Infant Sleep Training Letter Published

Here is my latest letter to the editor published on May 2nd of this year in response to an article on sleep-training infants.


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Parental convenience should take back seat

In response to "Parents try to cope with crying baby" (April 25):

"Sleep training" may eventually get the baby to sleep through the
night, but it also teaches him his needs are unimportant and won't be
met by the people he trusts most. Babies in orphanages don't cry,
either, because there is no one to answer their cries.

Babies cry because they need something. Sometimes it's easy to figure
out -- they're hungry, wet, too warm or too cold. Other times it
isn't so obvious -- they may have a stomach ache or just want human
contact.

Many parents and babies avoid problems by co-sleeping. Other parents
keep baby close by setting up the crib next to their bed or putting
an adult bed in the baby's room so mom can lie down to nurse at the
first waking.

By making sleep arrangements that recognize a baby's nighttime needs,
mom, dad and baby can synchronize their sleep habits, meet baby's
needs for food and comfort and still get plenty of rest.

Mary J. Jordan Vaccarella


Hickory
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Here is the text as I originally wrote it, before the paper edited it.

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I was dismayed to see your article promoting a sleep training method
that ignores the needs of babies for the sake of the parents'
convenience. This method may eventually get the baby to sleep
through the night, but it also teaches him that his needs are
unimportant and will not be met by the people he trusts most.
Eventually baby will realize the futility of crying and shut down.
Babies in orphanages don't cry either, because there is no one to
answer their cries.

Babies do not cry to annoy their parents. They cry because they need
something. Sometimes it's easy to figure out – they're hungry, or
wet, or too warm, or too cold. Other times it is not so obvious –
they may have a stomach ache or they may just want human contact and
closeness. Breastfeeding and learning to nurse lying down are
essential for a good night's sleep. Many parents and babies avoid
sleep problems by co-sleeping, either all night or after the first
waking. Their night-waking is no more disturbing than rolling over
in bed or getting up to go to the bathroom. Other parents keep baby
close by setting up the crib next to their bed in a side car
arrangement, or put an adult bed or mattress in the baby's room so
mom can lie down to nurse at the first waking. Babies are designed
to get a substantial amount of nutrition at night. By making sleep
arrangements that recognize a baby's nighttime needs, mom, dad, and
baby can synchronize their sleep habits, meet baby's needs for food
and comfort, and still get plenty of rest.

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