Chrissy Lawler remembers feeling completely overwhelmed and out of her depth when bringing her first newborn home. She felt this despite years of academic research, degrees, and theses in human development, plus a four-month college internship in an overseas orphanage.
It’s with a compassionate and understanding tone that Lawler will win over new parents in “The Peaceful Sleeper: An Intuitive Approach to Baby Sleep.”
With so much information on the topic readily available on social media, is a whole book on the matter even necessary? Lawler tackles that question at the get-go with two powerful responses. Her book is more than a helpful guide to training your baby to sleep. It also covers the ripple effect that sleep deprivation has on the whole family.
Social media influencers may have little to no experience or questionable credentials, with opinions and advice that are contradictory or judgmental. This can leave parents more frustrated than ever. It’s not a “one-size-fits-all” approach that Lawler outlines but one tailored to the baby’s own personality and sleep temperament.
A Baby’s Personality
At the core, her “Peaceful Sleeper” method is a middle-of-the-road approach between crying it out and heavy parental intervention. She shares research about the common myths that concern excessive crying, parental separation, and whether there’s harm in a sleep-training approach.
It does take a few chapters for readers to get to the step-by-step guide. Despite parents’ eagerness to get to the instructions, Lawler suggests they avoid skipping ahead. She gets it. Parents are exhausted, and a quick fix is appealing. Nevertheless, her advice is to read the introductory information to get a complete understanding of her method, how to become familiar with a baby’s personality, and how to adapt when sleep disruptions occur. It’s much more than simply following a formula.
One may think this book has a limited target audience. However, plenty of grandparents will need a refresher course on putting their little grandbabies down for a nap. Even the caregiver or extended family member will welcome having a method.
Keeping consistent practices in place can ensure less confusion for the little one. In addition, those interested in the science of sleep may find the data that Lawler includes fascinating. For example, she explains the effect that sleep has on hunger and satiety and how it helps regulate mood.
Sleep Foundation
A solid sleep foundation as outlined by Lawler is broken down into four pillars: feeding, timing, calming, and treating discomfort. Though these pillars don’t change, the accompanying information on each one allows parents to modify certain steps based on their baby’s nuances and cues.
Some babies come out of the womb with an easy temperament, others are considered “difficult/spirited,” and some are a combination of the two. Parents will find relief in the knowledge that there’s something for every baby’s personality.
A passage that parents may want to underline concerns a newborn’s sleep needs. Infants need a lot of sleep at the start, Lawler writes—about 18 hours in a 24-hour period. Even when out of the womb, they’re still developing and may seem drowsy, which explains why this period is considered a fourth trimester.
In phase after phase, the author addresses what parents may expect: changes in the baby’s alertness and when to look for a predictable sleep pattern. Though a schedule might not develop right away, it will appear, she says.
Disruptions
This book has a balanced and nonjudgmental tone, and its author offers options based on parenting styles, baby temperaments, and how to deal with a busy household, including personal anecdotes. For instance, while Lawler was recording a video of her 3-month-old’s bedtime routine, her 2-year-old toddler continually interrupted the scene, causing an overstimulated baby and a frustrated parent. Though it was a disastrous moment, Lawler posted the video anyway as an example of how even experts can have parental debacles.
The author also focuses on the parents’ mental health. She acknowledges her own parental anxiety, with an end goal of creating a healthy family environment.
In the later chapters, there’s guidance on life after the baby adapts to the sleep method and what to do when something disrupts it. Is it illness, hunger, diaper issues, or a gas bubble?
As a guidebook to achieving successful sleep for newborns, this book should receive high marks. However, those seeking more sleep-related physiology may want a more academic offering.
For weary parents or those who are expecting, this guide can feel like an empathetic elder sharing hard-earned wisdom. In the interest of full disclosure, the author runs her own sleep-coaching business, so readers may see this book as a sales tool.
Lawler has guided more than 400,000 families around the globe to a good night’s sleep, and through this book, that number should rise. The pairing of her personal parenting stories with a résumé of clinical expertise should give parents the advice they need to ensure a peaceful night’s sleep, making this the best baby gift of all.
‘The Peaceful Sleeper: An Intuitive Approach to Baby Sleep’
By Chrissy Lawler
Jossey-Bass: March 24, 2026
Paperback, 288 pages
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