The No Cry Sleep Solution

How old was your baby when you used The No-Cry Sleep Solution?
18 months

How old is your baby now?
26 months

When you first met Elizabeth, what was your sleep situation?
I was always exhausted! I walked around like a zombie and was starting to get depressed. I wanted to sleep so badly but there was no way I was going to let my baby cry it out to get there. I was desperate!

How is your baby sleeping now?
Like a dream — a really good dream! Our bedtime routine is very peaceful and he sleeps until morning.

What solutions were most helpful to you?
The Pantley “Gentle Removal System” was a real key for us. Abi nursed himself to sleep for every nap and every time he woke up at night since the day he was born. He was really dependent upon breastfeeding to fall asleep. This method helped him learn to sleep without nursing.

What setbacks or problems did you need to overcome?
When we first started our plan, we only followed it partially. I guess we were hoping that change would happen without much effort. Once we got serious and followed the steps in the book, we finally got Abi to sleep!

Do you have any tips for parents just beginning The No-Cry Sleep Solution?
Do your sleep logs. Make your sleep plan. Follow the directions in the book. That’s the real key to success.

What surprised you most about Elizabeth’s program?
I was really impressed that she understood the dynamics of breastfeeding a baby to sleep so well. Her ideas are very honest and realistic.

What makes Elizabeth’s ideas so unique?
A lot of books ignore the deep emotional issues involved when you are making sleep changes. She always seemed to understand what was happening, not just the “hours of sleep” technical details, but the details of the heart.

Did you have any friends or a support group during your sleep plan? How did they help?
I had a friend who was using the plan also. We emailed each other a lot, and it helped us through the adjustment period. Since my doctor and my in-laws were pressing me to just let him cry to sleep, it really made a difference to “talk” to someone who felt the same way that I do.

How does it feel to sleep all night?
I’m a whole new person! Sleep no longer is foremost in my mind. It freed me to move on in my life and helps me feel rested so that I can truly enjoy my baby.

Excerpted with permission by McGraw-Hill Publishing from The No-Cry Sleep Solution (McGraw-Hill, 2002).

You are welcome to reprint the article on your website or in your newsletter, provided that you reprint the entire article, including the complete byline with author’s name and book title. Please also send a notice or copy to elizabeth@pantley.com. Thank you.