should babies cry themselves back to sleep?

According to a study done at Temple University, “it is more beneficial for mothers to let their babies cry themselves back to sleep.”

The study which was published in Developmental Psychology, describes two kinds of babies.  The sleepers and the  transitional sleepers.

Babies, like adults, have sleep cycles that last about 1 1/2- 2 hours.  The transitional sleepers cry when they go from one cycle to the next.  Sleepers on the other hand, are able to fall back to sleep without crying, because they are able to self soothe.

Babies need to learn this skill and parents can help them by thinking of these 3 things:

• Don’t let your baby fall asleep while feeding. It is natural for a baby to do this, but you can gently wake your baby to at least the drowsy point, and then put your baby in bed so she does end up falling asleep on her own.
• Once your baby is over 4 months, it is good  to establish a regular bedtime.
• Try to resist the urge to jump out of your own bed at every peep from your baby.  Let her try to soothe herself  back to sleepland, and then you can also go off to that wonderful place.