by Priscilla Benfield

Created on: December 02, 2009

Crying is a baby's way of communicating with his caretaker. To allow a baby to cry himself to sleep is to ignore that the baby may be in need of attention.

Every baby is different and some babies need a little more attention in order to go to sleep. Rocking sometimes helps some babies and for others sucking either on a pacifier or nursing helps to settle them down.

Sometimes a baby will be unable to sleep because they are uncomfortable. A baby can be too warmly dressed or he needs to be swaddled in a blanket. With a newborn, it can often take time to learn your baby's specific needs.

A parent needs to remember that a baby is a small person and just as they sometimes may have difficulty settling down to go to sleep, a baby can sometimes have difficulty also. The baby's way of voicing their needs are through crying. When a baby cries the parent needs to check for the obvious reasons for crying such as a dirty diaper or hunger. Sometimes rubbing a baby's back between the shoulder blades brings up a burp which could be the reason for crying.

Parents who think that they need to train the baby to go to sleep on their own by allowing them to cry themselves to sleep are being cruel. Maybe this sounds harsh but especially in a younger infant who is just getting used to being in the world, it takes time to adjust.

If a baby continuously has difficulties in staying asleep the parent should check with the pediatrician for any medical conditions that may cause the baby to not sleep well. Sometimes it could be as simple as an allergy to baby formula that is making your baby more difficult to get to sleep.

If your baby is otherwise healthy, maybe you just have a more sensitive baby who needs extra attention. Keeping a routine that is flexible according to the baby's needs will help you and your baby learn the best ways to comfort them and get them into a good sleeping pattern.

As your baby gets older, if you have acknowledged their needs by attending to their cries, they will eventually learn to soothe themselves and get to sleep. It takes patience and routine for parents and baby to learn what works best. Your baby learns to trust you by how you react to their cries. Your baby will feel secure when you respond to them. Allowing them to cry themselves to sleep creates a lot of tension in the home. Listening to a stubborn baby cry causes anxiety in the parent and also frustration. If you learn to listen and understand your baby's needs you will have an easier time during your baby's first year.

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