Kulala

Why it hurts to hear your baby cry

blog-img1

Have you ever felt pain when your baby cries? Most parents have. That's why it feels almost impossible to stay away when your baby cries in the middle of the night. That pain works like a trigger to get you to your baby as soon as humanly (or what feels like super-humanly) possible.

That innate feeling that your baby is in danger is a normal biological response. Experiments that had parents look at an image of their baby crying saw a strong response in the amygdala, essentially the panic button. ⁠Your flight or fight response kicks in and you're off to fight whatever it is that is making your baby cry because your primal brain thinks they are hurt or in danger.

That response, while natural, is not helpful when you’re trying to get baby used to a sleep schedule. She will sometimes cry and that panic button gets pressed in you so all you want to do is go to soothe her. However, my gentle sleep training method asks you to just give it 90 seconds before you go into the room to soothe. Over time, she will begin to soothe herself and eventually those genes that help her clock move in a regular cycle will kick in and then you'll have a reliable schedule. ⁠Follow the cycle below to try gentle sleep training.

Setting a schedule for your baby is hard but worth it

Schedule setting with your baby is hard not just because you are sleep deprived but also because sometimes our brain works against us. Creating a schedule for your baby of waking, sleeping, eating and playtime is vital for your baby to begin to develop a well entrained circadian rhythm. Of all the things you will teach your child, the very first is teaching those genes to begin a new cycle every day. ⁠

 

Related Posts

How To Get Your Kids Ready for Daylight Savings Time
How To Get Your Kids Ready for Daylight Savings Time
Daylight Savings Time is coming! The good news: More daylight in the evenings! The bad news: If you don't prepare cor...
Read More
All Our Tips For Traveling With Kids (and Not Disrupting Their Sleep)
All Our Tips For Traveling With Kids (and Not Disrupting Their Sleep)
Everyone loves going on vacation. But the word “vacation” takes on a whole different meaning once you have kids. Disr...
Read More
The Top Sleep Mistakes New Parents Make
The Top Sleep Mistakes New Parents Make
If you’re a new parent, or a soon-to-be new parent, it’s likely you have a lot on your mind, such as:  Should I feed...
Read More