Baby Training

Ah, the baby trainers! Isn't it interesting how so many people who have never met you or your child claim to be experts in how to raise your child? You have the wisdom to raise your child properly. You and your child both have instincts that will point you in the right direction. Just listen to your heart! Listen to your child!

Baby trainers can be very dangerous, especially for breastfed babies. Breastfed infants should be fed on cue. The American Academy of Pediatrics says that crying is "a late sign of hunger." It is impossible to overfeed an exclusively breastfed baby, so feeding your baby when he shows signs of hunger is the sensible thing to do. Sometimes babies nurse for non-nutritive needs. Breastfeeding is a multi-purpose way to nurture your baby. Breastfeeding not only satisfies your baby's nutritional needs, it also satisfies his emotional needs as well.

Babies are not a "one size fits all" proposition. Some babies will want to nurse every three hours, some seem to want to nurse continuously. Each baby's need to nurse is different. Some babies are very efficient nursers and spend very little time at the breast, but most babies spend a great deal of time breastfeeding, especially during the early months.

Baby training is different from establishing a routine. Many children thrive on routines. If you want to make your life as a parent easier, help your child develop routines. Elizabeth Pantley's book "The No-Cry Solution" offers parents a loving way to establish routines, get the sleep they want, and still respect the baby's needs all at the same time. If you find yourself craving an uninterrupted night of sleep, then you might try her method. Steer clear of the true baby trainers and read about the dangers of various baby training methods. Some popular baby trainers are Ezzo (Babywise), Ferber (Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems), and Tracy Hogg (The Baby Whisperer). There are links below for more information on baby training.

Keep one thing in mind when you consider letting your child cry it out. If you were upset and could not speak to communicate your needs, and you were crying in the middle of the night, how would you feel if your spouse walked by your room and ignored your cries? You would continue to cry until you came to the realization that the person who means more to you than anyone else in the world was not going to help you. Then you would stop crying. You would stop crying not because your needs have changed or gone away; no, you stop crying because you feel defeated. It is no different for your child. Yes, crying it out will eventually lead to an uninterrupted night of sleep, but why do the babies stop crying? Is it because their needs no longer exist? No, it is because they have learned that the world is a cold-hearted place and that their parents can't be trusted to meet their needs. Your uninterrupted night of sleep has a high cost you hadn't planned on.