I sensed the intense hurt and self-doubt in the voice of this mother. A high-need baby, a baby whose attachment needs have changed during development or a baby with a unique temperament can truly keep a mother on her toes. As if to add insult to injury, parents are bombarded with baby advice contrary to LLL recommendations. Babies can and should sleep through the night, in their own beds, early on. Dad must feed the baby in order to bond.
Early independence is beneficial.
In a complex world, quick and easy solutions hold wide appeal. On the other hand, parents who practice a nurturing style of parenting may find that it is not an easy path. From meeting nighttime needs to loving guidance, the short-term rewards may at times seem few and far between. Rationalizing that it is normal for babies to be wakeful or that carried babies cry less often means little to the mother who is all but unable to function or whose marriage is suffering because of frustration or sleep deprivation. Certainly, parenting requires that a great deal of time be invested in the early years.