A guide to sleep in your baby’s first year of life
By Sarah Blunden and Angie Willcocks
This book is different from the numerous other books about baby sleep – a topic which occupies and worries most parents during their baby’s first year of life (and often for far longer), Dr Sarah Blunden has many years of clinical practice as a sleep specialist and psychologist, and Angie Willcocks runs a psychology practice – so this book summarises their experience for a sensible approach to establishing health sleep habits over the first year of life. The information in the book is based on expert evidence and research, which is referenced. The book is divided into four sections. Part One provides information about sleep – this in fact is the first book on baby sleep that I have read which actually describes the different sleep states in infants and how they develop. Part Two explains how the Sensible Sleep Solution works and the rationale behind the methods. Part Three highlights the importance of parental wellbeing and how to look after themselves and Part Four provides a detailed account of what to expect at the different stages of development over the baby’s first year and provides practical tips dealing with sleep problems at specific ages.
The book has been thoughtfully laid out, with different symbols to highlight points of interest, thoughts and ideas of the authors, summaries of the information provided in each section and practical tips for overcoming the most frequent sleep problems.
The Sensible Sleep Solution is a developmentally sensitive, supportive and gentle method of encouraging babies to be able to fall asleep without parental help. The techniques and advice provided are based on the COTSS (creating opportunities to self-soothe) principal. Self-soothing skills are important for babies and children for them to remain calm and comfort themselves – and they must be learned.
New parents will find this book invaluable for the first year of their baby’s life.
Professor Rosemary SC Horne
Department of Paediatrics
Monash University
December 2019