Do I have to leave my baby crying so it can sleep?

Long awaited by some, surprise to others, babies can affect a family in different ways but, in the end, there is always consensus: the little ones are loved, loved and unanimously cute. Despite the various delights of having a child at home, babies require a lot of care from their parents, who should be aware of several signals. One of them is crying, feared by those responsible for a child, especially when it happens at night.

Although it is uncomfortable, crying is the main means of communication between the baby and the world, especially when he is bothered by something. The little ones bring parents the problems they have from hunger, cramps, fear, pain and any discomfort. So, it’s distressing to imagine letting the child cry and not running to comfort him, right?

However, there is a traditional aspect of night crying: one should let the baby cry during the early hours so that he can calm down and sleep. Is that true?

Why let the baby cry?

There are versions that propagate the idea of being close to children, but without picking them up or offering any kind of comfort – the idea here is that they understand that it is that time to sleep. There are also methods that suggest letting the child cry at specific times to train them to calm down on their own.

 

Morning?

One of the explanations of the theory about letting babies cry is that the little one would do it in the morning, and would learn that, when he cries, he’ll get what he wants. However, newborns do not try to trick anyone, as they do not yet have the cognitive capacity to understand this. The children’s brains  are so recent, they are not yet developed enough for them to make a deliberate decision like that, i.e., crying is not something thought out, and it happens to demonstrate that something does not go well.

 

Separation anxiety

Before birth, babies spend months in the womb and then arrive in the world. It takes a good period for them to adapt to this new reality, not wanting to stay away from their mother and getting uncomfortable when it happens. At bedtime, when there is this separation of the child with the parents’ holding, it is natural that the child cries from anxiety and anguish, in separating from the comfort of his parents. With neurological maturity, the tendency is that this behavior will end.

 

Sleep ritual

It is always particularly important to remember that, to ease night crying, it is essential to implant the sleep ritual from the baby’s arrival at home. The child needs to understand that the moment of sleep is natural, that it will not be abandoned when placed in the crib and that the room is a safe and quiet place.

The room should be the child’s refuge, and needs to be cozy, calm and prepared in order to provide relaxation: adequate lighting, decoration that does not offer excess stimulus, a mattress and a crib. These details are essential for the emergence of a successful sleep routine.

Another very important point of the child’s sleep routine is the nap, an essential tool for the parents of a newborn. The premise of sleep periods during the day is that when sleeping in the morning and afternoon, babies become calmer in the evening and can sleep better and faster. Still, it is necessary to reinforce: the routine is the baby’s best friend for peaceful sleep.

 

Don’t let your baby cry

Some studies already present data that question the theory that asks not to go to children in crying crises. Studies present as results that, when readily attending babies, there is a gradual reduction of crying.

By not comforting the child in this period of anguish, it is possible that he understands that he is being punished for some behavior – remembering here that the child will only cry if he is bothered by something. That is, by adopting this behavior, the father or mother can induce the child to suppress hunger, pain, colic or any other natural discomfort. This can generate, over time, anxiety, emotional control problems, among other negative characteristics due to stress caused in early childhood.

The idea of the theory that proposes that parents not to let babies cry all night is based on love and strengthening of emotional bonds. It is understood that by offering comfort and affection to the little ones, they will know from an early age that they can count on adults to help them. This aspect also understands that, when receiving attention in times of discomfort, the baby will already learn about compassion and affection, and will grow organically with this lesson.

 

Take the Sleepy Baby Course

Despite all the theory, we know that it is not easy to apply all the techniques on a daily basis. To help mothers and fathers adjust the baby’s sleep and prevent crying crises during the early hours of the morning, count on the help of a sleep consultant. Take the Sleepy Baby course , access the site and social networks and see testimonials from mothers who are very happy (and rested) with their babies.