Baby sleep book recommendations for the early days

[Flowerqueensw]

I'm pregnant with my second baby and I'm interested to hear if anyone has any recommendations of books on baby sleep that worked for them, the kind that are useful to have read from day one. I'm thinking books/methods along the lines of gradually making things easier for you and baby to get them to sleep for longer stretches, rather than the drastic sleep training books for older children (when you are really desperate!)

Someone recommended the 7-7 Sleeping Baby Routine by Charmian Mead - does anyone have experience with this, or have a similar recommendation?

My 24 month DD sleeps like a dream now, but it took a LONG time to get there. Looking back, I think I didn't make things any easier and always fed to sleep, never managed to put baby down drowsy but awake etc.

Now, I know some babies just never do this, and you get the baby you get, luck of the drawer! But I had friends who maybe did do these things who had newborns who slept for 5+ hours fairly early on, and the optimistic part of me is thinking that I might be able to prepare a bit more this time. The sleep deprivation the first time round really hit me hard.

I’m planning my second soon and I’m so worried to go back to the sleepless nights too!

To be honest though, I think if you’re breastfeeding the only thing that helps is co sleeping. Or you’re just lucky and you get a relaxed baby! I mean what on earth even is drowsy but awake? Didn’t exist for me!

I think generally the books are geared towards routine/ formula feeding which just isn’t realistic for a bf baby at all. Next time around I will adopt the latch them on and go back to sleep method! I remember reading Gina Ford and all it did was set me up to fail.

Sorry I know this is a really useless post but I read so many baby books and all it did was add more stress and pressure to get DD sleeping. I even bought one of those sleeping training guides that pops up on Facebook because you’ve been googling how to make your baby sleep!

Thanks for the reply - drowsy but awake seemed like a myth for me too, i just desperately want it to work this time! 😂 I wasn't a huge fan of co-sleeping though, I generally tried to get her back into the next-to-me crib as otherwise I would be so worried about her lying in bed with me that I'd be in such a light unsatisfying sleep, although it is so tricky keeping them asleep while you move them. And other friends seemed to have babies who went back into the crib after a feed at night quite easily.

I breastfed exclusively last time, planning on doing the same this time, and I know exactly what you mean about strict routines stressing you out more as I remember trying to stick to a napping schedule from when DD was about 12 weeks and never really hitting it.

I definitely recommend The blissful baby expert. I found it helpful in setting up good practices, which then helped my LB fall into a routine quickly. He was first baby, so I had no idea what to expect. X

@Flowerqueensw have you had your baby? How are you doing? Are you in a routine?