The stress of a crying baby

Parenting expert Wendy Walsh shares advice for parents on how to best handle a crying baby and the stress that often accompanies it. Why you should avoid the cry it out technique, and how you can get through colic with help from family, friends, and time for yourself.
How to Deal with the Stress of a Crying Baby
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The stress of a crying baby

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It's really tough when you have a baby that cries a lot. You look at these other people when they are sitting there with that cherub of a baby, that's sitting silently with them in the restaurant; and yours just seems to scream every waking moment. My suggestion is, instead of focusing so much on your baby to try to get them to stop screaming; focus a little bit on what you need to have the tolerance and patience to continue to love your baby. That means that when your baby does crash and goes down for a nap, this is not the time for you to get your work done. This is the time for you to nap. When your baby has been crying for a really long time, and you are taking care of the baby; sometimes you are going to have to reach out to other people so you don't lose your patience. That means reaching out to the baby's father, your mother, a neighbor; people understand. The most patient, nurturing women lose their minds after three hours of a baby crying. Nobody is meant to handle it. Don't be afraid to reach out and take care of your own needs. And, if you can, don't leave a baby to cry it out. It's only going to exacerbate their feelings.

Parenting expert Wendy Walsh shares advice for parents on how to best handle a crying baby and the stress that often accompanies it. Why you should avoid the cry it out technique, and how you can get through colic with help from family, friends, and time for yourself.

Transcript

Expert Bio

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Wendy Walsh, PhD

Relationship & Parenting Expert

Dr. Wendy Walsh was nominated for an Emmy Award for her work as co-host on The Dr. Phil spinoff, The Doctors TV show. She also hosts Investigation Discovery Network’s “Happily NEVER After,” as well as being part of Dr. Drew’s Behavior Bureau on HLN Network. On CNN and 9 Network, Australia, she breaks down the psychology of sex, love, gender roles, divorce, parenting and other human behaviors. Dr. Wendy is an Adjunct Professor of Psychology at California State University, Channel Islands. She holds a B.A. in Journalism, a Masters degree in Psychology, and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, and is the author of three books and numerous publications, including The 30-Day Love Detox. She appears regularly on The Today Show, CBS This Morning, Good Morning America, The Steve Harvey Show, The O’Reilly Factor, Inside Edition, The Katie Couric Show, Jane Velez-Mitchell, and The View.

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