It's Never Too Late to Sleep Train: The Low-Stress Way to High-Quality Sleep for Babies, Kids, and Parents

by Craig Canapari MD

From a leading pediatric sleep physician comes a revolutionary program that will have everyone in the house sleeping through the night.

When Dr. Craig Canapari became a father, he realized that all his years of 36-hour hospital shifts didn't even come close to preparing him for the sleep deprivation that comes with parenthood. The difference is that parents don’t get a break—it’s hard to know if there’s a night of uninterrupted sleep anywhere in the foreseeable future. Sleepless nights for kids mean sleepless nights for the rest of the family—and a grumpy group around the breakfast table in the morning.

In It's Never Too Late to Sleep Train, Canapari helps parents harness the power of habit to chart a clear path to high-quality sleep for their children. The result is a streamlined two-step sleep training plan that focuses on cues and consequences, the two elements that shape all habits and that take on special importance when it comes to kids’ bedtime routines.

Dr. Canapari distills years of clinical research and experience to make sleep training simple and stress-free. Even if you’ve been told that you’ve missed the optimal "window" for sleep training, Dr. Canapari is here to prove that it's never too late, whether your child is 6 months or 6 years old. He's on your side in the battle against bedtime, and with his advice, parents and children alike can expect a lifetime of healthy sleep.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Medicine, Health

Audible Audio

Published May 7, 2019

Reviews

[Emily Barry Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally, a sleep training book focused on older kids instead of just babies. I appreciate that Calipari mentions considerations for kids from hard places or with attachment issues which is super helpful for foster parents and not something every sleep specialist considers. The foundational content on habit loops is essential and informing how I tackle behaviors as well. I wish it got more into the nitty gritty on some of the step by steps but a great starting point and the best guide I’ve found so far. Time will tell if it works for us!

[Liesl Herman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, a pretty solid guide to reassure parents that letting kids cry to sleep isn't going to hurt them, and what to do if you really can't handle that--plus why it's important, and what is more important than the actual method (a good wind-down routine, essentially). I wish it contained more full references to studies instead of just referring to "there have been a few studies that suggest xyz", though I imagine he was trying to quickly get to the material parents are actually interested in rather than the scientific conclusions of the effects of certain training techniques. There's some really good strategies, particularly for older kids, that I'm interested to employ if we come across any issues later on. It's nice to hear a lot of this from an actual doctor rather than from various mommy bloggers online, or sleep training coaches that charge up the wazoo for a personalized plan; this book gives some pretty step by step instructions with ways to customize based on your own scenario, so it means that while you have to take the initiative to think it through and plan accordingly, it does provide all those tools. I wish it was as easy as a book can make it out to be, but it's nice to have for when confidence dwindles, and I really like how it covers such a broad age range, as well as various sleeping situations. I don't think I learned anything new, but it did confirm a lot of what I already knew, which is still helpful. Would definitely recommend to anyone scared to sleep train, or struggling with it.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice book that comes well equipped with information and specific strategies to sleep train. A bit discombobulated and spoonful repetition. If you can get past these two items, you’ll find joy and wisdom in this book.

[Jillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

The thing I found most surprising about this book was that I didn't just get lucky with my older kids being really good sleepers. Without reading any books, I did almost everything he recommends and on the whole they do very well.

Child #3 is spoiled by having utterly exhausted parents, so we've let bad habits develop. One of the methods described in this book was something I've been thinking about doing, but haven't been sure if it will work for his night wakings too. The author claims it will, so I'm hoping in a few months to have good sleep for everyone.

Here's to hoping!

[Levi Stanford · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was leaning more towards a 3.5 rating. Overall, it's a good book on sleep training and offers great techniques. However, I was getting frustrated as the author would stop mid-thought and say, 'I'll talk more about that later on,' but then never actually did. This approach made the book feel fragmented. I kept thinking, 'Stop doing that and just finish your thought!'

[Nic Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would go to war for Dr. Canapari. My daughter was waking up every hour before we read this book and now we're getting real sleep again. Sweet relief.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

So... a lot of this book is common sense to ME. As I was reading it, I had slightly high hopes that I would find some helpful new tricks or techniques...mostly because I'm just a sleep deprived mama who is feeling a bit desperate.

I was disappointed because I thought he would get more specific on certain things... mainly because he said that it would be covered later in the book... but if he covered it... it was not obvious. Specifically for situations where you have to switch your 20 month old prematurely to a bed because they can climb out of their crib...AND how to alter the methods if you're in an apartment living situation and are worried about waking your neighbors.

So if you're searching for a miracle book on getting your toddler to sleep - while sitting in their room in the middle of the night hoping they'll fall back asleep so you can sneak out... save your $$

sigh.... *yawn*

[Otávio Bogoni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Um guia simples para pais cansados. Sendo pai de um garoto de 3 anos, não havia me ocorrido ainda que dormir bem é uma habilidade que precisa ser ensinada. Esse livro me fez perceber como hábitos que parecem inofensivos - como ficar abraçado com seu filho a noite, ou deixá-lo no peito da mãe, até que ele durma - podem ter consequêcias desastrosas para a qualidade do sono de todo mundo - dos filhos e dos pais. Dessa forma, o livro é todo voltado pra te mostrar como identificar os hábitos que podem estar impedindo que seu filho consiga dormir uma noite inteira de forma independente.

O autor é um pediatra, e apresenta estratégias para reverter esses problemas na perspectiva de um médico; mas usa a sua experiência pessoal como pai de dois filhos para demonstrar o que deve (ou não) ser feito. Pais que tem problemas com filhos que não conseguem dormir sozinhos ou que acordam frequentemente durante a noite irão se identificar bastante. Essa abordagem torna a leitura mais leve e casual.

Me agrada muito como o autor aborda a toda a questão sem perder de vista a qualidade do sono dos pais também. No mundo dos pais perfeitos das redes sociais, muitas vezes nossas necessidades são deixadas de lado em função das crianças. Nesse sentido, pais podem se sentir abraçados em alguns momentos em que o autor fala da importância de estarmos bem descansados para nossos filhos. Ou seja, não há nada de errado em querer dormir melhor - e impor aos nossos filhos alguns limites a fim de garantir um sono melhor para a toda família.

Por fim, todas as dicas e estratégias apresentadas exigem alguma reflexão por parte dos pais. Achei alguns métodos apresentados um pouco extremos. O próprio autor aponta que isso é normal, cada pai deve decidir qual método se adequa mais para o seu caso - sem jugalmentos. Algumas recomendações - como uso da chupeta - eu simplesmente discordo totalmente; e está tudo bem. Foi muito bom compreender melhor alguns comportamentos do meu filho e avaliar diferentes abordagens sobre como lidar com isso. Com meu próximo filho a caminho, em breve vou reler o livro com certeza.

[W · Rating 3 out of 5]

Canapari does a good job of making this book easy to read and accessible. A lot of the information in the first two parts is common sense and the pertinent part of the book (where he actually talks about sleep training) contains information that can be found on any reputable baby website. So for me, personally, I feel like it wasn't that helpful. I do appreciate that Canapari mostly focuses on sleep for older kids; however, my son is at an in-between stage: he is too old to start entirely fresh with sleep training, but even though he is a toddler, his language skills are a bit delayed so we can't try tactics used for other toddlers, such as a reward system or "rehearsing" his bedtime. There is a short paragraph on kids with special needs, but the information there is mostly just "seek help from a professional."

For those unfamiliar with sleep training at all, this book would be a good place to start; otherwise, skim to see if you can find any new and useful advice.

[Aasim Naqvi · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is the definitive book for any parent or caregiver who wants to give their child the gift of quality independent sleep throughout infancy, toddlerhood, and childhood.

this book is built on the foundational idea that children who are sleep trained will have slept tens of thousands of hours more than their non-trained peers by the time they reach adulthood; the data indicates that this discrepancy is reflected in their mental health, physical health, cognitive skills, and and overall satisfaction with life.

it contains methods for every age and every type of child. this is one of my top 10 books of all time because utilizing it can completely change the present and future of those you love most.

[Mira · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mostly I felt that I knew more about sleep training than this author does. And found myself judging him when he talks about how his own kids misbehaved. I couldn’t help it. He’s a doctor that didn’t take the pacifier away until his child was 3!
His methods are all about putting the child in charge. “Some kids will let you leave the room, some won’t”.. what? Why is the kid in charge of what you’re doing? 🙄🤦‍♀️ I get the child will need to be comfortable, but not by being in charge. You need to give choices so they think they have some control, but it’s actually you controlling the situation. This can be applied in all sorts of situations w kids.

[Melissa Bird · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, my 18-month old no longer is sleeping in my bed or needing milk at night. I wish I would have started sooner, but now is better than later, at least! I knew and had read a lot of this information in my online search for help on getting him in his own bed. I still found this book to be really helpful and it was the push I needed to buckle down and really get him (and myself) sleeping better. It made me feel like I’m not a bad parent. It was a free library check out instead of paying for an online class or consultation and it worked great for us! I may read it again if we have issues down the road cause there are some helpful ideas for many different stages of childhood.

[Zainab Al Lawati · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book number 3235432434 that I have read in hopes to get better sleep at night with my now toddler, and honestly, I think if I read this one when she was a baby I perhaps could have avoided the miserable state we are in now.

This book while containing most of the same tips shared by many sleep experts, it slightly explains few points more, it gives expectation to the expected outcome, and also provide detailed step by step to follow through.

I am slowly going to start adapting a plan from it, waiting for my life schedule to settle a bit, and I pray I can see some improvements. Otherwise, I will officially declare defeat and simply wait it out, until Allah know when.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really helped with my toddler. We went from multiple false starts and wake ups throughout the night to 12 hours of solid, blissful sleep. We’re still working on falling asleep independently, but it’s headed in the right direction, finally.

I was unsure of the book at first because we already did nearly all of the sleep routine tips suggested in the first part, but we trusted the process and found small things to tweak and try out. Added up, these changes made a big difference.

Give the book a shot if you are as desperate as I was!

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how accessible the information in this book. It is well-written and laid out with just enough concrete data to be helpful, not too much to be overwhelming. I appreciate the author’s balanced and realistic approach would love to see an extended version of this book with some more specifics dealing with nighttime wakings, etc. As a parent of problem sleepers I really appreciate the insights here. I would love a “part 2”!

[Hannah C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super helpful and quick read for a new mom. I like that he combines published sleep studies with personal anecdotes and provides a multifaceted approach to better sleep. I also really appreciated that he offers various alternatives to the "cry it out" approach and acknowledges its shortcomings depending on the situation.

[Natalia Myronets · Rating 5 out of 5]

Однозначно книга стане настільною. Поки не стала мамою, ніколи не могла подумати, що вкласти дитину спати це ще те мистецтво. Як на мене, корисна книга, в якій зібрані різні техніки вкладання дитини на сон. В моєму випадку, прям супер чуда не сталося, бо дитині лише 6 місяців, але я однозначно більш впевнена в успіху знаючи процеси сну немовляти.

[Ben Worsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super book! Funny and compassionate to the struggle parents have with good sleep and boundaries for kids. I felt vindicated with some pouts and learned something new. My only quibble with be with the timing of infants training - 4-6 months is TOO LATE. Babies are regressing at that point. Much better to start PRIOR to 4 months, like when the Moro reflex resolves or sooner

[John]

DNF because our baby started sleeping through the night at two months, in contrary to the book’s advice that sleep training starts at around 4 months. We thought our baby is just an “easy” baby, but in France, every baby is expected to sleep through the night by 6 months. Read Bringing up Bebe to learn how nurture triumphs nature.

[Paige · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish books like this didn't contain so many anecdotes , descriptions of neurobiology and behavioral psychology, and restarting things that have already been stated, etc. I get why a few are helpful/necessary for the point, but as busy parents (who are likely exhausted and reading the book out of desperation) I think cutting the filler down to the bare minimum is important.

[Ryan Millar · Rating 3 out of 5]

An accessible and well-written book, but it didn't contain that much actionable advice. I did like the post about the corresponding habit loops - I think it's a useful framework for tackling behaviors. So all in all: pretty good.

[Alyssa Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful book!

This has been very helpful to get our son on a better sleep routine. It has been a work in progress to get him sleeping in his own bed all night, and this book has been a huge help.

[Jenny · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was the most useless “sleep training” book I’ve ever read. He doesn’t offer any techniques just says whatever you do be consistent. Well no shit, Sherlock!! Plus his advice was mostly for toddlers in beds. Zero advice for babies that KEEP. WAKING. UP. NO. MATTER. WHAT!!!

[Rebecca McCusker · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had some good perspectives (Written by a pediatrician) but ultimately only works if you're willing to stress over the cry it out method, ferber, or a similar method. I decided to just not sweat it.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars. Some helpful advice given in an open, undogmatic way.

[Nicole Noodle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the best all around for older kid sleep. It was extremely helpful and to follow through. Dr. Canapari had a soothing voice in his book and he put me at ease.

[N · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book from his website (https://drcraigcanapari.com), and I recommend the book, even though I am yet to fully utilize the information inside. Honest, straightforward, and useful.

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Has good ideas for bedtime.

[Isaac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very simple and helpful book to help new parents think about improving their children's sleep. I would definitely recommend!

[Lara Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

We made some great changes and now my youngest sleeps through the night. My oldest... Well, autism defies every book I have read.