When you’re trying to figure out how to sleep train, having a book to guide you can make a huge difference. Whether you buy them or see if your library has them to borrow, they’re something that will help you as long as you’ve got small children at home.
The best sleep training books give you information, research, and examples to guide you. Our top book picks are:
- Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Dr. Marc Weissbluth, M.D. (click here to see it on Amazon) – this book is thorough, addresses studies, and is packed with ideas and examples. It’s the best book resource available.
- And our Sleep Training Kids Sleep Journal and Planner (now available on Amazon). This planner will help you have a dedicated place to write out your customized sleep training plan, track it, and give you extras to troubleshoot common sleep concerns.
Together, these books give you the knowledge and confidence you’ll need to make sleep training easier.
Look, there’s a lot of sleep training books out there. While many of them offer great advice (and data to back up their methodology), some are more polarizing, with anecdotal evidence at best. So let’s save you some money and time reading through all of the books. Let’s talk about the pros and cons of the best sleep training books you can pick.
The Top 4 Sleep Training Books:
- Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Dr. Marc Weissbluth, M.D. (click here to see the current price on Amazon) – Healthy Sleep Habits is written by a pediatrician and is on its fourth update. It’s packed full of information and is well-known enough that it’s probably available at your local library. It’s the best sleep training resource to buy for your at-home library.
- Sleep Training Kids Sleep Journal and Planner (click here to see the price on Amazon) – is the first journal and planner dedicated to helping parents plan, track, and evaluate their sleep training journey. It’s also got a quick troubleshooting resource that’ll help you weather the storms of any of the most common sleep concerns. We recommend you get this with another sleep training resource.
- The Sleep Sense Program by Dana Obleman (click here to check the price on Amazon) – Dana Obleman breaks sleep training down by age and personality, making it even easier to find a specific program that works for your family. This book is much shorter but perfect for a quick read and implementation for faster results.
- The Happiest Baby on the Block by Dr. Harvey Karp (click here to see on Amazon) – this book is aimed at helping soothe newborns so they sleep better.
The First (and only) Sleep Training Planner and Journal
Having a dedicated place to write things down can be the difference between success and guessing what went wrong. That’s why I was shocked to discover that there wasn’t a dedicated sleep training planner and journal on the market.
So, I made one. It’s our Sleep Training Kids Sleep Journal and Planner (now available on Amazon). I designed it based on how we tracked our children’s sleep training journey and progress – and included a bunch of quick resources that would have made our sleep training journey a lot easier.
At this time, this is the first (and only) sleep training planner and journal out there. Sure, there are some worksheets available online. But this is officially the original printed planner that’s just for sleep training kids.
To read our article detailing the book (and our review of it, including a video), click here (COMING SOON).
We recommend that you use this planner in conjunction with Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child – or another sleep training resource book of your choice.
Why I Picked Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child
Healthy Sleep Habits, compared to the other books, offers the best sheer volume of information.
- Healthy Sleep Habits has its own program but it also explains other commonly-used sleep training methods.
- Dr. Weissbluth explains the science behind sleep as well as how it develops as children grow up.
- Each age and stage of development is covered in detail.
- Healthy Sleep Habits has an index, making searching for specific problems or sections even easier.
- Of all the options, it’s the longest (by about 200 pages) and most comprehensive. It’s the best, all-in-one option.
So if you’re going to get one sleep training book, I’ve found that Healthy Sleep Habits is thorough and comprehensive. It covers the whole range of topics, making it the perfect book to have in your at-home library of parenting books.
Features to Look for in a Sleep Training Book:
As you’re researching which sleep training book to get, you’re going to want to consider these points.
- How much background information do you want to learn?
- More background information will make personalization and customization of your plan easier, but it does make learning slower.
- How quickly do you need to see results?
- A shorter, more-to-the-point plan will be easier to follow and implement if you’re severely sleep-deprived.
- Is there an index or an easy way to search for the part you need to know?
- Where is this available?
- Can you check it out at the library first, or do you have to purchase it?
- Do you prefer hardcopy books or ebooks?
- Is this a course or an actual book?
- Are there studies referenced or done on this particular sleep training method?
- Has this book actually helped people?
Other Popular Sleep Training Books to Consider
Now, there are other popular sleep training books you may want to consider. Here are some of the factors that came in most helpful as I was looking for the best sleep training books.
| Book Title | Available At | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child | Amazon Library | Tons of information and data. Longest of all of the books. | Length can be overwhelming. |
| Sleep Training Kids Sleep Journal and Planner | Amazon | Physical journal and planner that’s compatible with any sleep training method. | Only available in print and for sale on Amazon. |
| The Sleep Sense Program | Amazon, their website | Walks you through a program that works fast. | Not as much background given. |
| Happiest Baby on the Block | Amazon | Great information for sleep training babies. | Not useful after a baby is 6 months. |
| On Becoming Babywise | Amazon | Great information and data. | Fewer examples than other books. |
| Solve Your Child’s Sleep Problems | Amazon | Lots of information and data. | Last update was in 2006. |
| The Happy Sleeper | Amazon | Teaches that children are born sleepers and that we need to stop getting in their way. | Authors are licensed psychotherapists rather than pediatricians. |
| The Sleep Easy Solution | Amazon | Easier to read, family-friendly guide that teaches sleep training methods. | Authors are psychotherapists who sleep train for celebrities. |
| The Baby Sleep Site Books | Only available on their website | 4 options to download for free that cover a wide range of topics. | Requires subscription to their newsletter. Getting all 4 books means a lot of newsletters. |
| Taking Cara Babies Books/Courses | Only available on her website | Comes as an interactive ebook/course full of great, age-based information. | Is only available online. |
About Sleep Training Books
Look, finding a great sleep training book can be a great way to get a better handle on how to manage sleep training better. But if you aren’t sure which to get? Go see what’s in your library first. Then, keep using this site as your reference.
You can do this.