LIFE AS IT IS

Even before my baby was born, I heard two types of opinions from people I know. While one group opined that it was absolutely okay to let a baby cry, the other group (this group was much smaller in size) strongly debated against letting a baby cry. I thought that instead of listening to what others said, I should do my own research and find out why a baby cries, what should be done when a baby cries and what are the implications of letting a baby cry for prolonged periods of time. From the local public library, I borrowed Dr. Jenn Berman’s “SuperBaby,” a Los Angeles Times bestseller.  Dr. Berman, a licensed psychotherapist, writes in her book that when a baby cries for prolonged periods of time the level of stress hormone cortisol increases in his body.  This cortisol can have dangerous effects on the growing brain a baby, inhibiting its normal development. Babies, who experience long crying episodes, lack confidence in themselves when they grow up. Distraught episodes in early