Hitting the Books

I never do anything without reading a book about it first, so as soon as sleepless nights became an issue in our family, I started to read about it.  The first book I read is still my favorite. Sleepless in America, by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka.  Generally, sleep books fall into one of two categories: Suck it Up or Cry it Out.  I have a lot to say about Cry It Out (CIO), so I'll save it for a later topic, but for now suffice to say it is not an option for my family.  While I'm generally more comfortable with the attitude towards children presented by the Suck it Up crowd, our early sleep problems were too severe to be absorbed by the adults entirely.  What I like best about this book is that it approaches sleep as something the whole family needs to work on together.  Babies are not left alone in a dark room for 12 hours, and grownups are not expected to stand on their heads and cradle their babies on their feet until kindergarten either.

I've read this book probably four times now, and every time I find something new that applies to my ever-changing sleep situation.  Other books have good information too, and I continue to buy new ones, always hoping for a silver bullet.  But the strategies from Sleepless in America have consistently made the most difference in our nights.