How Long Should I Let My Baby Cry?

Fortunately, crying is not a known symptom of SIDS and employing good baby sleep training methods does not increase the likelihood of SIDS. Colic is a time-honored baby mystery. It is not entirely understood, but it is common, occurring in about 20 percent of babies.

Generally, colic occurs in babies at about two or three weeks old and may last until they are around five months old. Colic is tough on babies and parents since it often induces prolonged crying, even for hours, often at the same time of day. If you suspect your baby is colicky, it is a good idea to have them examined by their pediatrician to rule out other causes, but keep in mind that colic is common and your baby will grow out of it.

How long should I Iet my baby cry and what are good sleep training methods? There are two schools of thought with baby sleep training, the ‘Cry it Out’ (CIO) method for baby sleep training and the more attentive ‘No Cry’ method. Keep in mind that both techniques are meant for healthy babies who are past the newborn stage, you’ve ruled out medical concerns such as colic and that you may have to try both methods, or a combination of both, to find what works best for you and your baby.

The ultimate goal is to teach your baby to soothe itself and calmly fall asleep. As a parent myself, I tried both methods before I even knew there were “methods.” Like most parents, I experienced a lot of trial and error during baby sleep training.

The CIO method I used involved first making sure that my four-month-old baby was clean, happily fed and tired. Then I would lay him down to sleep and set my kitchen timer for 10 minutes. If, after 10 minutes, he was still crying I would investigate to see if something really was wrong.

That worked for my son. My daughter, on the other hand, was another story.