The Baby Sleep Book by Dr. Sears

As I mentioned yesterday I have a toddler who hardly ever sleeps. From 2 to 4 months she slept through the night and then all of a sudden she stopped. She started waking every hour at night and would only nap no more than twenty mnutes in the afternoon if someone was with her.
I was sure it was all my fault, that I must be a horrible mother and was doing everything all wrong. I talked to our pediatrician, the nurses at our local health center who specialize in babies and I everyone I knew who had a baby. I wanted to know what I could do to get her to sleep. It seemed that no one understood how she could not be sleeping. Everyone said I was too soft on her, I should let her cry it out. I tried it despite not being comfortable with it and after having to change her crib twice in 20 minutes because she would scream until she vomited I knew that option wasn't for me. I read about the Ferber method, I listened to suggestions from our doctor, I tried everything and nothing seemed to work.
I felt pretty hopeless until on Oprah one day there was a guest named Dr. William Sears, he saved my sanity, I felt so much less alone because I found out that I wasn't the only one. I also found out that I wasn't the only one who believed in a gentler more attached way of dealing with my sleepless baby. I ran out and found his book entitled "The Baby Sleep Book: The Complete Guide to a Good Night's Rest for the Whole Family (Sears Parenting Library)" and joked that I would never have time to read it because the baby never slept. I made time and it was well worth it. The book made so much sense to me and spoke to my heart about how I wanted to raise my child. I decided then and there that I was not going to let anyone tell me how I should be raising my child and what I was doing wrong. This book released me from all of my fears and allowed me to just enjoy my baby for who she is. I cried and cried as I read and had to stop several times because of blurred vision, I was realizing that I was not a bad mother and even as I write this my eyes well up remembering all of the emotions that this book evoked. "The Baby Sleep Book: The Complete Guide to a Good Night's Rest for the Whole Family (Sears Parenting Library)" and Dr. Sears are all about raising your children with love and treating each child as an individual with individual needs. Not all approaches work with all children and Dr. Sears gives you the tools and tips you need to deal with your own situation. He explains sleep patterns in infants and adults in a way that makes complete sense. He tells you how to tell when your child is at the optimum tired point to go to sleep and how to be prepared for it. He also talks about co-sleeping, teaching your child to fall asleep, possible reasons for your baby not sleeping and pretty much any sleep related question you could have. The book is written in a very clear, understandable and gentle manner.
I loved this book and I still go back to it often when I need a little boost.
I have tried several of the ideas offered in this book and while she still isn't a great sleeper, I do see a light at the end of the tunnel. She has gone from waking about every hour to sleeping five hours straight at night and from a twenty minute nap in the afternoon to one and a half hours in her bed by herself.
So for any of you who are at the end of your rope and need a little sleep advice for your baby this is absolutely the book for you.

Come back next week and I'll tell you about the book that I can't read to my baby without it bringing tears to my eyes (yes I am a sap..)

Lisa