How to Go The Fuck to Sleep

The Top (nsfmg) Recommended Baby Sleep Books, Experts, and Gear

Alexis Barad-Cutler

When a Not Safe For Mom Group member asked for advice about what to do when her partner refused to participate when their baby got up in the middle of the night, we not only offered empathy — we shared some of our own tried and true ways of getting our babies to sleep. So while we may not have the answer to how to “convince” her partner to listen to her pleas for him to share in the labor of caregiving, maybe we can help her find ways of putting Baby back to sleep a little more easily. Or — better yet — to help Baby sleep through the night (so she doesn’t need her partner’s “help”). It’s advice that all moms of kids who go “mom!” (or whatever the equivalent is in baby language) in the night could use. Scroll through the thumbnails below, and read on for the NSFMG recommended sleep experts, books, websites, and more:

Books:

• The Happy Sleeper: The Science-Backed Guide to Helping Your Baby Get a Good Night's Sleep-Newborn to School Age :

“Their gentle method saved me!”

— M.

“Looks at sleep as a whole over baby’s development.”

— K.

• On Becoming Babywise: Giving Your Infant the Gift of Nighttime Sleep:

“I followed the schedule but still went with what Baby needed.”

— A.

• Bringing Up Bebe: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting

“The “pause” from Bringing Up Bebe worked like a charm for Baby #1, and praying it does for Baby #2.”

— M.

• How Not to Hate Your Husband After Kids

“This book pertains to everything.”

— D.

• Precious Little Sleep (book, podcast, and website):

“Best summation of ALL sleep science and techniques.”

— P.

• The Good Sleeper: The Essential Guide to Sleep With Your Baby

“Twelve hours by 4 months! Very little cry-it-out!”

— R.

• The Gentle Sleep Book

• Sleep Sense: Simple Steps to a Full Night’s Sleep

“This saved me when baby was 5 months!”

— A.

• Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child

• Twelve Hours’ Sleep by Twelve Weeks Old

The sleep consultants:

“Hire a sleep consultant to have a neutral third party”

— H.

• Wee Bee Dreaming Sleep Consultants

• Heaven Sent Sleep Consultants

• Bonne Nuit Baby

“Bonne Nuit Baby is AMAZING. They helped us gently sleep train our tenacious 1 year old.”

— K.

• Dream Baby Sleep

“Xan@dreambabysleep.com changed our lives and its all in email and phone so it is affordable.”

— K.

• The Sleep Dept.

“This site is so helpful and has great resources on her IG.”

— A.

“So much good advice provided freely outside her paid programs.”

The gear:

• Halo Sleepsacks

• White Noise Machine

• Merlin Sleep

Other Philosophies and Methods:

• Facebook group called “Respectful Sleep Training/Learning.”

• Facebook group called, “The Beyond Sleep Training Project”

• Dr. James McKenna’s research : Mother-Baby Behavioral Sleep Laboratory Studies on biologically normal healthy infant sleep and co-sleeping.

• Tribeca Pediatric’s Sleep Training Method (steel yourselves).

“Tribeca pediatrics has some great info. And you can do it over the weekend so you can take naps!”

— L.

“Earlier bedtime (6-7pm) is a game changer! Plus, a predictable daytime routine”

— E.

“Following the EASY routine during the day: Eat Activity Sleep You (mama time)”

— E.

“Music and cuddle first are what was truly effective for my daughter.”

— J.

Did any of the above methods work for you? What is/was your go-the-fuck-to-sleep go-to? Share in Comments below!

Featured image: Promotional photo for Figaro Desire Machine, Rotterdamse Schouwburg by Isolde Wousdtra.