The No-Cry Nap Solution: Guaranteed Gentle Ways to Solve All Your Naptime Problems

Are you the kind of parent who doesn't have the heart to let your baby cry it out? But also don't want your baby's needs to hold you hostage? Elizabeth Pantley's no-cry approach offers a much-needed third way. Her pragmatic, non-dogmatic common-sense approach allows parents to find compromise solutions that meet the needs of both parents and child. Thanks to Elizabeth Pantley's advice everybody is happy: baby is getting more sleep and parents have some much-needed downtime during the day.

Elizabeth Pantley's No-Cry Nap Solution, like her original No-Cry Sleep Solution is packed full of ideas for worn out parents. Pantley is not one to give up on a problem and nor is she is one to go on endlessly about `her philosophy' - Pantley is about practical, creative ideas which can be adapted to your own instincts as a mother. She is the reassuring maternal figure you're searching for as a bewildered new parent, the one who won't undermine your confidence and won't make you think your baby is some kind of failure. Pantley's books are as patient in their problem-solving as the sleepless night is long. The No-Cry Nap Solution covers all the usual infant and toddler sleep pattern information and then moves on to tackling some thorny napping problems - catnaps, nap resistance, shifting schedules, changing from in-arms sleep to in-bed sleep, changing car naps to bed naps, making the transition from motion sleep to stationary sleep, and falling asleep without the nipple/bottle/dummy. The book has really hit the mark with its smorgasbord of nap problems and I'd be surprised if you're experiencing a nap problem that isn't covered here. Apart from raising four kids herself, all that research Pantley has done with parents around the world has paid off! I read this book free of the fog of sleep deprivation, and there was a point I reached where I found myself thinking lighten up mothers, let it go, it all eventually turns out ok, you don't need to be so damn obsessive about your baby's sleep. And you know what, this thought could only ever be entertained by someone who is getting enough sleep in her life and you know what else? Pantley even has this covered - there is a section in her book with advice for those of you who decide to lighten up and let go with your motherhood routines. But be warned, the book probably won't deliver instant miracles. There are no sleep miracles with babies. The truth is babies don't sleep or nap in a way that fits neatly into the modern parent's lifestyle. Unless you're exceptionally lucky there are going to be some problems (and they will involve a little crying). But the good news is they won't last forever. If you want to gently manoeuvre your way through them then the No-Cry series is the one for you. And just as The No-Cry Sleep Solution was desperately needed by sleep-deprived parents, I suspect The No-Cry Nap Solution will be just as desperately needed by energy-deprived parents. Because I still remember how precious nap time was - how your child's nap was the only time in a day where you got the opportunity to re-charge. It is something very much worth striving for. Go for it, buy the book.

Did you know that studies have proven healthy sleep habits for your child now can directly impact their health for the rest of their lives? Or that a child not wanting a nap and not needing a nap are not one in the same? But let's get real: While our intentions may be great, real life doesn't always allow for step-by-step approaches to getting our kids the daytime rest they need (and the sorely needed breaks we get while they nap!). Crabby kids, relatives popping in unannounced right before nap time, teething, upset bellies, that doctor appointment you can't miss, that 15 minute car nap that ruined little Johnny's afternoon siesta that led to an even more difficult bed time fight because he was so overtired...we've all been there, done that, and were all ready to pull out hair out by the end of the day. There's a lot of great information in this book for parents of newborns through toddlerhood, and I made plenty of notes while I read. And there was also plenty of information that did not apply to our situation, some of which I skipped entirely and some of which I just skimmed (because I do plan on having another baby eventually!). But that is what is so great about Pantley's book: it's not a one-size-fit-all solution. Whether you co-sleep, nurse-to-sleep, stick to a by-the-clock schedule, or fly by the seat of your pants (like I do), you and your nap-fighting child will benefit greatly from the little bit of time it will take to sit down and read! A few very important lessons I learned while reading Pantley's book included: * My daughter needs 12 hours of sleep a night and 1 to 2 hours of nap time per day for 13 to 14 hours of sleep total. Oops! I had been cutting her short by about 2 hours. We have been working on remedying that situation and I am already noticing improvements. * Night time sleep can help make up for naps but naps cannot make up for night time sleep. * No matter what ANYONE tells you, newborns cannot be spoiled. So baby-wear, cuddle, and hug to your hearts content. * I am not the worst mother in the world. * What works for us is fine. A parenting expert says so. So if my daughter and I are happy with our she-holds-my-hand-until-she -falls-asleep-for-every-nap-and-bedtime situation, then so be it. It doesn't mean I am spoiling her and it doesn' mean I did something wrong. It just means that this is what is right for us. (I'm not sure why I needed an expert to tell me this to make me feel better, but thank you, Elizabeth. You don't know how much better this makes me feel.

Once again, Elizabeth Pantley comes to the rescue of parents everywhere! I've always loved her books. With six kids, I've dealt with a multitude of sleep issues, and read many, many books. Pantley's books are by far my favorite. She takes the incredible topic of childhood sleep and makes it an easily attainable goal, easily grasped and in fact, a choice that you owe to your child. What I've always loved about The Pantley method is her desire that you follow the needs and wants of your entire family - meet the needs of your child as well as yourself. If something's not working for you, swap it out, change it up, move it on. I love the second chapter, which details important sleep facts that you should know about sleep. How to obtain it, why it is so necessary, and how much sleep children of various ages need are covered. Solving nap issues, making naps longer, and SO important, how to modify a suck to sleep pattern are all covered with Ms. Pantley's usual grace and knowledge. At no time does she EVER make you feel a failure for your child's poor sleep patterns - she just shows, with compassion and boundless patience, how to try and try again and what to tweak. Probably my favorite chapter in the entire book deals with how to stop the "nurse until my child is deeply asleep" habit. The "Pantley pull off" works wonders - as long as you are consistent with it. And,the key is patience. Patience with your child, patience with yourself. This gentle, lovely book is the perfect gift for anyone in your life with a baby.

I did the nap log for a week just like the book illustrates and it really helped me find a pattern to our little ones naps. Once I figured that out I found I could easily tackle all the smaller problems we were encountering. We now have a more well-rested baby on our hands. She is even sleeping through the night and taking three to four naps a day. I have used each bit of advice on soothing and lengthening her naps and its really worked. Elizabeth knows her stuff! The best part is that all of it was done without fuss from our baby. It is all about looking for cues from your child, focusing and paying attention even when you don't think you have the time to do so. In my sleep deprived state and with a toddler on my hands I needed this book bad. I wish I could give Elizabeth a big hug for bringing some sanity back into our home!