> There is plenty of conflicting research, but I chose to pick the research that supports my point of view.
I'm in the same boat as you here, I've heard arguments from both sides, and eventually you have to pick the one that "feels right". It's hardly a data-driven decision.
> Before that point the only reason they cry is to tell you that they need something. To stop them crying you have to address that need. They're either hungry, or cold, or hot, or have trapped wind, or [are] lonely.
Or, again, you've set up their expectations about what happens next and they're letting you know they're ready for it.
> <snip self-soothing technique>
> It's important to set aside 2 weeks for this process. Usually it doesn't take that long, most children settle in after 2 or 3 nights. But you must be consistent.
See, I don't think this whole technique is substantially different from doing the same thing at 6 weeks. The reason "controlled crying" involves so much in-and-out of the bedroom, is because you are re-training the child's expectations. You've spent 6 months telling the child "If you cry when you don't need anything else, I'll pick you up" and so of course you have to ease them into it, because it's an unexpected change of the routine.
The goal is the same, the result is the same, the effect on the child is the same, the only difference is that Baby-wise says that a child of 6 weeks is capable of learning how to sleep, whereas "controlled crying" is saying a child must be 6 months.
> There is plenty of conflicting research, but I chose to pick the research that supports my point of view.
I'm in the same boat as you here, I've heard arguments from both sides, and eventually you have to pick the one that "feels right". It's hardly a data-driven decision.
> Before that point the only reason they cry is to tell you that they need something. To stop them crying you have to address that need. They're either hungry, or cold, or hot, or have trapped wind, or [are] lonely.
Or, again, you've set up their expectations about what happens next and they're letting you know they're ready for it.
> <snip self-soothing technique> > It's important to set aside 2 weeks for this process. Usually it doesn't take that long, most children settle in after 2 or 3 nights. But you must be consistent.
See, I don't think this whole technique is substantially different from doing the same thing at 6 weeks. The reason "controlled crying" involves so much in-and-out of the bedroom, is because you are re-training the child's expectations. You've spent 6 months telling the child "If you cry when you don't need anything else, I'll pick you up" and so of course you have to ease them into it, because it's an unexpected change of the routine.
The goal is the same, the result is the same, the effect on the child is the same, the only difference is that Baby-wise says that a child of 6 weeks is capable of learning how to sleep, whereas "controlled crying" is saying a child must be 6 months.