It’s 3 a.m. and it just won’t stop. It’s the sound that makes you cringe and want to curl up in a fetal position. No, it’s not a nightmare (although it may feel like one). It’s the reality of your baby crying… again. I think it’s safe to say no mother enjoys hearing that sound. But, what we do about it certainly may differ.
Do you let your baby cry it out or do you throw him a life line and pick him up? Well, if you tend to side with those who think it’s okay to let babies cry it out, you may like what one new study has to say. The journal Pediatrics released a study this week that suggests it’s alright to let babies cry while trying to fall asleep. Researchers say it is a “positive stress” that helps them grow and cope as they get older.
That’s all fine and dandy, but I think it’s always good to remember you have to do what’s best for you and your baby. It’s great to hear what “the experts” say, but I think you are the only true expert when it comes to your child. Researchers aren’t in your house in the middle of the night!
As a mother of an 11-month-old who still wakes up and cries at least once a night, this study does not work for me. If I let her cry it out, she ends up waking up her sister in the room next door. Then I have two crying children, one cranky husband, and one extremely annoyed mama (that’s me!) in the middle of the night. There is definitely stress there, but there’s nothing positive about it!
Do you let your baby cry it out or do you go in and pick him up?
