Silent Nights: Overcoming Sleep Problems in Babies and Children

By Brian Symon

Few sounds are more disconcerting than that of a crying infant unable or unwilling to go to sleep. The sound is particularly distressing in the middle of the night when the parents know that the baby... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0195506073
• ISBN13: 9780195506075
• Release Date: May 1999
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.4" x 0.5" x 5.3"

Customer Reviews

If you only read one book about babies...

Let it be this one. I have had 3 children in the last 5 years, and this book was the best, and most useful book that I ever read by far. Reviewers who say that this book is about letting babies cry have totally missed the point that the author is making. In fact the research that has been done shows that by following the advice of the book babies will not only sleep more, but cry LESS. I read this book before my first was born, and followed it very closely. The result is that my 3 babies slept through the night at 9 1/2, 8 and 16 weeks and also had excellent daytime naps with no fuss at all. The sleep habits that his book teaches will set them up for their whole childhood, and save your family a great deal of stress and sleep deprivation. Every time that travel or change has messed up my children's sleeping we have followed the book and once again had 3 children sleeping through the night for 10-12 hours again. This has included more than 5 episodes of international travel and time zone changes. This book is not about making babies cry, it is about helping parents to understand that the most important thing for your baby is having a parent who can cope with life. It is about being kind to your baby by setting up good sleep habits for life.

Good sleeping habits are good for the whole family

On the recommendation of a friend, I read this book while I was pregnant with my triplets. In the early months after they were born when I was too tired to think, it was fabulous to have a guide about what we were doing and why - and some hope that there was a light at the end of the tunnel. My triplets were premature but slept through the night (6 hours plus) by 4 months of age - and I started to feel human again and enjoy being a mum. The book uses aspects of behavioural psychology (eg: not encouraging playing during night feeds), but the emphasis is on training the parents. Babies benefit from having parents who are not sleep-deprived and from getting enough sleep themselves.

Can't say enough about this book

I borrowed this book from the library on the recommendation of a friend. I was getting nowhere with my son and his sleeping. This book certainly saved my sanity and assured both me and my husband that it was okay to let the little guy cry. If you're not a fan of leaving them to cry then you will hate this but we'd tried everything else and it didn't work. This book got us on track within 3 days. I have since brought the book and recommended it to various other friends with children with sleep problems and they have all had success. I've gone thru' mine with a highlighter and keep it hand for points of reference. Covers everything from sleep associatioin tools (dummy, blanket mum, dad) and why you shouldn't let them fall asleep in your arms. Easy to read, I read the revelant bits to me in a day and found myself nodding in agreement and reading passages aloud to my hubby. Worth it's weight in gold.

Infallible guide to teaching your child or baby to sleep

This book is great. Easy to read, common sense, and it works. I used it for teaching both my kids to sleep and they both slept through (8-10 hours) from about 8 weeks. Whenever they had relapses I returned to the book and they would be sleeping well again in a day or two.I have recommended it to about 14 other families in the past 4 years and it has worked for all of them. It helps you to understand how kids sleep, why they sometimes don't, and how to teach them this important skill. Buy it, try it (really try it, don't just dabble). It really does work. Well-rested kids are happy and healthy kids and have happy parents. Do your kids and yourself a favour and BUY THIS WONDERFUL BOOK!

Fantastic ! The most useful baby advice we've ever had

This book will change your life if you are not sleeping thanks to a waking child. The advice is simple and straightforward, and works if followed with consistency. Our baby was still getting us up 3-4 times per night at 6 months. After only 2 nights of using Brian's methods, she started sleeping through. Now at one year, she sleeps 13 hours per night and 3 hours during the day, and life is wonderful !