Letting a baby ‘cry it out’ does them absolutely no harm, say scientists

Can you resist rushing in to pick up a bawling baby in the middle of the night?

Many parents find it impossible, or undesirable not to rush to their baby’s side after the first wail and it's such a personal choice. But do behavioural sleep techniques, such as leaving a baby cry for a certain amount of time before picking them up, have negative implications for the child? New research implies that it's better for the baby to refrain from picking them up immediately. Scientists in the University Of Melbourne who carried out a new batch of extensive research have stated: “Parents and health professionals can confidently use these techniques to reduce the short- to medium-term burden of infant sleep problems and maternal depression.” However you feel about sleep training techniques, a good night's sleep is said to limit the risk of a parent suffering from post-natal depression. Many parents believe that controlled crying settles their baby into a routine. Parents enforcing the method might wait five minutes before soothing the baby before leaving again. They would then leave the baby for ten minutes before approaching them and then stretch the intervals to 20 minutes and longer. The scientists carried out the research are endeavoring to settle any nervousness new parents might have about the practices, or fear that behavioral sleep techniques could impact a child’s emotional development. According to them, you're good to go. Did you sleep train your little ones?