The "No Cry Sleep Solution" is a book written by Elizabeth Pantley that details a way to get your baby to sleep through the night without the crying that some methods require. A parent herself, Pantley disapproved of the method made popular by Richard Ferber, Ph.D. that required parents to allow children to cry themselves to sleep. Seen as a gentler way to get your child to sleep through the night, Pantley is popular in attachment parenting circles as she pioneers ways to help your child sleep through the night without tears.
Author
Elizabeth Pantley is a parenting expert and president of Better Beginnings, Inc. She wrote her book, "The No Cry Sleep Solution," in 2002 and followed it with several other successful books based on the same attachment parenting principles. Pantley's website notes that she is a regular parenting contributor to magazines like Redbook, Good Housekeeping and Parents. She has co-written a book with renowned parenting experts, Dr. William and Dr. Martha Sears.
Philosophies
The basic philosophies and principles of "The No Cry Sleep Solution" involve careful scheduling and your child's natural cues. Pantley suggests conforming your schedule to your child's for a more peaceful night's sleep. She also suggests parents use an altered feeding schedule of eat-play-sleep, rather than the traditional eat-sleep-play schedule that is common. Pantley emphasizes understanding your child's needs and allowing your baby to dictate how she goes to sleep at night, whether through co-sleeping, nursing or anything else that makes her comfortable.
Influences
Influences of the "No Cry Sleep Solution" include Dr. William Sears' recommendations. Dr. Sears, who is the Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine, has long advocated more gentle parenting that takes your baby's natural instincts and cues into consideration.
The attachment parenting movement has also influenced on the "No Cry Sleep Solution," which urges parents to form strong connections with children through close proximity and sensitive parenting, says Attachment Parenting International.
Application
To apply Pantley's principles, keep a loose journal of when your child sleeps, eats and plays. Pantley suggests keeping a sleep log and putting your baby down to sleep when he is drowsy, yet still awake, says BabyCenter.com. Co-sleeping is recommended if that is what fits your child the best.
Controversy
Like moth parenting methods, the "No Cry Sleep Solution" has dealt with controversy from the American Academy of Pediatrics. The AAP recommends against co-sleeping, identifying it as a health risk and cause of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in babies, because of the chance that the baby might suffocate or be rolled upon by the parent. Attachment parenting and the precepts that go along with it may also not be the right choice for every parent. You can adapt the "No Cry Sleep Solution" to suit the needs of your family to see if the concepts work for you.
References
- The No Cry Sleep Solution; Elizabeth Pantley; 2002
- AskDrSears.com: Sleep Problems
- Attachment Parenting International: API's Eight Principles of Parenting
- American Academy of Pediatrics: The Changing Concept of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
- Babycenter: Baby sleep training
