk staffer, Jen, for help finding books on sleep-training for new parents like me who don't know what they're doing.

"I can't do Cry It Out!" I cried. We got a Dewey number for me to check the shelf, and she promised to get back to me with a couple titles that would be right up my alley as a tears-adverse bedtime executive.

I went to the 649.4's to find the book she found in the catalog, The Good Sleeper by Janet Kennedy, and while there, grabbed another book that looked promising--The Sleep Lady's Good Night, Sleep Tight by Kim West.

Although The Good Sleeper came up in the catalog when we searched for "attachment parenting" (thinking that's a no-cry model), Kennedy's book "takes a bold stand" on it and co-sleeping. When I brought the book home, it turned out "taking a bold stand" meant not endorsing it at all. She does make a good point that people equate attachment parenting with attachment theory too much. That's fine, Ms. Kennedy. You can be your own kind of sleep expert, and I can find your book useless. That ship has sailed.

Kim West's book took a gentler approach to us parents who don't know what we're doing. I've been reading her book with two of Elizabeth Pantley's books in tandem. The two sleep experts agree on many things and vary their advice by age group. Pantley is the gentlest in tone, and I love her for it. Both authors walk you through things like night-weaning, sleep-crutches, loveys, and much more. Do I think my toddler is going to sleep through the night tomorrow? Nope! But maybe after sticking to their advice for a while, we will get there.

Wish us luck!

(Also available as e-audio on OverDrive)