Sleep training is a controversial topic in the parenting world, with a variety of methods to choose from that take vastly different approaches. The best sleep training books are a valuable resource when it comes to achieving your goals for your child’s sleep, but the right book for your family will depend on the methods you feel comfortable with.
If you are looking to get educated about sleep training, there are plenty of books available on the topic. Sleep training methods generally fall into one of the following two categories (though there are plenty of variations and some books use aspects of each):
- The cry-it-out method — also called CIO or extinction training — involves teaching your baby to fall asleep without your help or interference. The idea is that your baby will learn to self soothe and eventually sleep through the night. The well-known Ferber method falls under this category.
- No-tears techniques involve little to no crying for your baby with a more gradual sleep training approach. There are a number of different methods within this category, including the well-known chair method.
Some books also focus on techniques that you can use prior to sleep training (since it is generally agreed upon that most infants aren’t ready for sleep training until four to six months of age) to help set up your little one for sleeping success.
If you’re unsure of the type of sleep training method you’d like to use, this list contains a variety of books that explain different techniques. Many of these books tackle other topics related to sleep, too. With thousands of glowing reviews on Amazon, reviewers indicated that these five books have been game changers when it comes to promoting healthy sleep habits for their babies.
Just be sure to consult with your pediatrician when deciding which method is the best fit — especially if your baby has any health conditions.
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