The No-Cry Nap Solution, by Elizabeth Pantley

I just finished reading The No-Cry Nap Solution by Elizabeth Pantley. Not only is this a great book to read, but a great tool to use when trying to get your little one to nap. This book provides easy and practical solutions to specific napping problems. The No-Cry Nap Solution helps you identify the problem and solve it in a way that is easy for you. Does your child only take a nap if she has a bottle or is nursing? How about the baby that only fall asleep while being rocked (in a swing or in your arms)? Does your little one have to have a pacifier to take a nap? Does your child get fussy and cranky due to lack of sleep? Is it hard to get your tot to take naps longer than 1/2 hour? Elizabeth Pantley has solutions to all of these scenarios. She offers several routes for you to take in order to remedy the napping problem. Within the book are tools and worksheets for you to use and to monitor your child's sleep patterns. All of her solutions can be modified to fit your little one's personality and your lifestyle (and schedule).

I found that my favorite part of the book are the explanations that are provided about why children (and adults) need naps and what the benefits are. We all know that when our little one's take naps, it provides us with some "adult" time...time to clean, time to eat, time to relax, or time to phone a friend. However, there are so many hidden benefits that you may not even realize. A lot of people think if they take a cat nap then they will feel better. This is true-sort of. The first 1/2 hour of napping is when the feeling of tiredness disappears, so when you wake up (or your child wakes up) you feel refreshed and not tired. This only lasts for a bit, your body has not fully recharged and quickly feels tired again. This is the same for your little one. Did you know that when a child naps, it gives their brain time to convert their short term memory to long term memory? Most 12 month olds need about 12 hours of night time sleep and nap time sleep. Most 12 month olds can stay awake between 3-4 hours at a time during the day without getting cranky. (I say "most" since all children are different). Getting enough sleep will help them remain happy and alert! Another thing I really liked was that Elizabeth Pantley knows that all children, parents and their schedules are different. She does not lump everyone into one category and say that this will work for everyone.

You can pick up this book, as well as her many other "Solution" books at Amazon.com.