Precious Little Sleep by Alexis Dubief Summary
Overview of Precious Little Sleep
"Precious Little Sleep" revolutionized baby sleep training with humor and science-backed strategies. Parents rave it transformed "velcro babies" into 12-hour sleepers. What's the counterintuitive technique that made this 2017 guide a parenting lifesaver when conventional wisdom fails?
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Key takeaways
When Sleep Becomes Your Only Thought
You've probably spent more time thinking about air conditioning than breathing itself. That changes the moment you can't catch your breath. Sleep works exactly the same way-until you're running on fumes with a baby who treats 3 a.m. like party time. Here's what nobody tells you: babies don't automatically drift off when exhausted. They need teaching, and what works beautifully in those hazy newborn weeks can turn into a nightmare by month four. This isn't like pulling an all-nighter in college where you crash hard the next day. This is relentless, grinding exhaustion layered with guilt that you're somehow breaking your child. The stakes feel impossibly high because they are-you're not just tired, you're questioning everything about your ability to parent. Let's start with reality: some babies are sleep unicorns. About 40% naturally figure out sleep with minimal help. If you're reading this, your baby probably isn't one of them. The other 60% range from mildly challenging to full-blown sleep terrorists who wake every 45 minutes and treat your arms like the only acceptable sleeping surface. These babies turn brushing your teeth into a legitimate daily victory. Here's the foundation you need before anything else makes sense. First, stop beating yourself up-you're exactly the parent your child needs, even when it feels like you're failing spectacularly. Second, you and your partner will argue about sleep. Forgive each other now. Third, babies don't magically outgrow sleep problems; they grow into bigger, louder versions of them. Fourth, sometimes babies don't sleep simply because they're babies, and that's maddening but true. Safety comes before everything else. SIDS-Sudden Infant Death Syndrome-kills about 1 in 2,000 babies, peaking between 2-3 months. Always place babies on their backs on firm surfaces. No blankets, no pillows, no soft toys. Keep the room cool. Consider room-sharing for six months. These rules aren't suggestions-they're the difference between safe sleep and tragedy.
Surviving the Newborn Chaos and Building Bedtime Foundations
The Biology Behind Baby Sleep and Why Independence Matters
Essential Sleep Tools That Actually Work
Teaching Sleep Through Gradual Methods
When Gentle Approaches Fail: The Sleep Independence Plan
Life After Sleep Independence: Night Feedings, Naps, and Long-Term Success
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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
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"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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