The Pros and Cons of the Cry It Out Method

The cry it out method is considered by some to be controversial. It is also called extinction sleep training, or Ferberizing. The idea is to let a baby cry for a period of time before they go to sleep. Parents who use this method must resist the urge to pick up and soothe their baby… for a little while. There are fans of the cry it out method and there are parents who strongly dislike it. What is the cry it out method? In 1985, pediatrician Richard Ferber presented a method of getting children to sleep. It was in his … Continue reading

Crying to Sleep: It Worked

For a couple of weeks, naptime and bedtime were a bit of a challenge with my baby. She wasn’t falling asleep easily on her own like she used to, but she also wasn’t falling asleep while being rocked or held very easily either. One day I was at my wit’s end and decide it would be alright if she cried for a little while before falling asleep, as long as the crying didn’t get out of hand. She cried softly on and off for about 15 minutes before drifting off to sleep. I tried the same thing the next naptime, … Continue reading

Crying It Out vs Crying To Sleep

Crying it out and crying to sleep: is there a difference? To me, there is. My interpretation of these phrases probably won’t match every other parent’s interpretation, but I’m going to tell you about it all the same. To begin with, I am not a supporter of the “cry it out” method. I never have been, and I don’t think I ever will be. Sure, there are times when I am really tired, feel like I have no patience left, and put my daughter in her crib, thinking, “I don’t care how long she cries – she’s staying in there … Continue reading

Bedtime With Baby

I go back and forth a lot on how to handle bedtime with our daughter. Up until this point, I’ve been very relaxed with our routine. If she seemed tired, I’d let her sleep. If she woke up and wasn’t happy being in bed, I’d take her out and hold her, feed her, or do whatever else it took to make her happy. In the last month, she settled into a routine by herself. She took naps about the same time each day and went to bed about the same time each night. However, things haven’t been so consistent lately. … Continue reading