The No-Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers and Preschoolers: Gentle Ways to Stop Bedtime Battles and Improve Your Child's Sleep

So helpful! I love this book!!

We had been having an awful time getting our boys (2 & 3 years old) to sleep at night. I was almost in tears every night it was so stressful. Everyone was telling us that we had to let them "cry it out", put a lock on their door or at least a gate. I felt there had to be another way but I was skeptical of a "no cry" solution. I read through some parts (I'll admit it, I was desperate for answers so I didn't read the whole thing) and came up with a plan. IT WORKED THE FIRST NIGHT!! Since then there have been nights where the boys have tested limits and have not gone to sleep right away but I'm not getting 1/2 as upset as I had been. We're on the right track and we all feel (and sleep) so much better. I love this book!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Highly Recommend, it helped our family

I found Mrs. Pantley's book very helpful! Reading through the tips I discovered they weren't difficult, I just had to acknowledge each one and incorporate them each and every day. My fourteen month old daughter had to be nursed to sleep and was getting up 1-2 times in the middle of the night and would have to nurse to fall back asleep. After two weeks of practicing tips from the book, my daughter's sleep habits have improved immensely! Now, I'm putting her to bed awake, she fusses as I walk out of the room but then plays for awhile with her `aquarium' on her crib and then falls asleep with no crying. My daughter has also started going to bed earlier and sleeps for 9-10 straight hours. We will continue to work on all eight steps to further improve her sleep habits!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

GREAT book- GREAT ideas!

I love Elizabeth Pantley's approach to parenting/sleep advice. When you read her books you feel like you have the ear of a sympathetic mommy friend who has "been there and done that" 4 times of her own. In my opinion that makes all the difference. I used her first book The No Cry Sleep Solution for my first son back in 2005. It did wonders for my sleep and more importantly for my confidence. It helped me to understand that my parenting instincts were something to cherish and not turn off. Fast forward to a few years later- my second son wasn't a bad sleeper at all because had already benefitted from the knowledge I gained from the NCSS (for babies) but there was one hurdle I didn't know how to cross. I was co-sleeping, he was almost 2, and I was ready to night wean him. The No Cry Sleep Solution had some great ideas for that!!! This book has some great ideas for a lot of different issues and I have it on my shelf in case anything comes up in the future. The No Cry books don't pretend to have the ONE answer or system to make your child sleep because there is no one answer. As a mom of 3 I can tell you that all kids really are different. This book gives you a menu of ideas that you tailor to your own child's personality and needs. I HIGHLY recommend this book to any parent of a young child!!!!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

From breastfeeding 10 times a night to sweet sleep!

I can remember not that long ago sitting in my daughter¿s room in the middle of the night thinking I must be the only mum in the world whose baby didn¿t sleep. I was lucky to get three hours sleep on any given night, and never three hours in a row. But thanks to Elizabeth Pantley and her book ¿the no-cry sleep solution¿ my little girl Milla has gone from a baby who breastfed 10 times a night to a gorgeous 18-month-old who sleeps between seven and ten hours straight! Apart from being exhausted when Milla wasn¿t sleeping, I was miserable because of all the pressure being put on me to ¿do controlled crying¿ from extended family. One even said I was a ¿bad mother¿ for getting up at night for my girl and not teaching her to sleep by letting her ¿cry it out ¿ for hours on end. Everything in my heart said controlled crying wasn¿t right for my Milla. She was a sensitive, gentle and caring girl who was very attached to her mummy. I loved my little girl too much to hear her cry because her mama wasn¿t there when she needed her. After applying Pantley¿s gentle and practical tips, Milla is now sleeping peacefully - and knows that I am there for her when she needs me. I treasure every second with my little girl and am so glad I never abandoned her to cry. We have such a close and beautiful relationship. I feel like the luckiest mum in the world. The first key point I learned from Pantley was that as long as Milla and I were getting enough sleep and we were happy ¿ then we didn¿t have a problem ¿ regardless of what anyone else thought. Milla now wakes once a night, between 5 and 6, and I give her early morning cuddles till get-up time. Controlled crying experts told me NEVER to cuddle my daughter back to sleep. I¿m glad I ignored them because I treasure those mornings when I hold Milla in my arms and feel her soft breathing beside me. This is not a problem for us and a lovely start to our day. Pantley¿s eight bedtime tips seemed rather simple and obvious at first ¿ but once I put them into practice they actually worked. Milla no longer has a night light, has a long and quiet bedtime routine at the same time every night, no tv is allowed when Milla is in the room, she is now going to bed when her biological clock says is the right time for Milla 'not what experts say' and while my husband calls me a ¿sleep Nazi¿, it works! And for those with sleep-log phobias, I still keep a meticulous sleep diary. It helps me notice subtle changes in Milla¿s sleep patterns as she grows older and her sleep needs change. The final chapter in Pantley¿s book ¿ Adult Sleep: Now It¿s Your Turn ¿ was also a life saver. When Milla finally started sleeping well, I would lie awake for hours at night waiting for her to wake. I always tended to be a bit of an insomniac, and her tips for babies have actually also helped me! I would strongly recommend this book to any mum who needs sleep and can¿t find it in her heart to do controlled crying. Pantley¿s approach might take a bit longer than controlled crying 'though even controlled crying isn¿t guaranteed to fix sleep problems quickly and for life' but considering babies and toddlers grow up so quickly, it is worth the investment. My little girl goes to sleep with a sweet smile on her face, not tears!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

I bought the No Cry Sleep solution for babies when I was pregnan

I bought the No Cry Sleep solution for babies when I was pregnant, and it helped me immensely. Now my daughter is almost two, I thought I would get the No Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers and Preschoolers.
I found it's tips and techniques fabulous and so relevant for me and my daughter.

I love how gentle and child-centred the book - and indeed, all of Elizabeth Pantley's books - are.

While her sleep is not perfect, I have learnt through the book, there is no such thing. Having realistic expecations for her sleep is one of the many things I have taken away from the books.

This book, and indeed, any of Elizabeth Pantley's books I would recommend for parents, either first timers, or for those with many children.

Amazing Author, Amazing Book, Amazing Advice!

My 22 month old had stopped sleeping well for over 6 weeks. She woke at least once a night and took over 2 hours to fall back asleep. She was tired in the morning and if she napped (which took me 1.5 hours of crying and frustration (from both of us) until she finally slept) she was cranky for the afternoon and cried when it was bedtime! I was at a loss. Until I read about Elizabeth Pantey’s Hush Hour in “No-cry Nap Solutions.” In only four days after using the techniques and following the advise in the book I saw great improvement in not only my daughters sleep routine but in her behavior; Even her eating improved!! My DD was quiet and rested for 1 hour every day, she went to bed earlier and slept for 12-13.5 hours a night! If she woke, it was at 5 am where she would then fall back asleep within half an hour for another 3 hours! My little girl is happy again! Thank you Elizabeth! This book is a must read for every parent!

A gentle, practical guide for parents.

Like the other books in Pantley's parenting series, this book offers practical, gentle tips for helping your toddler's sleep habits. Although her tips are not magic overnight answers, you will gain an insight into toddler sleep and get some common sense tips about how to make changes, without tears. I also like that she points out at the beginning that you only have a sleep problem if it is a problem for YOUR family - a nice reminder that each family and child is different and if your current sleep patterns are working, no matter how unusual they are, then don't stress about fixing them.

One of my favorite parts is the last part where she breaks down her advice into sections based on specific issues and problems.

Highly recommended for those parents who want tips and reassurance outside of the usual cry-it-out literature.

A true lifesaver

This book was truly a lifesaver for my family. My 14 month old had never slept through the night and would wake up screaming as if he were terrified in the middle of the night. After only two weeks of using the techniques my 14 month old is sleeping through the night and later in the morning. Best of all he wakes up happy and comfortable. I tried the CIO method for three nights and knew there was no way that was for my son or myself. I went searching for answers and found this book, bought it, applied the techniques and it was like magic. I see dramatic changes in my son¿s energy level and my husband and I feel like new people. I would highly recommend this book. It works!

Hope for everyone!

This book saved our nights! I am mother to three great kids. Our toddler was nursing to sleep ever since she was born and when her baby brother came, she kept right on nursing. She would be unable to fall asleep without nursing in my bed and would often wake 3-6 times a night to nurse. I read this book and followed the suggestion to make a sleep plan. I was committed to change the way our family did bedtime and night-time nursing. I determined it was time to night wean her and I couldn't do that fairly until she was in her own room. A month after we began to implement the tecniques found in this book, we are thrilled to report all of us are sleeping well. Bedtime has become a pleasure instead of an unpredictable chotic time. We successfully stuck to the plan and followed through on our commitment to get more sleep. If you have a particuraly hard case in your home, please read this book- it offers so much hope and many great solutions to many different sleep issues. One thing that made my daughter's falling asleep so hard was that she never took to a bear or lovey to go to bed and thus never learned to fall asleep on her own. I was her only lovey and with gentle reassurance, now she falls asleep without nursing now and I simply get to lay at the foot of her bed and doze while she works out her own way of falling asleep. Its my favorite time of day. I get to see her talk to herself and sing songs as she gets sleepy, all the while she knows I am there (but we don't talk after lights out). Too all the sleep deprived moms and dads, there is hope!

Elizabeth Pantley is a lifesaver

The way that Elizabeth Pantley approaches parenting is with love for the child'ren' as well as the parents. She does not demonize other methods, but for those of us who feel instinctively that allowing your young child to 'cry it out' is wrong,she provides useful and effective tools. Furthermore, she gives a lot of support to parents who are desperate and sleep deprived. My son is two, has slept beautifully since he was 5 months old, and I still keep her books nearby for much needed advice when we have a rocky patch. I recommend all of her books to everyone I know who is pregnant or has a young child. Her no-cry series of books is the single best resource I have found for parents. She reminds us that it is good to love and nurture your child in a world where that often needs to be defended.

Grateful To Be Sleeping Again

I have such a better understanding of my toddler's sleep patterns. I thought if I kept our dtr up later at night that she would sleep through the night and actually after reading the book it is quite the opposite. The author also takes the time to praise your efforts of parenting and acknowledges the challenges. She provides encouragement to parents.

Worked for us!

This is by far the best sleep book out there. I have read others and tried other methods without any luck. What I liked best about this book is that she understands that every family is different and has different problems. She spends time addressing many common problems individually. She also believes that if everyone in the house is getting enough sleep and is happy with their sleep patterns there is not necessarily a sleep problem. In our house my almost 4 year old has never been a good sleeper and my 2 year old has slept through the night since 4 months. The improvement I have seen in my older daughters sleeping is unbelievable. I'm not saying she sleeps perfectly, but in the past month since we read the book we had much more improvement than with anything else we have tried. For the first time since she was born everyone in the house is sleeping through the night five or six nights a week. My only regret with this book is that I didn't pick it up 3 years earlier!!!!

IT REALLY WORKS!

This book was our saving grace and recommended for everyone! Our daughter began waking during the night when she was 6 months old. It was a real concern since sleep is so important for children. We all went sleep deprived (mainly mommy and daddy) for a year. We thought we tried everything. Then we read this book and incorporated several ideas. And they worked! Within one week our daughter was sleeping through the night. And so were we! Thank you Elizabeth!

I am so excited about this book!!

I am so excited about this book!! For anyone out there with kiddies between 12-ish months and 6 years or so who is frustrated with sleep issues ... I can not recommend this book highly enough!!! IT IS WONDERFUL!!! I have a toddler and a preschooler with entirely different sleep issues, and this is working for both! I'm just not a 'cry-it-out' mom. I've tried once or twice out of utter desperation, but it just isn't a solution for our family. It just doesn't feel right for us. I read this book in a day (ok I was obsessed and driven by desperate fatigue LOL) and we've been following some suggestions for less than a week. Already our boys' sleep problems are improving (almost gone in fact!) & their day times are better now too! We are having fewer mood swings and 'spats' (we don't usually have full blown tantrums to begin with, but even the mini - strops that we sometimes get are gone!) They are both more settled and content, all due to new routines and better quality of sleep. I am more rested and better able to cope in the day too! I'm no moron LOL - I hate being told how to do my job! I consider myself a great parent who does an amazing job ... we've simply been struggling with sleep issues for a while now, and the whole family has been tired as a result. IMO, sometimes when we get so wrapped up in our own difficulties, it becomes a 'forest for the tress' situation. This book helped us get back to basics without preaching rights from wrongs. I find the whole attitude and approach straightforward, gentle and encouraging, without being condescending. I guess what I'm trying to say is that it isn't 'Parenting 101 for Idiots' like some parenting self-help books can be. The advice and suggestions are simple and basic, and more importantly kind and gentle to our children! No quick-fix-child-training, more of a new perspective for the whole family. It's great to get back to the basics without being made to feel an idiot for needing a little help. AND IT's WORKING!!! Our neighbours have noticed a difference already (in all of us!) and are lining up to borrow it ... I don't want to part with it though!

Commonsense solutions

In 'The No-Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers and Preschoolers,' Elizabeth Pantley sweeps through the clamor of parenting philosophies with commonsense solutions. Not sure how to solve your little one's sleep problem -- or if it's really a problem at all? Pantley provides objective, non-judgmental questions to help guide you toward answers that work for you, your child and your entire family. Her genuinely family-centered approach balances the demands of parents and children alike with respect, flexibility and humor. Pantley's inclusive strategies offer alternatives for all sorts of families and all sorts of parenting styles. You won't find a more realistic, practical approach to solving sleep dilemmas.

A Brilliant Book

A brilliant book. One of those books that I think every parent would benefit from reading. It is written in a very friendly, caring and non-judgemental way that makes you see tackling sleep problems as something positive rather than something to be dreaded! It covers facts on sleep, sleep tips and advice on tackling all sorts of problems from bedtime battles to separation anxiety. It is very easy to read/use and shows you how to draw up a sleep plan that is suitable for your family. I started using tips from day one of receiving my book as it is very easy to dip in and out of and get some good ideas before you read it from cover to cover. I think it's a good investment as I am sure my sons sleep issues will change as he gets older and I will just be able to refer to it as different issues arise such as ,nightime fears.

A gentle, loving, peaceful way to solve your child's sleep issues

Our 15 month old son has had difficulty sleeping since infancy. He suffered from acid reflux, regular runny noses and ear infections for several months as a baby and this had an impact on his ability to sleep well. He would scream when laid down in his cot and although he would quieten when lifted, he would then fight sleep for hours until he was so overtired, it was even more difficult for him to settle down to sleep. Although his health problems are behind him, the legacy of his sleep problems remain. We tried so many different ways of settling him to sleep and have him sleep through the night, including staying with him and the crying it out approach. Neither of them provided any particular level of success. Our older son, who has always slept well was our benchmark and when nothing we tried seemed to work with our younger son, we became confused, disillusioned, anxious and felt guilty about the way we were approaching our son's sleeptimes. Then I read Elizabeth Pantley's book and everything is beginning to turn around. I liked it firstly because I had never seen a book focusing specifically on toddlers and pre-schoolers before and I was keen not to try and make suggestions made in other baby sleep books 'fit' around our toddler son. From its first pages, Elizabeth's advice is practical, gentle, loving and designed to suit a variety of family circumstances. She does not advocate a one size fits all approach, rather giving several suggestions to each particular sleep issue, which you can choose from based on your own particular family situation. Nor does she suggest that her advice will offer a quick fix solution to your child's sleep difficulties. Persistence and patience are required, however, if like us, you have persisted with other methods which haven't worked, these gentle, more loving solutions are much easier to follow and will hopefully meet your child's needs and make you feel a lot better about yourself as a parent! Her sleep logs can be printed and completed to give you a baseline on which to base your sleep plan. She gives 'Eight sleep tips for every child', before offering solutions for the widest variety of invidual sleep difficulties. I read the book from cover to cover but you could just as easily dip in and out of chapters depending on what particular issues you are facing. Perhaps most importantly for us, Elizabeth's advice has allowed us to really listen to our son and as a result to meet his sleep needs far better than we were before. Despite the fact that we believed we had a consistent bedtime routine, which we had always followed for our older child, a few changes based on Elizabeth's advice have made bedtime a less stressful, more gentle, loving, fun and special time for us all as a family. Our son is settling to sleep quicker and without tears and is sleeping longer through the night. If you have a toddler or pre-schooler who has difficulty with sleep and as a result, so do you, then I recommend that you read this book!

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.