5 Fave Books on Infant Sleep
Parents often ask me about my favorite infant sleep books. I recommend reading up on baby sleep while you are still pregnant so you can be more prepared for when your newborn arrives. Baby and parent sleep is important for health, wellbeing, and recovery.
Twelve years ago, my husband and I were expecting our first baby girl. Most of the pregnancy books focus on everything up to and including the birth. But we wanted to know what to do with our newborn AFTER the birth.
We read infant sleep books, watched newborn care DVDs, poured over parenting magazines, signed up for parenting classes. By the time our daughter arrived, we had a plan in place to prioritize sleep. Those first 6-12 weeks of newborn sleep are usually the most challenging, and having a game plan can take away some of the overwhelm.
What we learned is that sleep is a natural process, but there are lots of things that can disrupt it. We also learned that there are several different approaches or philosophies regarding infant sleep. The cool thing about parenting is that there is no one size fits all. You get to choose what is best for your own family. But you do need to learn about sleep science and the various methods so that you can make an informed decision on how to implement your methods and shape sleep hygiene in your home.
Here are my top 5 fave books on infant sleep:
Bringing Up Bebe: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting by Pamela Druckerman. This book is a fun listen on Audible. I really enjoy Pamela’s story-telling approach. Her experiences resonated a lot with me because my two children were both born in New Zealand. The culture is different than America. We have much to learn about parenting approaching in other nations.
The Happiest Baby on the Block by Dr. Harvey Karp. The inventor of the SNOO bassinet. The book provides a great overview of popular settling strategies (in this case, the 5 S's - swaddling, side or stomach position, shushing, swinging, and sucking). You’ll get a great overview of techniques to calm a newborn or infant. Settling takes practice and every parent or caregiver needs to calmly and confidently find their groove.
Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child: A New Step-by-Step Guide for a Good Night's Sleep by Marc Weissbluth, M.D. I recommend this book because of the comprehensive overview of infant sleep. It is packed full of information from a pediatrician. You will learn a lot!
On Becoming Babywise: Giving Your Infant the Gift of Nighttime Sleep by Dr. Robert Bucknam and Gary Ezzo. My Momma sent this book to me when I was pregnant with our first daughter. Gary Ezzo is the guy that crafted the eat - play - sleep cycle routine. Make sure the book you read is co-authored by Dr. Bucknam. The “old” version has a negative reputation due to its dogmatic scheduled approach. The new editions do provide a great framework for structuring your day. Type A parents are usually attracted to the parent-directed flexible routines provided. The book does not offer much on settling techniques, so it does need to be just one piece of your baby sleep reading repertoire.
Holistic Sleep Coaching: Gentle Alternatives to Sleep Training for Health and Childcare Professionals by Lyndsey Hookway. While this book is written for professionals, I have included it here to introduce you to Lyndsey Hookway. She is a British nurse, IBCLC and holistic sleep educator. For those that resonate with responsive parenting, you will be empowered with an alternative approach to mainstream infant sleep messaging.
I wanted to include an honorable mention book that might be hard to access in America. Baby Whispering by Sharlene Poole was so helpful for me as a new mother 12 years ago. I learned so much from this woman when I was pregnant the first time around. She offers practical tips on how to prepare for a newborn.
I hope you find these books helpful. Of course, this is only the tip of the iceberg. I've read countless articles, studies, more books, and taken classes. You're not going to learn it all overnight. But this is a great start.
Let me know what you think.
To the gift of infant sleep,
Jenna
P.S. If you're currently dealing with a little babe that isn't sleeping, check out my sleep packages. You might not have the time or energy to DIY this thing. I'm here to help.
