Sometimes doing what's best for your baby is hard, especially when it clashes with what you would prefer to do or it hurts you emotionally. I'm speaking specifically of moms (and dads) who have a little trouble with things like letting a baby cry him or herself to sleep and/or have the baby sleep in the bed with them instead of the crib, etc.
I'm not passing judgement because it is difficult to let your offspring cry in the other room and not go in there to 'save' them - it goes against every fiber of one's parental being, I imagine. But I also know that if a parent says, 'I'll let the baby sleep with me this one time,' it could set a dangerous precedent and the baby may not leave the bed until he or she is nine years old.
Some parents I know say they 'just can't bring myself to do it,' or that 'our baby will grow up so fast, and I know I shouldn't let them, but...' when it comes to making a tough choice.
I think it's all about long term training (of the baby and the parent themselves) vs. short term gratification/peace. Ultimately, I think parents all know what the right thing to do is in any given situation, but I can tell you from experience it's sometimes hard to do it.
Parents, do you feel the same way? Any good stories to pass along?
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