There are a multitude of questions all new parents will ask themselves at some stage in their new infant’s life one such question is (Is it ok to let my baby cry).This will totally depend on how old the baby is, a new born baby for example will cry naturally however, babies as a rule don’t cry for any reason. A small infant won’t have the capacity to manipulate its parents in terms of crying for attention. A good rule of thumb is if baby is fed changed and isn’t in pain then a few minuets to cry is ok. There is a school of thought that says let a baby cry it out, this isn’t a good idea for smaller infants as a new baby will still need reassurance as the birth is a traumatic experience for both mom and baby alike.



New born babies do indeed cry but if you have established that all is well with baby especially ruling out medical problems then you shouldn’t rush to baby as soon as he or she cries. Some babies suffer from colic and might need a change of formula, a large percentage of babies have a reflux action which causes them to get stressed. Sometimes it might just be a matter of patting baby on the back to release trapped wind so that baby can go back off to sleep. Specially designed feeding bottles and swaddling blankets which help eliminate colic by allow less air to escape feeding bottles and securing baby snugly will help with sleepless nights. All babies will differ and unfortunately some babies will need sleep less then others while some will sleep through the night.


The best people to answer baby related questions are the parents them selves after a settling down period a mew mom especially will instinctively know what is best for her baby. Sure the baby books and people with good advice will offer tips but at the end of the day you’re the one with the baby so you will have a trial and error period. Older babies will learn very quickly that if they cry mom or dad will come and sometimes this can spoil a baby to the point that he or she is sleeping with mom and dad with no visible routine. While it is always good to reassure baby it’s not a good idea to give older children the perception that they can manipulate you.



It is very important to have a routine for your baby for both parents and baby. Once your baby is fed changed then him or her should be ready to sleep generally new born’s will just eat, pooh and sleep. Baby books will tell you that it is not a good idea to let a baby cry for longer then 5 minuets as their could be underlying reasons for baby crying and the theory is that babies need reassurance and that a baby that is left to long to cry wont feel the attachment or bonding and will have problems forming attachments in later life. There is a purely heart wrenching emotion that a parent will have that wont allow their new born helpless infant cry for longer than 5 minuets.



Babies ideally should be in their own crib or bassinette in their own nursery with monitors for extra security. Babies who aren’t held for long periods of time will be less attached and be more independent in later life and ultimately less clingy. The question is it ok to let my baby cry will be a resounding no when you have suffered from the loss of an infant from S.I.D.S for example. The use of instinct is priceless when it comes to caring for your baby in general as mother’s will tell you even after they have been told by a medical practitioner that their sick baby is ok mothers have a sixth since generally for these things. If in doubt as to whether it is ok to let your baby cry go with your gut feelings.