"Lyndsey Hookway's Holistic Sleep Coaching is the book parent-child
health professionals have been waiting for regarding infants',
children's, and parents' sleep! The comprehensive content is comprised
of an exhaustive review of the sleep literature, but it is written in a
reader-friendly discussion format. (References are cited in text with
the complete reference list in APA alphabetical style at the end.) I
appreciate Hookway's evidence-based approach with its emphasis on human
sleep biology. Yet her words constantly model sensitivity and empathy
for both babies/children and their parents who live in our current
cultural landscape of isolated nuclear families dependent on two incomes
and often miles from physical support."
-Karen Kerkhoff Gromada, MSN, RN, IBCLC, FILCA Author: Mothering
Multiples: Breastfeeding and Caring for Twins or More
"There is much to like in Hookway's book, including her clear
understanding of the link between breastfeeding and sleeping, and the
importance of sleep for parental mental health. Educating practitioners
about normal infant sleep is an important task. Too many are only aware
of extinction methods for addressing parental sleep concerns: with
Holistic Sleep Coaching Hookway is laying the groundwork for the
development of a more evidence-based and systematic approach."
-Helen Ball, Professor of Anthropology, Director of the Durham Infancy &
Sleep Centre (DISC), Founder of the Baby Sleep Info Source (Basis)
"As a breastfeeding professional, I was curious and hopeful when I began
reading Lyndsey Hookway's book, Holistic Sleep Coaching. One of the
biggest worries for most new parents is how lack of sleep will impact
their family, particularly within the context of breastfeeding. This
book is not about training a baby how to sleep, or using dangerous
methods that can comprise the breastfeeding relationship. This book IS
about understanding how sleep works and how to use that knowledge to
understand one's baby. It enables parents to support the uniqueness of
their child, continue breastfeeding effectively, and identify how to
create the most supportive environment possible to optimize sleep within
their distinct family. I would definitely recommend this book as a MUST
for new parents before their baby arrives, as well as an integral
resource for all perinatal professionals!
-Laurel Wilson, IBCLC, RLC, CLE, CLD, CCCECo-Author of The Attachment
Pregnancy and The Greatest Pregnancy Ever
Infants are probably sleeping no differently now than they were 1000
years ago. However, parenting has changed. We are dealing with the
paradox of parenting information overload, coupled with time-poverty.
Parents know more than ever about the importance of love, attachment and
security to young children. They may know about good nutrition, stress
management, toxins, skin to skin, breastfeeding, one-to-one time,
emotion coaching and organic food. Parents are bombarded with appliances
that are supposed to make their lives easier, and yet end up confused
about what is really necessary. At the same time, modern parents are
leading busy, expensive lives, and have jobs that they love or need. And
within all this, their babies are still sleeping the same as they always
have.
Some sleep experts are quick to suggest quick fixes to lengthen infant
sleep, but there is growing concern that techniques such as extinction
may have negative outcomes for infants as well as being stressful for
parents. Holistic Sleep Coaching is a multi-dimensional approach that
looks at the big picture and recognises that babies' needs are not just
physical but psychological, emotional and relational. Holistic Sleep
Coaching provides an evidence-based overview of how to optimise sleep
without leaving babies and children to cry for health and child care
professionals.
