The No Cry Nap Solution (2 page)
Read The No Cry Nap Solution Online
Authors: Elizabeth Pantley
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This book is dedicated to you, dear Reader.
I feel a special connection between us. I suspect that we are
very much alike and that if we met, we would probably be
friends. We are connected by our love for our children, a
powerful emotion that parallels nothing else in our lives. We
are connected by our worries and doubts that are so much a
part of that love. And we are connected by our commitment
to do the best job that we can as we raise our children.
I have dedicated my previous books to my husband, my four
children, my mother, and my sisters, all the people I love most
in the world. When I pondered to whom I should dedicate
this new book, I thought immediately of you, because you
trust me to help you as you raise your precious little one.
I promise you that I take your trust very seriously.
Since you’ve chosen this book, I believe that we share core
values by which we make our parenting decisions, such as
kindness, respect, and gentleness. I also suspect that you
agree with me that problems are meant to be solved, and not
lived, and that what it takes is fi nding the right solution.
It is my sincere hope that you will fi nd the answers here that you
came for. It is my wish that this book will uplift you, support you,
and even entertain you. And of course, I hope that by the time
you fi nish this book, all your napping problems will be solved!
With warm wishes and hugs to you!
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Contents
A Word from a Sleep Doctor xvii
Naps: The Key to a Happy, Healthy Child 3
Important Facts You Should Know About Sleep 9
Create Your Sleep Logs and Your Nap Plan 23
Growing into a Napping Rhythm 35
Part 3 Solving Napping Problems:
Customized Solutions for Your Family
Catnaps: Making Short Naps Longer 63
The Nap Resister: When Your Child Needs
Shifting Schedules: Changing from
Shifting Schedules: Time to Give Up Naps? 112
Changing from In-Arms Sleep to In-Bed Sleep 136
ix
x
Contents
Naptime Nursling: Falling Asleep Without
the Breast, Bottle, or Pacifi er 154
Swinging, Bouncing, Vibrating, or Gliding:
Making the Transition from Motion
Helping Your Newborn Tummy Sleeper
How to Use Swaddling for Naptime 192
Changing Car Naps to Bed Naps 198
Colic Care: Helping Your Baby Get Comfort
Special Situations: Questions and Answers 214
Could It Be a Sleep Disorder? When
Foreword
We forge a connection with our children before they are
born, and it lasts a lifetime. As parents, we are there as
they give their fi rst smile, speak their fi rst words, and take their
fi rst steps, and together we mark the milestones in their journey
toward adulthood.
Life with children is not always easy. We get to share their sleep-
less nights; times of pain, sickness, fussiness, temper tantrums, and
squabbles; and the many other challenges of being a parent. Don’t
we all wish children came with a user’s manual?
Elizabeth Pantley’s books for parents are as close to a user’s
manual as there is. Her No-Cry books offer remarkably clear and
practical advice. This latest book in the series addresses an issue
we have all faced and many have struggled with: helping our chil-
dren to nap.
Sleep is vitally important, especially to infants and young chil-
dren. Just like with adults, sleep gives their growing bodies rest
and recovery. Furthermore, it allows their young minds to process
and integrate the sensory impressions and experiences of the day.
Sleep is essential for both physical well-being and mental health.
Many children will drift off to sleep easily when they are tired
or if they are overwhelmed with sensory impressions. Others are
resistant. They may need excessive assistance from a parent. They
may be unable to tune out distractions. They may not want to
miss out on “all the fun,” or they may not want to feel that they
are being treated like a “baby.” Some children are extremely sensi-
tive to touch, irritation on their skin, or the slightest noise. Yet
others fi nd the issue of taking a nap to be a great way to assert
their independence and resistance to our authority. Every child is
different, and every family faces a unique set of challenges.
xi
xii
Foreword
In
The No-Cry Nap Solution
, Elizabeth once again gives par-
ents the tools to identify and understand their child’s issues. She
then provides varied yet specifi c solutions to their individual prob-
lems. She offers many ways that parents can help their babies and
young children settle down to a daily rest—without tears, stress,
or power struggles. Many parents will fi nd the ideas solve their
child’s nighttime sleep problems, as well.
Elizabeth’s insights and practical strategies have helped count-
less parents around the world. Her ideas are easy to adopt in your
home because they are based on common sense, science, and the
wisdom of experience. She deserves our thanks for providing reas-
surance and everyday advice and for helping us to become more
effective as parents. She inspires us to build homes fi lled with
warmth, love, kindness, and respect.
—Tim Seldin
President of the Montessori Foundation
Chair of the International Montessori Council
Author of
How to Raise an Amazing Child
Acknowledgments
Iwould like to express my heartfelt appreciation to the many
people who lift me up with their support every day, in so many
ways:
Judith McCarthy, my awe-inspiring editor, and the entire amaz-
ing team of people at McGraw-Hill who help to create my books:
after eight books together, still absolutely the best publisher ever.
Meredith Bernstein, of Meredith Bernstein Literary Agency:
counselor, friend, and literary agent extraordinaire.
Patti “the Wonderful” Hughes: my incredible, enthusiastic, and
loveable assistant.
My husband, Robert: my partner, my friend, and my soul mate
for twenty-fi ve blissful years and counting.
My family, my ultimate source of joy and inspiration: Mom,
Angela, Vanessa, David, Coleton, Michelle, Loren, Sarah, Nicho-
las, Renée, Tom, Amber, Matthew, Devin, Tyler, and Wyatt.
All the readers who have written to me about their precious
children; I feel a special friendship with each and every person
who writes.
The many test mommies, test daddies, and test children, for
sharing a piece of their lives with me: Abby, Abigail, Adeleine,
Adrienne, Ainslee, Alesasia, Alex, Alexa, Alexander, Alicia,
Alinah, Aliyah, Alyson, Alyssa, Amanda, Amelia, Ami, Ana,
Analiese, Anamaria, Anastasia, Andea, André, Andrea, Andrew,
Andy, Angela, Aniseh, Ann, Anna, Ann-Marie, Anthony,
Archie, Ariana, Arianna, Ariella, Arran, Ashton, Audra, Austin,
Autumn, Ava, Avery, Barbara, Barrett, Becky, Benjamin, Beth,
Bethany, Bonnie, Brandel, Brandi, Brandy, Bridget, Brittany,
Bryan, Byron, Caitlyn, Callen, Callie, Candace, Canon, Cara,
Carlie, Carmella, Caroline, Carrie, Carter, Cashton, Casper,
xiii
xiv
Acknowledgments
Cathy, Catriona, Cayden, Charlene, Charlie, Charlotte, Cherene,
Cheryl, Christi, Christine, Christopher, Clay, Cole, Colleen, Con-
nor, Constanze, Cornelia, Cortney, Courtney, Daniel, Danielle,
Dara, David, Dean, Debbie, Derryn, Diana, Doreen, Dovi, Drew,
Dylan, Elena, Elijah, Elissa, Elizabeth, Ellen, Ellie, Emerson, Emily,
Emma, Emmy, Emre, Ethan, Eva, Evan, Faith, Finn, Fiona, Frost,
Gaia, Genevieve, Georgiana, Ginger, Gloria, Grace, Grayson,
Hanna, Hannah, Heather, Hector, Heidi, Helena, Holden, Hol-
lie, Holly, Hugh, Ian, Ilkim, Isabella, Jack, Jackson, Jacob, Jaelyn,
James, Jamie, Jana, Janie, Jared, Jason, Jayden, Jayson, Jean, Jean-
Luc, Jeannie, Jeni, Jennifer, Jenny, Jeremy, Jessie, Jill, Joann, Jody,
Joel, Johari, John, Jon, Jonah, Jordan, Jordana, Joseph, Jubal, Jude,
Julia, Jullian, Justine, Kaiden, Kalina, Kami, Kamryn, Kara, Karen,
Kathi, Kathleen, Kathryn, Katy, Kayla, Keiran, Kelly, Kenderick,
Kendra, Kerri, Khalid, Kieran, Kim, Kiran, Kirin, Kirstin, Kristen,
Kristi, Kristin, Krystal, Kyle, Lana, Lara, Larissa, Laura, Lauren,
Leah, Leila, Leilah, Leon, Leta, Liam, Lillian, Lindsey, Liora, Lisa,
Loraine, Loralie, Lori, Lorrie, Lucy, Lucy Ann, Luke, Lynn, Mac
Robert, Maddison, Madeline, Madison, Malachi, Manal, Margaret,
Maria, Marisa, Marissa, Mark, Marsha, Mary, Mason, Matthew,
Maureen, Maverick, Max, Maya, Meaghan, Meara, Megan, Mela-
nie, Melissa, Mella, Michaela, Micheal, Michele, Michelle, Miguel,
Mikayla, Mike, Miles, Miranda, Mordechai, Moshe, Nadine, Nata-
lia, Natalie, Natasha, Nathan, Nathaniel, Negras, Neve, Nicholas,
Nicola, Nicolas, Nicole, Nina, Noah, Noelia, Norman, Ocean,
Oliva, Oliver, Olivia, Orion, Orit, Owen, Pamela, Parker, Patrick,
Patti, Paul, Peri, Pnina, Preston, Pyrra, Quinton, Rachel, Reagan,
Rebecca, Rebekah, Renee, Rhyann, Riley, Robert, Ruxandra,
Ryan, Sakina, Sam, Samantha, Samuel, Sandi, Sandra, Sarah,
Savannah, Scarlett, Schaefer, Sebastian, S¸ ebnem, September,
Shannon, Shari, Sharon, Shauna, Shellie, Sidney, Sierra, Silias,
Siobhan, Skylan, Sloan, Sofi a, Spencer, Stacey, Stacy, Stephanie,
Stevan, Steven, Susan, Tahlia, Tami, Tammy, Tara, Taylor, Tessa,
Thatcher, Theresa, Thomas, Tina, Tobias, Tonya, Tracey, Tyler,
Acknowledgments
xv
Vaughn, Veronica, Vicki, Wendy, Will, William, Xander, Yedidya,
Yonina, Zachary, Zanon, and Zoë.
The Test Parents
During the creation of this book, I received input, ideas, ques-
tions, and glorious photos from an incredible group of test parents.
These 209 people let me peek into their families’ napping prob-
lems and happy successes.
The No-Cry test parents live all over the world, and they repre-
sent all different kinds of families: married, single, unmarried part-
ners, from one child up to fi ve children, twins, triplets, adopted
children, young parents, older parents, at-home moms, at-home
dads, working parents, interracial families, multicultural families,
gay families, and one grandparent-as-parent. The Test Mommies