Why “No-Cry”?

When I had my very first baby, over twenty- five years ago, I immediately and irrevocably became a tender mother. I did not believe that my baby—or any baby—should be left to cry it out to sleep — ever. I thought it was a cruel and heartless way to treat the tiny little love of your life, and I could not understand how anyone could do it. However, I also believed that babies need their sleep, and so do their parents.

Mackenzie, 1 month

Fast- forward—four children, one grandchild, thirteen parenting books written (four of these about sleep), and much work with tens of thousands of new parents—and guess what? I now fully understand the critical importance of sleep for a baby’s health and well- being, and . . . I still do not believe that babies should be left to cry it out to sleep. Ever. I still think it is a cruel and heartless way to treat the tiny little love of your life, and I still cannot understand how anyone can do it, particularly since more and more research tells us that it is not a healthy or appropriate approach to getting a baby to sleep better.

I’ve learned so much about sleep issues by helping families uncover their stumbling blocks and helping their children (and them) to sleep better. I believe that all babies are born knowing how to sleep, and that they just need an observant, caring adult to help them to sleep when they need to. And that there are plenty of gentle, no-cry solution, so that you never, ever have to resort to letting the precious little love of your life cry to sleep.

Except from The No-Cry Sleep Solution for Newborns: Amazing Sleep from Day One – for Baby  and You. McGraw-Hill October 2016