Does "Healthy Sleep Habits Healthy Child" work?

Re: Does "Healthy Sleep Habits Healthy Child" work?

• stillhoping

  February 2010

  I followed it to a T and my kids still nap at almost six years of age, they also give me no problems with bed time at night.

   

  the key is same time every day. Nap is always at the same time, bed time is always at the same time and we always followed the same routine at bed time and nap time. It worked great for us, but you have to commit to it. 
  

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• ppants member

  February 2010

  We used it and my kids sleep well.  They just turned 4 and sleep 10-11 hrs overnight and take approx a 2 hr nap.  It was also insightful and when they might be dropping naps as they got older and helps to kind of get them into a sleep routine.  Good luck! 

  Wendy Twins 1/27/06. DS and DD

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• winery

  February 2010

  Yes, but it is an incredibly hard read.

  And, it's not really that helpful before the age of 4 months, when you're just attending to the needs of your child at any time.

  It was a great wealth of knowledge and I give it to all new moms-to-be.

  Routine is the key, as is noticing the overtired signs. 

  
  
  Me with my littlest.

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• wildfloweragain member

  February 2010

  Yes and agree with all ppers.  You'll most likely see that you should be putting your child down earlier than you would think. 

  SUCH a dry read, but there are summaries at the end of the chapters which are very helpful.  I'd only read what applies to you for now and go back.  I read it cover to cover in case I'd miss something and it wasnot necessary.

   

  So helpful, though.
  

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• AviatorJJ

  February 2010

  LOVED it

  
  
  Rowen Alexander born 10 weeks early 1/28/07
  
  www.4wquestions.blogspot.com

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• CubbyMama

  February 2010

  I'm in the minority, I guess, but I hated it.  It does have some decent basic info about sleep (which is also available in Ferber's book, which is much better-written and organized) but I felt like it was trying to threaten/bully me into letting my kid cry for hours on end or risk the billion health/behavior problems it claimed she'd have if I didn't.  I really liked Good Night, Sleep Tight and Ferber's book...I'm not opposed to small amounts of crying once a baby is old enough to self-soothe if given the chance, but just shutting the door and letting a baby scream for hours and hours is not something I'm willing to do.

  
  Kiwi Fruit, 10.2.06 & Ellie Bug, 4.5.09
  

  My blog: Bear With Us
  Ideas on Teaching Your Toddler/Preschooler at Home
  

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• wildfloweragain member

  February 2010

  Letting a baby scream for hours and hours is not really what I got from the book, but the crying (45 min to an hour is what I remember, depending on age) is definitely too much for some parents to handle.  It does go against our nature to let a baby cry, so it helps to read the other parts about what you are actually doing and why.  It also helps a lot to take a shower to occupy yourself so you are not sitting there listening and crying yourself, and to remember the crying for that long usually only takes 1-3 nights.  It went from 45 min to 20 min to 10 min for us right away.
  

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• cbidt*sgirl member

  February 2010

  i used it with ds1 to teach him to sleep and it worked great to get him to drop feedings and STTN eventually (when i was read to CIO the last feeding).  it did not work with ds2 at all - and for him it would be hours and hours of crying if i followed his method.

   

  i liked ferber much better.  I found him as knowledgable, more sympathetic, and kinder.  
  

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