Yesterday I read about the latest study on whether to let infants cry themselves to sleep or not. I say ‘latest’ study, because there will be another one done sometime soon that will quite possibly find the opposite of this study. So the latest one from a university in Australia claims that it is OK to let your child cry themselves to sleep. My wife Jenni and I are new parents, so we are certainly open to help from ‘baby experts’, both professional and just everyday parents (I tend to listen more to the lateral because they’ve ‘been there done that’). But I’ve also learned that at the end of the day, the only two opinions that really count are mine and Jenni’s. Our son Reed is not a test subject in some study, he’s ours to care for. I hate hearing him cry, not because it’s loud and annoying, but because I don’t always know what he needs. We’ve already learned that Reed prefers to be held when he’s fussy, as opposed to being laid down in his crib. I’ve walked with him many days and nights, helping to comfort him from being gassy, frustrated, restless to any other number of issues. When I saw this latest study highlighting the benefits of letting your baby cry, I thought, “I’ve read other studies that show how comforting a baby while they’re crying is just as beneficial”. I have several friends who say they let their babies fuss and cry themselves to sleep, and that’s their decision. I think that they allow this some times because they’re frustrated that they can’t get their child to calm down and fall asleep. Trust me, it’s not easy. But I would rather soothe my child to sleep that just dump him off in his crib and let him figure it out. My mother even talks about how I was a fussy baby, primarily because of digestive issues I had, and how she would rock me to sleep many, many nights. I really think that makes a difference. And I want to also point out that it is PERFECTLY okay to lay your child in their crib and let me cry if you’re overwhelmed! Jenni and I learned that in Lamaze class and I’ve seen various public service announcements that echoed this health safety reminder. Parents can become extremely frustrated with a crying baby and as long as there isn’t a medical emergency with the child, should always take a break from the situation so as to not react to the crying. Let the other parent or another trusted adult step in and help. Call a friend or family member to come over for some assistance. Never feel like you don’t want to bother someone…it’s always the right thing to do, and they will be glad to lend a hand.
