Once DH found O standing at the crib rail--FACING the wall. I don't even think he was awake--just standing there crying in his sleep.

Poor O!

Yeah, she does the crying with the eyes shut tight. And sometimes, she just wants to be held. She'll fall asleep in arms but wakes the instant she touches her crib mattress. Silly babies.

I'm just lucky I can function with four hours of sleep. Plus, I only have to function at home--not at a job so the pressure is off me, entirely. Which gives me the luxury of catching up on my sleep when he naps.

He tends to cycle this way when something comes up. This time, it was cutting a big side tooth (bicuspid?) and a week and a half long cold. I'm hoping that with a little effort, we'll get him back to sleeping on his old schedule.

Question to the baby-having:

Are parents still being told to be worried about cuddling their children too much, about making too much of a fuss if the kidlet is dinged or scared etc.? I've heard arguments saying that "coddling" the child will make it harder for them to go out and experience the world, but I have a hard time imagining a self-respecting ten-year-old afraid to leave his mother's side.

Or is the operative word "self-respecting"?

I have been told that it is impossible to spoil a child under the age of 6 months. I do, however, let her cry a bit if she's not being held and she needs something. Sometimes, she sticks her fingers in her mouth and is fine. Other times, she freaks the hell out and gets plucked up quickly. For me, I'd rather she know that if she needs me, I'll be there.

None of that made sense.

connie, I've only been urged to NOT panic when I worry about O. As for cuddling, nobody's ever warned me against it. Like that would work, anyway, since I can't defy the Blue Eyes of Doom.

I think the main point in the literature I've read is that children need to explore and experience and sometimes that experience leads to bumps and bruises. I do think my pediatrician actually said, when I see a toddler WITHOUT scratches, bumps and bruises (not abuse related injuries), I think maybe the parent may be a bit overprotective. He just calmly warned me that it was going to happen no matter how much I wanted or tried to prevent it.

I do think kids take their cues from the parents. If parents are nervous and panicky, then I think kids might be less adventurous. Then again, I know some parents with daredevil kids that have a right to be nervous.

We watched in horror as my aunt turned her oldest into an oversensitive, neurotic freak. He didn't speak until he was 3.

And what Aimee said. Picking up a crying infant isn't going to spoil them.

Although once Owen kept crying (he was about a month old or so), it was 2 a.m. and I couldn't figure out what was wrong. I was so frustrated and worried that I needed a few minutes to collect my bearings so I put him down in his crib. He quieted immediately. I think he just needed his own space and I didn't catch on fast enough.

I think he just needed his own space and I didn't catch on fast enough.

Em is exactly like this. Sometimes, Mommy needs to bugger off.

I have a hard time imagining a self-respecting ten-year-old afraid to leave his mother's side.

I happen to know at least one. The kid has PRO. BLEMS. Whether that's related to excessive coddling, I have no idea, but there you go.