“Cry it Out” is a sleep training method that requires you to let your baby shed some tears and be his fussy self for a set period of time. Typically, you'll do this at gradually increasing intervals of time, before you intervene by consoling or feeding your baby.
Avoiding the Cry it Out Method
One common misconception about sleep training babies is that there’s only one way to do it. But this could not be further from the truth! In reality, there are a number of ways parents can work to help their babies develop healthy sleep habits, stop waking up in the middle of the night, and stop taking short naps. The idea is to get your baby to fall asleep on their own and self-soothe.
I’ll let you in on a little secret: It’s possible for your baby to sleep a 6-hour stretch within a few weeks whereas sleep training is usually not attempted or recommended until 4 months. And in most cases with my technique, you’ll avoid the all-dreaded “cry it out.” (I say “most cases,” because when it comes to one-of-a-kind babies, nothing is ever guaranteed!)
My technique is called “wake and sleep” because when you place your sleeping baby down, you need to wake her up…just a little…and let her get back to sleep on her own. What’s amazing is that you can start teaching your child this healthy sleep habit from day one.
I remember well the first time trying to get my son to sleep. I didn’t know anything about sleep, and he wasn’t making it easy for me. The cries and screeching were so loud that I was sure the cops would be called to my house because of the disturbance. The situation only got worse from there as I tried to force him into slumberland. When I tried to give up on ‘cry-it-out’ after two weeks, my husband and mother-in-law told me that it was too late and my son would have psychological problems because of it. I ignored them and continued to let him cry briefly at night until he fell asleep. The results? My son was an angel baby who slept soundly in his own bed with no fussing or crying at all!
Trial and Error works when it comes to Babies!
Ultimately, it’s important to remember that every baby is different, and no one reputable sleep expert will give you a cookie-cutter method to follow when it comes to getting your baby to fall asleep. Instead, it comes down to trial and error, coupled with some good old fashioned patience. It can be hard to squeeze in all the recommended points, but don’t be afraid to try different things to see what works best. And remember that if something isn’t working, it doesn’t hurt to try something else out. Above all, try various schedules, trust your instincts and do what you feel is right for your baby. After all, they depend on you! Good luck with getting your baby to sleep through the night!
I am not sure if the title gave away my point of view on this topic, but in case it didn’t let me say it loud and clear: There is no such thing as “correct way” to sleep train your baby. Having children sleep through the night was an achievement that took me years and seemed impossible before I had kids. Now that I have both kids sleeping through the night I am frequently reminded of how precious having a sleeping child really is.
You can also read more about using Teethers for Babies: Why, When and What kind to get.
