Great Expectations: Baby Sleep Guide

by Marcie Jones, Marcie Jones

The newest title in the best-selling Great Expectations series tackles all aspects of a topic every new mom and dad is eager to getting baby to sleep! In their reassuring parent-to-parent voice, experts Sandy and Marcie Jones unravel the mysteries of how, when, and under what circumstances babies sleep in a clear and logical way that will comfort and sustain weary parents. They - An explanation of how a baby’s sleep differs from that of children and adults - Advice on which sleep difficulties might indicate a medical problem. - Bulleted coping strategies for an array of issues - Q&A sidebars in which Sandy and Marcie give answers to common questions - Compelling “bites” of recent sleep research Moms and dads suffering through sleepless nights with baby will especially appreciate the quotes and strategies from other parents who have gone through the experience. a review of the most effective sleep-related products; useful Web resources; and a comprehensive dictionary of medical and sleep terms.

Genres: Nonfiction, Parenting

285 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 3, 2009

Reviews

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've looked at other baby sleep books, but I like this one because of the breadth of it coverage of different sleep training techniques. The book is organized by age group, and for each age group the author explains what kind of sleep a baby is developmentally capable of. She offers information on a variety of sleep training techniques, so parents can identify the technique that suits their baby and lifestyle. The book provides enough detail on the sleep training techniques so that the reader can feel confident enough to put any technique into practice, but for really in-depth reading, she references books dedicated to a single sleep training technique. Also, she includes Q & A from real parents and provides suggestions for common sleep problems. This book doesn't require a lot of time to read, and the author also doesn't provide any judgements on the type of sleep training technique that is adopted by a parent. The most important advice that I learned is for the parents to agree upon a sleep training technique and how it is going to be carried out before bedtime, and then both parents must be consistent with the child every night.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really impressed with this book. It is not a sleep method, nor does it promise results by any particular age, but is a comprehensive book about all the reasearch and knowledge on baby sleep. I was fascinated to learn about baby sleep cycles, the "fourth trimester", statistics on SIDS and information on colic. There are chapters for every month up to one year explaining how babies' sleep patterns change and information on the sleep differences between breast-fed and bottle-fed babies. Knowledge is power and though I may not be able to coerce my baby to sleep through the night before he is ready, I feel empowered just by knowing what is going on and how to cope.

[Jaymi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Used it as a reference rather than a front to back read. I’m happy to say I can recommend this book. One of the few nonjudgmental books on sleep habits I could find and gave a high level view of various methods to help choose which works best for your individual circumstances.

[Kylene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite finished but I think this is a great reference book. All of the ideas worked for my baby until she was about 4 months but we're working at it.

6/5/13 - After reading and skimming through many other sleep books, this one is my go-to and is my fav. It doesn't necessarily have a set method, but the way things are explained about baby sleep is what helps me the most. I like that it also tells you approx how many naps and for how many hours baby should be sleeping each day.

[Gwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved that the authors presented many "recommended" variations on getting babies to sleep, and included pros and cons for each. The other great thing is that it gives realistic goals and expectations, and calls out various doctors on their omissions. Broken down by age ranges, this may come in handy again when we get to the "monster in the closet" stage.

[Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Likely the best baby sleep book that actually thinks you are breastfeeding.

It's specific, helpful and loving. Even though it's so hard to be sleep deprived. It does NOT suggest you give your baby a bottle of formula the way so many other sleep training books do.

I plan to give this book to expectant friends of ours when their baby arrives.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked that this book gave information about why a child has trouble sleeping, rather than a training regiment to make a child sleep. It explained mental and physical changes at each age and their effect on sleep, and it gave suggestions on how to mitigate those. There was also a quick overview of popular sleep training methods and theirs pros and cons.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best (most informative, clearest, most straightforward) baby sleep book I've read so far. The author's have a good, nonjudgmental style and focus on the research results. Plus, they actually give specific recommendations, including age-appropriate actions to take, rather than just warning against things like nursing a baby to sleep that are completely appropriate depending on the baby's age.

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent book for first-time moms like me! I had major anxiety about sleep habits and even just how to set up a sleep environment for my newborn. This book gave me so many great ideas for handling my baby's sleep patterns. I still refer to it now when my toddler has trouble sleeping.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dry but helpful and extremely non-judgmental (refreshing in this genre).

[Margaret Heller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Useful meta-analysis of various sleep methods. I could have done without quite all the "this is how you will kill your baby" stuff.

[Alla · Rating 3 out of 5]

bahh.. not helping my baby :)