Few sounds are more disconcerting than that of a crying infant unable to go to sleep. The sound is particularly distressing in the middle of the night when the parents know that what the baby needs - and what they need - is sleep. Despite the best will in the world, and despite well-intentioned advice, many new parents experience anxious nights with sleepless children. Nor is the problem limited to infants. Many families endure months or even years of insomnia because of their children's habitual inability to sleep. The consequences for the parents' health, well-being, enjoyment of their children, and in some cases the health of relationships and working lives, are considerable. Silent Nights provides a sensible, no-nonsense guide to how babies sleep and why they cry. It shows how this knowledge can be applied in practical ways to help the normal, healthy baby to establish sleeping patterns that will improve its life and benefit the entire family. The process is not always easy, but most families following the programme outlined in this book will find that a good night's sleep is no longer an impossible dream.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1. Food, feeding and breast care 2. Starting solids 3. Sleep basics 4. Sleep problems 5. The essential advice 6. The first six weeks 7. The first two years 8. Day sleep 9. Dreams and nightmares 10. Winning 11. Losing it 12. Failure 13. Colic and other issues 14. Sex and parenthood 15. Research Appendix

Reviews

... full of useful facts and helpful tips ... Sainsburys Magazine