The No-Cry Nap Solution

Do we really need an entire book devoted entirely to the subject of naps?

I wouldn't have thought so, until I picked up The No-Cry Nap Solution, by Elizabeth Pantley. After reading the first two chapters describing how important naps are to a child's health, mood, and happiness, I couldn't wait to read on and learn some strategies for helping my daughter hang on to her nap as long as possible.

My little girl is two, and family activities sometimes interfere with her nap time. When this happens, she always makes it through the day and simply falls asleep earlier than usual at night. No big deal, right? Except for one thing: by early evening she is bouncing off the walls.

According to this book, a two-year-old generally can only stay comfortably awake for five to seven hours before biologically craving sleep. Newborn babies can't tolerate more than a couple of hours, while a six-year-old might last all day without needing a rest. The pressure that builds up when children are forced to stay awake longer than their bodies want to is called "homeostatic sleep pressure." Pantley has her own term for it: "The Volcano Effect."

After the first section's practical information on sleep and naps, Part 2 of the book specifically addresses newborn babies. This topic certainly deserves its own section because, as the author points out: "The actions we take with our newborn babies set the stage for good napping habits later."

The remainder of the book comprises Part 3, "Solving Napping Problems: Customized Solutions for Your Family." If you have a nap problem in your household, it is probably addressed here, accompanied by a variety of strategies --not just a "one-size-fits-all" solution--to help you resolve the issue.

As someone who is past the baby stage and whose youngest child takes a good nap almost every day, I didn't find every chapter to be relevant to my life. (Although I must say, this book would have come in awfully handy a few years ago!) Yet, aside from being convinced to protect my daughter's nap time, I was also intrigued by the idea of incorporating a "hush hour" in the afternoon for my older children--and myself. We all have a natural drop in energy in the middle of the day. Maybe instead of fighting it, we should all just retreat to our own quiet corners to rest and rejuvenate for a bit.

Doesn't that sound enticing? Siesta, anyone?

Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child

Most parents, doctors, and parenting experts agree on one thing: babies and children need to get enough sleep.

However, there's plenty of hearty disagreement surrounding the details of how and where they should sleep.

As a brand-new parent it's hard to know what to believe and which method to follow. It's not much easier to listen to your gut, which can give you advice that is every bit as conflicting as the plethora of baby sleep books.

In the end, I believe parents have to find their own way. It may be a long and winding road, but eventually, you'll figure out what works best for your family.

If you want to start down that winding road with a book, I'd recommend Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Marc Weissbluth, M.D. I really wish I would have gotten my hands on a copy of this book years ago, but I was glad to find it before my third child was born. It is thorough, practical, research-based, reassuring, and easy to read.

Instead of just presenting one method, Dr. Weissbluth writes, "There are many ways to help your child sleep. You should choose the solution that works best for you and your child."

He discusses a variety of sleep strategies, along with the importance of healthy sleep, how much babies and children need at different ages, the stages of sleep, specific problems and solutions, and how temperament affects sleep.

All in all, I found this to be the most useful and balanced of all the books I have read about children's sleep. (And let me tell you, I've read many, many books about children's sleep.)