New parents often hear that they should let the baby “cry it out” lest they “spoil” the baby. Many parents take such advice to heart and try strategies like “crying it out,” especially at naptime or bedtime. After all, the argument goes, how will the baby ever learn to settle himself? However, our understanding of brain development in infancy and toddlerhood shows the error in such thinking: Babies need loving and responsive positive caregiving for healthy development. If you’ve done “cry it out,” you may worry that you’ve damaged your child. Take heart. There is hope. Join Marie as she talks with Tracy Cassels, PhD about how to support your baby’s needs and recover from “cry it out.” (Be sure to also listen to: “Sleep Like A Baby: What it Means and What it Doesn’t” http://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/90522/sleep-like-a-baby-what-it-means-and-what-it-doesnt)
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