Is it harmful for him to cry himself to sleep?
Letting your little one cry before falling asleep can be an incredibly hard choice as a parent because it seems unnatural to let your baby cry. But, the truth is that there are no long-term negative consequences in terms of attachment, mood, or development to letting your baby cry herself to sleep at bedtime. More often than not babies cry at bedtime because they are tired and they want to sleep but they don’t know how. Once she is asleep she will be fine, and she will still be very happy to see you in the morning! What we also know is that a little one who does not learn to fall asleep on her own at bedtime has a mom who is more depressed later on (when the little one is 2- and 4-years-old). That said, helping your little one learn to fall asleep on her own at bedtime when she is young can be helpful for growth, bonding, and development as a family over time.
About Dr. Lisa Meltzer