Avoid Stressful Sleep Training While Getting the Sleep You Need

New parents are told to condition their babies by ignoring their pleas until they no longer bother communicating their need for security and go to sleep. But what the sleep trainers don’t tell you is that when distressed, all mammals instinctively cry out! And they should, because they are feeling pain and fear without you—it’s built into their survival instinct.

Despite what some experts say, you don’t have to cry-it-out! With an eye toward brain science, psychological development, and infant mental health, we can approach the challenges of parenting in the first two years differently, whether it’s with naps, nighttime, or just being put down during the day. There is a better way!