Rating: 
Summary: Very Informative Book!
Review: Very informative book. As far as I'm concerned, Dr. Fleiss and this book are a godsend. It taught me a lot about my baby's needs. This book is wonderful. It first explains a child's sleep pattern and why some children don't sleep through the night then gives you ways to help your child learn to put himself back to sleep. It worked wonders for us. I am finally getting some sleep after only 1 week of using these techniques. Our son was waking three to four times a night, although, nursing him when he woke in the middle of the night did not work for us. My baby has slept through the night for the first time ever! He can put himself to sleep without my assistance in less than ten minutes, and takes the longest naps he ever has (an hour or more each)! I've told everyone of my friends about this book...I couldn't reccomend it with more enthusiasm. It has changed our lives forever. I have one happy, well-rested baby.My husband and I are committed Christians and we really appreciated the conservative, family-oriented approach that Dr. Fleiss takes. We also like that the book is packed full of information on sleep at all ages. He even provides helpful information on helping older children and teenagers to sleep! We really recommend this book to any parent who would like more sleep. It's a easy to follow program with a lot of information so you understand why it's so important for your child to sleep through the night.
Rating: 
Summary: Helpful Information!
Review: When my son was two months old, I was trying hard to calm him before Dr. Fleiss came in to see him. As soon as Dr. Fleiss came in, he said, "I don't like to hear crying babies--put him to your breast!" And so I did. And I have been ever since. We are expecting our second child soon and I will be able to implement the natural methods that Dr. Fleiss suggests in his book from this child's birth. As an adoptee, I was separated from my own mother at four weeks of age. I was bottlefed, "taught" to sleep, and all the other stuff that went along with being a parent or adopter in the 1960s and 70s. Fortunately, Dr. Fleiss has given some common sense advice in this book that goes along with what nature has done for thousands of years. Although I thought at one time that I must let my baby cry, I realize now how important it is to soothe my child and how wonderful it is to have all of us sleep in the same bed, just like when I was pregnant with my son. Thank you, Dr. Fleiss, for writing an informative book that helps us realize how important it is to treat our children with the respect that they deserve.
Rating:
Summary: Helpful Information!
Review: When my son was two months old, I was trying hard to calm him before Dr. Fleiss came in to see him. As soon as Dr. Fleiss came in, he said, "I don't like to hear crying babies--put him to your breast!" And so I did. And I have been ever since. We are expecting our second child soon and I will be able to implement the natural methods that Dr. Fleiss suggests in his book from this child's birth. As an adoptee, I was separated from my own mother at four weeks of age. I was bottlefed, "taught" to sleep, and all the other stuff that went along with being a parent or adopter in the 1960s and 70s. Fortunately, Dr. Fleiss has given some common sense advice in this book that goes along with what nature has done for thousands of years. Although I thought at one time that I must let my baby cry, I realize now how important it is to soothe my child and how wonderful it is to have all of us sleep in the same bed, just like when I was pregnant with my son. Thank you, Dr. Fleiss, for writing an informative book that helps us realize how important it is to treat our children with the respect that they deserve.
Rating: 
Summary: Attachment parenting taken to the limit.
Review: While I utilize attachment parenting for my two children, I have not reached the level of fanaticism that Dr. Fleiss is advocating in his book SWEET DREAMS. This isn't really a book with a clear method for helping your child to sleep through the night, but a series of reasons that may or may not be why your child cannot sleep soundly. He then gives suggestions such as not artificially heating your home, but using a heavier comforter and warmer pajamas to keep nasal passages from drying out...then keeping a window open at all times. Convenient for those of us who live in areas where the temperature can reach below zero in the winter. Another suggestion is that you conclude all daily activities by nightfall and avoid using artificial light so that you can work with your internal clock in setting a bedtime. Fine if you want to go to bed at 5:30pm for half of the year. I'm not saying that there aren't any usable ideas here, it just seems as if there isn't any middle ground for compromising on any of his suggestions. The book assumes that most babies will be sleeping through the night by the age of 6 months...and that you should go to your child every time he cries in the meantime or he will be scarred forever. I did go to my daughter every time she cried (every 2 hours!) until she was a year old at which time for my own sanity I had to put an end to it. I used the Ferber method, she slept through the night 4 nights later, and has never looked back (she's 3 now). And she has no noticable personality disorders to show for it, as Dr. Fleiss would assume. I did like the section on co-sleeping, it is practical, informative, and backed by scientific research to show that it is not a leading cause of SIDS. On the other hand, he is an extremely active proponent against circumcision. We chose to circumcise our son, and reading Dr. Fleiss' diatribe against it made me feel like a neglectful mother...be forewarned if you have chosen to circumcise! Again, there is no middle ground. Like any other parenting book, it is worthwhile to read because everyone has their own parenting style. In reading all the literature you can, whether you agree with it or not, you can choose to combine the suggestions that work best for you to construct your own methods for helping your children to grow.
Rating:
Summary: Lovely Book!
Review: Wow! What a wonderful book! I was delighted to find this book on amazon.com after reading several of Dr. Fleiss's excellent articles on childcare in parenting magazines. This is just the best book on sleep that I have ever read. I love how Dr. Fleiss beautifully combines compassion and sensitivity for children and solid scientific facts. The step-by-step approach is just great. My child already sleeps well, but after reading the book, I can see how the fascinating information in this book will help me help my child maintain his good sleep patterns. Bravo, Dr. Fleiss!
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