Jones Sandy - Baby sleep guide: sleep solutions for you & your baby

GREAT
EXPECTATIONS

Baby
Sleep
Guide

Sleep Solutions for You
& Your Baby

Marcie Jones & Sandy Jones
Foreword by Wendy Middlemiss, PhD

STERLING and the distinctive Sterling logo are registered trademarks of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Jones, Marcie.
Baby sleep guide : sleep solutions for you and your baby / Marcie Jones & Sandy Jones ; foreword by Wendy Middlemiss.
p. cm.(Great expectations)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-4027-5815-7 (pb-with flaps : alk. paper)
1. InfantsSleep. 2. ToddlersSleep. 3. SleepPhysiological aspects. I. Jones, Sandy. II. Title.
RJ506.S55J66 2010
618.9202dc22

2009028381

2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1

Published by Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.
387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016
2010 by Sandy Jones and Marcie Jones
Distributed in Canada by Sterling Publishing
c/o Canadian Manda Group, 165 Dufferin Street
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M6K 3H6
Distributed in the United Kingdom by GMC Distribution Services
Castle Place, 166 High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, England BN7 1XU
Distributed in Australia by Capricorn Link (Australia) Pty. Ltd.
P.O. Box 704, Windsor, NSW 2756, Australia

Manufactured in the United States of America
All rights reserved

Sterling ISBN 978-1-4027-5815-7

For information about custom editions, special sales, premium and corporate purchases, please contact Sterling Special Sales Department at 800-805-5489 or specialsales@sterlingpublishing.com.

Dedication & Acknowledgments

To Matthew, who always took the early shift. And to Zo and Max, who taught me everything. And to all the tired parents who shared with us.

Our gratitude to Jennifer Williams, Hannah Reich, and Michael Fragnito for their tireless efforts. We couldnt have done it without you!

Contents

by Wendy Middlemiss, PhD

One of the most pressing concerns for most new moms and dads is getting baby to sleep (and grabbing a little shut-eye themselves). It is also one of the most controversial aspects of parenting; every expert and veteran mom or dad has an opinion about how longand wherea baby should sleep, what to do when their baby wakes up in the night, and how to determine if he or she is sleeping well. Like so many other aspects of parenting, however, opinions about sleep particularly how soon a baby can be expected to sleep through the nightare very often contradictory and downright confusing.

In Great Expectations: Baby Sleep Guide, baby experts Marcie and Sandy Jones give parents all the tools and information they need to assess the latest research about sleep, naps, and feedings. With their customary thoroughness, the authors explain the basic facts of infant sleeping patterns and how these patterns change during the first year of a babys life and on through the toddler years. In addition to describing every stage of development, Marcie and Sandy make helpful suggestions and assure parents that, other than some very clear dos and donts associated with how to handle infant sleep, much can be left to the discretion of individual parents and the particular needs of each child.

Building on this foundation of information and reassurance, Part I helps parents understand how babies sleep patterns are established and develop over time. With a helpful focus on the importance of mothers sleep during pregnancy, the authors present a considered discussion of how new parents can approach the last trimester of pregnancy in a way that may help their infants sleep patterns after birth. At the same time, they take a practical look at navigating the emotional and financial ins and outs of maternity leave, always with an eye to helping parents-to-be make decisions that are best for their own family.

Next they explore how infants sleep, with a focus on the developing brain and the changes that influence patterns of sleep, giving parents a thorough understanding of what they might expect in the normal course of infant sleep. For example, babies dont generally sleep for long periods, especially if they breastfeed. Regardless of whether a baby is bottle- or breastfed, the fact is, all babies take time to develop the mechanics of sleep, which explains why parents are so tired, especially in the early months. But take courageMarcie and Sandy have looked deeply into the factors that may be hampering a babys sleep, and parents can benefit from this knowledge. In fact, the authors offer many practical ways to help parents get through this challenging period (often described as the fourth trimester). The discussion of the benefits and methods of answering a babys cries when he or she awakens will help new parents cope with the uncertainties of how best to respond to their babys needs while getting some sleep too.

And then theres the ongoing debate over the best and safest place for a baby to sleep. Once again, Marcie and Sandy take a practical approach to this hot-button issuealways with a babys best interests in mindand discuss the pros and cons of myriad sleeping arrangements, whether co-sleeping, sleeping in the family bed, or putting him or her down in a crib, bassinet, or cradle. In every environment, Sandy and Marcie point out sleep scenarios that might place an infant at risk and they help parents understand the options they have that can make each sleeping space safe for their baby. They also cover difficult subjects, such as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and colic, giving parents a lucid and useful distillation of the latest findings and research and how they can apply it to help keep their babies as safe as possible. The authors thorough discussion of the issues at the heart of these very personal decisions will help families make the best choices for their own situations.

And, at 3 to 4 months, when a babys physiological patterns of sleep change, parents will learn how to understand and adapt, because as soon as a baby has established a patternand parents have gotten used to itit will change. Marcie and Sandy have the good sense to point out that no matter how well-informed you may be about the science of baby sleep (and you certainly will be after reading this book) it will be of limited use to you unless youve developed some flexibility and a good sense of humor along the way.

Concerns about sleep take a different shape as a baby develops into a toddler, not the least of which are the subjects of mobility and child safety. What do you do, for example, if your baby is now capable of climbing out of a crib and exploring the house in the wee hours? In the last two sections of the book the authors explain the developmental changes that support the growth and expansion of a toddlers thinking and goals, and help parents understand whats going on and how to adapt to their toddlers new needs.

Throughout this eminently useful, thoroughly researched, reassuring book, Marcie and Sandys advice, tips, and caveats not only help parents build healthy sleep routines for their babies, they also lay the foundation for a parent-child relationship that will be satisfying to the parent as well as the child. At every step Marcie and Sandy show their respect for differences in family styles and encourage parents to make decisions that are best for their family. They accomplish this by giving new moms and dads the tool they need the most: clear, easy to understand, and well-supported information.