Sleep is something that moms with babies dream about. We all want to follow our babies’ cues and do what’s best for them. Moms also want their babies to sleep more at night to feel well-rested and better in the morning. Knowing how to help your baby sleep better can be confusing and complicated, especially if this is your first baby. If you’re unsure what to do or where to turn regarding your child’s sleep, these baby sleep books will help!
Best Baby Sleep Books
These books cover baby’s sleep rhythms, good bedtime routines to follow during the first year, and tricks to help you along the way.
1. “Secrets of the Baby Whisperer” by Tracy Hogg and Melinda Blau
This book is a go-to resource for a lot of families. Tracy Hogg, the author, shares her more than 20 years of experience and gives parents tips to help them conquer each parenting battle — especially sleep. In her book, she explains concepts such as:
- E.A.S.Y.: how to get your baby to eat, play, and sleep on a schedule so you can have time for yourself
- S.L.O.W.: how to understand what your baby is trying to communicate when they are crying
- Tracy’s three-day magic: how to change bad habits you or your baby have in only three days
2. “Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child” by Marc Weissbluth, M.D.
If you want to look more deeply at a baby’s sleep and learn the science behind it all, this book is for you. In the fifth edition of “Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child,” Dr. Marc Weissbluth provides steps and habits for improving your baby’s sleep and working with their natural sleep cycles. Parents swear by it! It includes research and discusses topics like:
- Creating a bedtime routine for your baby
- Identifying signs of your child’s sleepiness
- How fathers can help improve their baby’s sleep
- Sleep habits across different cultures
3. “The No-Cry Sleep Solution” by Elizabeth Pantley
“The No-Cry Sleep Solution” explores Elizabeth Pantley’s unique technique for helping babies fall asleep. Instead of letting a baby cry it out (in intervals) until they tucker themselves out or having parents stay up all night, Pantley suggests taking preventative measures and finding the root of a baby’s sleep problems. In this second edition of her book, Pantley covers topics such as:
- How to create a plan that will help your baby sleep through the whole night
- How to get babies to fall asleep independently (without breastfeeding, bottle-feeding, etc.)
- Safety guidelines for parents (regarding pacifiers, swaddling, etc.)
4. “Moms on Call | Basic Baby Care 0-6 Months” by Laura Hunter, L.P.N., and Jennifer Walker, R.N., B.S.N.
The “Moms on Call” book series shares advice from two pediatric nurse moms with over 20 years of experience. In this first book, Hunter and Walker go over everything parents need to know about caring for babies in the first six months, including:
- Steps for getting babies on a routine, hour-by-hour sleep schedule
- Feeding instructions for breast, bottle, or both
- What symptoms warrant a trip to the emergency room
- How to get your baby to sleep all night (so you can sleep too)
There are two other books in the “Moms on Call” series (one for babies ages 6-15 months and another for toddlers) that offer more sleep advice. There’s also an audiobook version that features all three books.
5. “The Happiest Baby on the Block” by Harvey Karp, M.D.
Dr. Harvey Karp’s “The Happiest Baby on the Block” has excellent information on soothing crying infants and helping them sleep better. He discusses topics such as bedsharing, swaddling, SIDS risk, and how to calm colicky babies. Karp also explains that babies are born too soon (“The Missing Fourth Trimester”) and how to use the innate calming reflex to stop them from crying. These methods for soothing babies and getting them to sleep longer have helped many parents, grandparents, and even nannies!
6. “The Sleepeasy Solution” by Jennifer Waldburger, L.C.S.W., and Jill Spivack, L.C.S.W.
This sleep guide can help little ones develop healthy sleep habits from a young age. Jennifer Waldburger and Jill Spivack (psychotherapists and sleep specialists) have helped many Hollywood stars get their babies to sleep better. In this book, they instruct parents in teaching children how to nap regularly and sleep through the night. They claim that you’ll see results in less than five nights! They even discuss how sleep can be affected by traveling and daylight savings time, as well as how to move children to a “big kid bed.”
7. “The Natural Baby Sleep Solution” by Polly Moore, Ph.D.
This sleep book from scientist/mother Polly Moore can help babies aged two weeks to one year get more restful sleep, both during the day and at night. Moore even includes a journal to log your baby’s sleep signals, naps, and bedtimes. “The Natural Baby Sleep Solution” is scientifically based and goes over topics like:
- What to do when your baby wakes up too early
- The N.A.P.S. plan for helping babies fall asleep independently
- How to help your baby when they confuse daytime and nighttime
8. “The Baby Sleep Book” by William Sears, M.D., Robert Sears, M.D., James Sears, M.D., Martha Sears, R.N.
“The Baby Sleep Book” was written by the Sears family to help families find tailored solutions to help their children sleep better. It goes over how to get babies and toddlers to sleep through the night, teaching parents to use methods that suit their unique lifestyles. This book covers such topics as:
- How to soothe a crying infant
- Creating a sleep plan that fits your baby’s specific temperament
- Whether co-sleeping is right for your family
- How to maintain good sleep habits despite traveling, teething, and illness
9. “The Happy Sleeper” by Heather Turgeon, M.F.T., and Julie Wright, M.F.T.
In “The Happy Sleeper,” Heather Turgeon and Julie Wright claim that children don’t need to be trained to sleep. This book explains how well-meaning parents can actually interfere with a baby’s innate ability to sleep through the night by trying to train them. Turgeon and Wright explore how to prevent unhealthy sleep habits and reverse the adverse effects of interfering with a child’s natural sleep process. This scientific, research-based book guides parents in letting children sleep independently, self-soothe, and more.
We hope these books help your baby (and you) sleep well! What were some books you read during your pregnancy — or even after — that you found helpful? Which ones would you add to this list?
