Sleep Schedules
Hearing your baby cry is undeniably tough. Despite preparing for some crying and sleepless nights, the reality of parenting can often surpass expectations. If you’ve ever felt a surge of anxiety when your child cries, know that you’re not alone in that feeling.
New survey data collected by Batelle from over 100,000 parents reveals that nearly 50% of parents share that same feeling. Moreover, 10.22% of respondents reported experiencing postpartum depression, a figure that closely aligns with the national average. This report constitutes one of the largest sample sizes in baby sleep statistics.
It’s a well-established fact that sleep deprivation can intensify anxiety and symptoms of PPD. The sound of a child’s cry becomes not just a source of distress but also a barrier to seeking relief from sleep deprivation. This is largely because many parents believe their only option to improve sleep is some form of cry it out / graduated extinction.
This blog aims to shed light on the relationship between parental anxiety and infant crying and explore alternative sleep training methods that could make a difference in parental stress levels.
Crying is a primal form of communication designed to get a reaction. In fact, it’s hardwired to trigger a “fight or flight” response in caregivers. This is a survival mechanism that prepares us for quick action by releasing hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones cause physiological changes to enable us to respond to the crying as quickly as possible.
It’s important to note that the ability to manage this stress response can vary among caregivers due to various factors like genetics, past experiences, and current mental health conditions. Additional stressors such as sleep deprivation and hormonal shifts post-pregnancy can also elevate anxiety levels, making the natural stress response to crying feel even more overwhelming.
Societal and cultural expectations around parenting can further complicate this. For instance, the 45.96% of parents in our survey who are working have the added stress of balancing professional responsibilities with child-rearing. The 3.32% who are single parents might face the unique challenges of managing child care without the consistent support of another caregiver. And for the 28.22% with more than one child, the dynamics of managing the needs and demands of multiple children can add another layer of complexity. These diverse family dynamics, reflecting the realities of modern parenting, can intensify the feelings of anxiety and stress when dealing with a crying child.
If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, know that it feels hard because it is, and you’re not alone—many parents experience heightened anxiety. Finding ways to regulate your own emotions will give you a better chance at being able to help your child build a resilient stress response foundation.
The concept of co-regulation is important for understanding the emotional dynamics between caregivers and infants. In simple terms, co-regulation means that your baby relies on you to help them manage their emotions and reactions. You are lending your calm emotional state to your baby so that they can process their feelings with your support, which will help them find a more balanced emotional state.
Infants are still developing the parts of their brain responsible for emotional self-regulation. This process is ongoing into early adulthood. Because of this, they look to “borrow” the emotional stability of their caregivers to help them calm down. This is a natural part of emotional development and is an important part of attunement and helps your baby build a strong foundation for emotional intelligence later in life.
Heightened anxiety can make your natural stress response to your crying baby feel more overwhelming, leading to added stress which, in turn, can lead to more crying from your baby who picks up on this emotional turbulence.
Before diving into coping strategies, it’s crucial to recognize the importance of understanding your own emotions. As a parent, taking the time to identify and acknowledge your feelings might seem like yet another task on an already full plate. But understanding what you’re feeling is essential for both your well-being and that of your child. It can be challenging, especially when exhaustion and sleep disruptions amplify stress, making you feel overwhelmed or even numb. However recognizing and accepting your emotions without judgment can empower you to develop more regulated responses to your child, even in stressful situations. This self-awareness journey is a brave step, but it’s essential for breaking the cycle of anxiety and crying.
In the following section, we’ll explore some practical coping strategies to help you navigate these emotional waters.
If you find yourself caught in this cycle, here are some immediate coping strategies:
Tune into your own body: Are you holding your breath, are your shoulders up to your ears, is your jaw clenched? Notice these things and release that tension.
Reframe the situation: If your internal self-talk tends to lean toward something like “this is horrible and it’s going to last forever” consider shifting your mindset to something like “We’re having a hard time, and we will get through this.”
Get grounded: Notice your surroundings – say out loud what you’re seeing, hearing, smelling, and touching. This can help you to be more present in the moment, which can help you shift your perspective.
Breathe: Taking a few intentional deep breaths can help to bring awareness back to your body and can help shift away from a fight or flight response.
While these coping strategies offer relief, the underlying anxiety about your child’s crying persists. We know that sleep deprivation can exacerbate anxiety, which then makes it even harder to hear your child cry. If you feel stuck in this cycle, you may think that the only option you have for improved sleep is to let your child cry it out.
Many parents feel uncomfortable with the idea of letting their child cry it out, and yet pediatricians, who are seen as authority figures, frequently recommend these methods despite the array of options that exist. Why? Because these methods are the most widely researched and easiest to teach. However, it’s worth noting that pediatricians often have limited training in pediatric sleep behavior, which narrows the range of options they present to exhausted parents seeking relief.
In our podcast, The Parenting Matrix, clinical psychologist and sleep researcher Sarah Blunden highlights this issue, pointing out pediatricians’ limited sleep education. This lack of comprehensive training can leave parents feeling like they have no other options, perpetuating the cycle of stress and sleeplessness.
The Batelle Method diverges from traditional sleep training methods that primarily focus on altering a child’s sleep habits. Instead, we emphasize addressing the child’s underlying needs and teach caregivers about attunement and co-regulation—concepts that can be integrated throughout the day to strengthen the bond between parent and child.
It’s important to note that no sleep training method can promise a completely tear-free experience. However, responsive methods like Batelle’s prioritize understanding and interpreting a child’s tears as communication. The goal isn’t to eliminate crying but to help parents comprehend and support their child’s emotional expressions. This approach fosters resilience and emotional intelligence not only in the child but also in the parent.
Research by clinical psychologist Sarah Blunden underscores the effectiveness of responsive sleep strategies. Her findings suggest that while these methods yield sleep outcomes similar to controlled crying, they are relationally less taxing and more favorable for maternal mental health.
In essence, responsive methods center on tuning into a child’s needs and co-regulating emotions, offering a balanced and potentially less distressing sleep training alternative for parents who are uncomfortable with traditional methods.
Parenting is a complex journey with no one-size-fits-all solutions. Traditional sleep training methods have their merits and can be effective when applied consistently. However, for parents who find that these methods heighten their anxiety or conflict with their emotional instincts, alternative approaches like Batelle’s may offer a more aligned path.
Understanding the intricate relationship between parental anxiety and infant crying can open the door to more emotionally sustainable solutions. Because when parents are better equipped to manage their own emotional well-being, it often leads to a more harmonious family dynamic, not only at night but throughout the day.
If you’re navigating this challenging terrain, consider consulting your healthcare provider to discuss your unique circumstances and explore a range of sleep training methods. It’s okay to seek help. You don’t have to go through this alone.
