- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- babies today articles
- babies today q&a
- toddlers today articles
- toddlers today q&a
- breastfeed.com articles
- breastfeed.com q&a
- community & groups
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
From Our Sponsors
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Should Parents Let Babies Cry It Out?
Two Moms and an Expert Sound Off
By Lisa A. Goldstein
You're at that critical juncture when your infant should be sleeping through the night but isn't. Should you let your child cry it out (CIO)? It's better to make this decision rationally – before sleep deprivation kicks in. Perhaps hearing these two moms' stories will help you figure out yours.
"I did the three nights of letting [my baby] CIO and didn't go in there," says Natalie Caine, a mom from Los Angeles, Calif. "It was painful and it worked."
At the time, Caine was a speech and language therapist, so she was familiar with child development. Still, she did some research on the CIO method. Her husband wasn't in agreement with the concept at first, but went along since she was breastfeeding and needed her rest as well.
"It was definitely not easy to have a young one, new to me and our family, cry so loudly that you thought they were dying of pain in that crib," Caine says. "Neither of us had ever been parents nor been around other family members who went through the question of whether to let them CIO or not. I was anxious about her suffering and feeling abandoned."
Caine's daughter is now in her 20s, and Caine has no regrets. "[We have] no regrets now that we want her to work through the challenges of life so she can rely on herself," Caine says.
Having worked with children of all ages and their parents, this former speech and language therapist ended up creating and launching Empty Nest Support Services, which helps empty nest families with this life transition. Therefore, she says she deeply understands the big question of will I or won't I be damaging my baby's trust that someone is there for them, answering their cry, if I don't pick them up. "To me, looking back, it is one of the first experiences of letting go and letting them begin to find their own comfort and dependability on themselves," Caine says.
Want to see more?
Comments
Found 1 comment
Displaying all 1 comments below
|
Post As:
|
||
| Enter your comment below: | ||
| Title | ||
| Comment Text | ||
| CAPTCHA | ||
| Please note that any comments submitted become the property of Disney Family / iParenting and can be edited and posted at our discrection. | ||
Re: Should Parents Let Babies Cry It Out? by Tina on 04/24/2009 03:07PM
THANKFULLY I did not have to let my son CIO. However, if he did not end up sleeping though the night like he did around 3 months.. I would have tried some form of CIO. Sorry but I need my sleep, it helps make me a better Mom.