Does letting your baby cry to sleep work?

Question

I have a two month old who will only sleep if you are holding her, my husband thinks it is fine to just let her cry it out, but it kills me to see her face beat red and tears down her face. I want to know if letting a baby cry at this age ever really helps. She is a very fussy baby anyway and tends to have a lot of gas, but sometimes I think she cries so much because she is so tired.

Thanks for the responses. I do use gas drops, and my baby will not take a pacifier, I really wish she would. Also she doesnt like to be swaddled anymore either, so that is a no go. I think she is overly tired for one and she hates her bassinet, so I end up puttin her in my bed with me at night (only temp though, I need to put her crib together) I know much of the time the crying is due to pain (gas and maybe reflux) I plan on asking the dr on friday at her appt.

Answer 1

No, please don't do that. No, please don't. I can't even bear the thought of a little human baby crying all alone in the night or the poor mother that would have to listen to it. She will only want to sleep on you more because she will be afraid to let you out of her sight lest you disappear again and leave her to cry again.

Mine did cry more when they were tired. I found that holding them still (on my shoulder or against me laying down) or swaddling their arms and legs in a blanket or even covering their head with a cloth diaper to block out all light works very well to calm the over tired or over stimulated infant. .

I will also say that putting some olive oil on the back just below the ribs speeds essential fatty acids to stressed adrenal glands (for mother and child) and a little bit of lavendar essential oil on the feet then cover with socks and a warm blanket can soothe her right back to sleep. We also had a sound machine that had a wave sound and a womb sound and my kids slept very well with those. Gassy people sleep better on their right side too. Maybe a side sleeper is something to consider. Good luck!

Peace!

Answer 2

I'm with you - I can't let my baby cry it out. It's generally a thing only Americans do, and I think it's out of laziness. She's two months old - she's still new in this world and needs her mommy to hold her and comfort her. And since she has gas, she's probably in pain and will wonder why you don't care if you just let her cry. She's not going to be a baby forever. Once she's walking, she probably won't let you hold her so close or rock her to sleep anymore. So yes, while it takes more time and effort for you to help her sleep, I say enjoy it while it lasts. If you choose to let her cry it out, she will eventually fall asleep, mainly because she gives up on you - she finally realizes that the two people in the world who she thinks she can count on abandoned her. (I'm not saying you're abandoning her, I'm just trying to see it from a two month old's view. She's too young to realize that you're still there outside her door.)
Do what you feel comfortable with. If it pains you to see your angel crying for you, pick her up and comfort her to sleep. Why should both of you suffer? You will both be happier and worry less if she's not screaming herself to sleep every night.
Good luck - the gas will most likely pass soon. My son had it horrible but it pretty much ended by three months.
And I don't think I've ever heard anything more stupid than claiming that babies vomit while crying to get attention. She's two months old - do you really think she's capable of thinking through a scheme like that? It's not bad behanvior. She's an infant. She's crying because she has needs. Yes, sometimes children just need to be held and feel loved. They're people too.

Answer 3

I diagree with letting her cry it out. At only two months old I think it is WAY to young. My little girl was also very fussy and she also had Colic. She would scream from 6 till 9pm every night but I just had to get over it. Have you taken her to see someone about her gas. Maybe she has colic or even reflux. If she is going red in the face and has tears please get her checked out so you know she isn't in pain with either of the above. See what your health professional can suggest. I have an 8 month old who I started controlled crying with when she was 6 months old. At that age it is fine because they know that you are always going to come back but at 2 months old she is still learning to trust you. You may just have to stay strong and hopefully it will pass soon. hope I have helped!

Answer 4

i have a four month old and i never let him cry himself to sleep...usually i will feed him and he will dose off then i let him lay on me for a bit and i carry him to bed...he has NEVER woke up in the middle of the nite...he just wants to know you are there, or some babies, a pacifier helped him too he used it for the firt 3 months now he really doesnt need it or want it but it helps babies because they want to suck for a long time its soothing....he doesnt cry so hard fast because he knows im there so he never screams...i hope this helps.. pacifiers are the key to contentment between feedings.Consider the advantages:

* A pacifier may soothe a fussy baby. Some babies are happiest when they're sucking on something.
* Pacifiers offer temporary distraction. When your baby's hungry, a pacifier may buy you a few minutes to prepare a bottle or find a comfortable spot to nurse. A pacifier also may come in handy during shots, blood tests or other procedures.
* A pacifier may help your baby go to sleep. If your baby has trouble settling down, a pacifier might do the trick.
* A pacifier may help reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Researchers have found an association between pacifier use at naptime and bedtime and a reduced risk of SIDS.
* They're disposable. When it's time to stop using pacifiers, you can throw them away. If your baby prefers to suck on his or her thumb or fingers, it may be more difficult to break the habit.






this is from an online site:One of the toughest decisions you may face will be about crying. Most experts recommend soothing those cries as soon as possibleñat least during your baby's first few months. It's virtually impossible to spoil your new infantñhold and snuggle him continually. Coo with baby, too! As you watch baby grow and see how capable he is of entertaining himself, remember baby can use those same skills to calm himself when a crying spell occurs. If baby isn't able to calm himself, use toys, books, or music to comfort him rather than picking him up. Or direct his attention to his crib's mirror; it may distract him enough to calm him down.

Answer 5

At 2 months, babies still have immature gut and tend to have lots of gas and crying spells as well. Don't worry,their guts mature as days pass by. Just burp them adequately.
I too have a fussy baby at 3 months and aside from holding her to sleep,what works else is breastfeeding her to sleep. A routine everynight which is bath -feed- rock-sleep is also advocated by other mothers to work.
And oh, crying it out (CIO) works at 4-6 months so as they say. But I probably wont do that because I dont have the heart. We cant be moms for 8 am- 8pm.I belive we should be moms 24h a day.
Dont worry, this phase will pass too. And when they grow up, you can always brag to them how much you toiled sweat and tears for them and how dare they not help you wash the dishes or do the laundry.

Answer 6

babies do cry when they are tired or just to let out emotion which they are not yet able to verbalize. Don't let her cry herself to sleep. That teaches her that no one cares about her. Soothe her when she cries and she will know you are there for her, you are the Mommy. Have you tried swaddling her? Look it up on 'Baby Center'. Babies need to feel touched in order to develop well. Use a baby swing some to soothe her. For gas get Mylicon for infants. Try rocking her in a room with lights off. When you place her in the crib to sleep gently pat her on the tummy until she is asleep. Young babies can't be 'spoiled' by being held.

Answer 7

yes babies will cry because they are tired but that is because they don't have the ability to fall asleep themselves, especially not at 2 months old. Even Ferber who is the big advocate at crying it out reccomends to wait until your infant is 6 months old.
A baby left to cry it out at 2 months old just falls asleep from pure exauhstion, not because they learned how to go to sleep alone.
Plus babies have bad dreams, they have instincts and feeligns and get scared and lonely. When they call out 'help' it means a lot more knowing that you are goign to be there when she calls then not. She doesn't understand that you are still there when you are out of the room, her brain hasn't learned that yet, she thinks you are gone.

But also medical studies have shown letting infants cry for long periods of time actually effects the way their brain develops as it reduces the amount of air that gets to their brain and releases stress chemicals that interfere witht he brains development.

In the end though if you were feeling bad wouldn't you want someone to be there for you instead of telling you to bad, get over it'? And your baby is only 2 months old, not an adult. It sounds to me like your natural mothering instinct to pick her up is comming into play (something men don't really have) so listen to your heart and hold her until she is ready to sleep again! :)

Answer 8

I don't know I could not let my children cry I have 3 5 in June 2 on sat and 6 weeks old at that age they need to be held and know that when they cry that there will be someone there to hold them if not your child will grow up never trusting anyone and have a sad life ( Master in Child Development)

Answer 9

Try reading Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child. The pediatrician who wrote actually does not recommend CIO at such a young age, but has a lot of other good info and suggestions.
Also, if you are going to stay at home, the holding is not as big a deal at this age ( did it myself for several months), but if you plan to take her to daycare, remember they absolutely will not hold her while sleeping and it may be a harder adjustment if she gets used to it at home and then is suddenly deprived in daycare with no weaning and no one familiar around.

Good Luck!

Answer 10

Yes, they will eventually cry themselves to sleep. That said, I wouldn't let a small baby like that cry herself to sleep. For whatever reason, she's needing the attention now. Give her what she needs while she's so small. She must need the reassurance of mom being close. This will probably change in time. Time spent soothing her now will add to her feeling of well being and make her more secure. You really can't spoil a baby, despite what people will tell you.