Sleep Book Recommendations

For those of you about to lose your mind due to the lack of sleep and inconsistent schedule of you new baby, we recommend the book: Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Marc Weissbluth, MD.
We aren't saying this will be your absolute fix, but it does have some really helpful hints.
The key thing that I realized too late, is many experts recommend that you put baby to sleep every 2 hours for the first few months of their life. This prevents them from getting overtired and thus in the "no sleep zone". If a baby gets too overly tired, it will become more difficult for him to sleep. So, the thought- "he has been up for awhile, he should be exhausted and go right to sleep" is not the case! He is exhausted, but once he is overtired, his body starts to fight sleep.

• Amazon.com sells it as well as most bookstores: http://www.amazon.com/Healthy-Sleep-Habits-Happy-Child/dp/0449004023

The second recommendation is: Happiest Baby on the Block by Harvey Karp, MD.
I personally LOVED the video! Dr Karp lays out the "5 S's"

1. Swaddle
2. Side/ stomach (football hold) of baby
   
3. Shushing
4. Swinging
   
5. Sucking

I swaddled my son for the first week we were home, but than stopped. I started again around 6 weeks when he become SOOO fussy! It REALLY helped and he slept better tightly swaddled. Instead of using the receiving blankets (which never seem to be big enough) I used those ones that had the leg pouch and velcro closure.

Check out this link and it shows you some excerpts from the video: http://www.thehappiestbaby.com/

If it makes you feel better, most babies do not sleep through the night until they are 5-8 months old. Hang in there and it gets better- we PROMISE!