What's the difference between "No Cry Sleep Solution" and "Healthy Sleep Habits..."

[AndreaMMS]

My head is spinning with all the baby-sleep books that are available. Can anyone give me a really brief overview?

The main sleep challenges with my 10-week old daughter are:

1. For naps she will only fall asleep and stay asleep in my arms or in the stroller. If I try to put her down either awake or in a deep sleep (and swaddled!) she will wake up within 10-15 minutes (but she'll sleep for hours in my arms/stroller).

2. I would love her to STTN- she did it once (10PM-6AM) , so I know it's possible, but every other night she gets up at least once and eats at least 3 oz of formula. And again, she will only fall asleep in my arms (although at night she will let me transfer her to her PNP and stay asleep)

Thanks so much!

[magdesilver]

First, I'm not sure it is realistic to expect your 10 week old to STTN- she's still very young, particularly since she is taking a good 3 oz. I would think she's waking due to hunger.
Anyhow, I would check both out from the library. Your baby is really on the very young side (too young I'd say) to start doing any sort of formal sleep training (CIO) methods, but I think you would probably benefit from reading the 0-5 months section in HSHHC as well as maybe starting to incoporate some of the gentler NCSS tips into your routine. But your baby is still very very young at this point, so I wouldn't expect her to have a set routine quite yet or be able to STTN. Your DD's sleep habits sound pretty standard for such a young baby! But you might be able to incorporate some tips to help her sleep in her bassinett or bouncy so you don't have to have her sleep on you all the time.
Good luck!

[Marisa]

Just wanted to echo mag -- it's not unheard of for babies to wake from hunger until they're six months old, or even longer. She'll hit a growth spurt at 3 months and again at 6 months that will have her wanting to eat around the clock for a couple of days, and then once that 6 month spurt is past her stomach may be large enough to hold an entire night's worth of milk.

(This is, I believe, one of the big reasons why most 'sleep trainers' suggest starting around 6 months.)

Also, at your DD's age, STTN is considered a five-hour stretch of time, so keep that in mind as well. While some babies *do* sleep longer stretches, it's much more typical to have at least one nightwaking during the first half of the first year.

I have not read Weissbluth, but I have heard from friends whose opinions I respect that he has good information on the biology of sleep. I don't agree with any form of CIO or controlled crying, however, so I'd have to recommend the more gentle 'routines' advocated by the NCSS (which I have read).

[Phen]

I really strongly recommend reading through both books to decide what is best for your particular situation. There are different types of sleep training (the CIO term is so negative and is not always applied appropriately) and by reading through the many STing books out there (Ferber is another one), you will find the best method for YOU.

Personally, I found NCSS and Ferber to be completely unworkable for us, so I was glad to have Weissbluth to turn to.

~ Phen

[AlisonCO]

I agree that all of these "experts" who write about baby sleep habits can make your head spin - how do you find what is "right" for you? Especially as a first time mom? Anyway, I have not read either book so I can't comment on that, but I did want to say that my son woke to eat once a night until he was 6 months old. He truly needed to eat and there was no sleeping until he ate. Also I remember a thread last week about putting your baby down drowsy but awake and it seemed like most people couldn't do this with their kids until at least 4 months or so and some much later. I also like the philosophy of do what you need to do for the first 3-4 months as far as sleep goes - I think that it is great that you can put your DD back in the PNP after she eats and falls asleep in your arms at night!

[kimthebride]

Hello you!

10 weeks is pretty young to STTN (though if she would STTN you'd be one lucky gal). At that time I am pretty sure Thomas was waking every 3-4 hours to eat at night then that stretched out until it was wake 1x a night by about 4 months.

I've determined that the books will drive you crazy (I haven't read any, but 2 girlfriends have read them all and they are going insane trying every theory that ever existed). One thing I tried and worked, then suggested to a friend who had the same problem #1 as you and it worked was:
- Once baby is asleep in your arms, put one hand behind her neck supporting her head and the other cradling her bum. So you are supporting her, but when it comes time to put her down you can easily slide your hands out from under her.
- Stand over her crib then 'roll' her into it head first, then shoulders, then back, then bum, then legs. Slide your hands out and keep a gentle but firm pressure on her until you're sure she's still out. Run out of the room quietly.
- Don't talk to her. If she wakes for a second, SHHHH her, but that's all.

Hope that helps!

[AndreaMMS]

Thanks, everyone! Guess I should be counting my blessings. There are a few super-babies on the Sept. Mommies thread who are STTN, so I was jealous!

Kim- Yo! I can get transfer her asleep into the crib, but she'll wake up afer 10-15 minutes, and then nothing I do can get her back to sleep- she's TICKED and screaming when she realized that I DARED put her down. Opinionated kid!

I've got her in the baby bjorn right now and she's been napping for an hour and a half. Guess this will work as a compromise for now - at least my arms are free!

[Franni]

we did Happiest Baby on the Block for DD until she was about 5 months. She was just like your DC before we did Happiest Baby. She would sleep like a uhhh baby when in our arms, but would wake up immediately when we put her down.