I heard letting baby cry could help her sleep through the
night. Is this true? If there were a
simple answer to that question, bookstore shelves wouldn't be packed with
advice guides on the subject! A two-sentence summary of the issue: Proponents
of the “cry it out” method say suffering through a few nights of listening to
your little one wailing is essential to helping her develop good sleep habits.
Opponents say that it’s cruel to let a baby cry in the dark.
Richard Ferber, MD, is perhaps best known for his method of
sleep training — often called “Ferberizing” and sometimes referred to as “cry
it out,” which he says is a misnomer. He explains: “There are habits behind
certain sleep difficulties, and changing those habits may initially be
associated with a few nights of frustration. For example, a child may need
parents’ involvement — to rock, rub, feed or replace a pacifier — at bedtime
and at each of multiple nighttime wakings... If a parent refuses to provide the
expected intervention, there may be increased upset for a few nights, but then,
once the child learns to sleep without such interventions, the wakings become
short, interventions become unnecessary, and crying disappears.”
Our advice: Do what feels right for you and your partner,
but rare is the baby who learns to sleep through the night without shedding
some tears (and maybe a few blood-curdling screams). So if you’re at your wit’s
end with night wakings, some sleep training might be a good idea. Before you
decide to let baby cry, talk it out with your mate. Sleep training will only
work if you’re both on board.