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hvparent.com n Hudson Valley Parent 27 old warm and cozy by swaddling them and keeping their room on the warm side. CMG, like Dr. Prashad, also recommends putting babies into their cribs drowsy, yet awake, and assures parents that "crying for 15 to 20 minutes is not unusual." However, CMG also cautions parents that "children under four months need to be soothed. Respond to your baby. You will not spoil her." In contrast, Dr. Prashad claims that sleep training can begin when a child is just two to three months old. Dr. Prashad says, "At 8 to 12 weeks, a baby physiologically can sleep through the night." The secret is consistency Victoria Valencia of Wallkill raised three children without any sleep training but things changed with the arrival of her fourth. "He was a horrendous sleeper from birth," explains Valencia. "My husband and I couldn't take the sleepless nights anymore. We incorporated CIO sleep training around one year, and in a short time, it worked. Today, at age two, he is a happy, bright toddler who knows we love him and would never, ever abandon him." Carolyn Fulton of New Paltz started CIO sleep training when her firstborn daughter was five months. Fulton describes the experience and says, "It was ten days of hellish nap times and bedtimes and then it became amazing." With her second daughter, Fulton was more proactive. She established a strict nap and bedtime routine early on, and always placed her daughter in the crib awake so she would learn to fall asleep by herself. Fulton credits this consistent routine as the reason why, with her youngest, sleep training was barely needed. "I've found the real secret to be consistency," says Fulton. With Saige, after my husband Wallkill mom Victoria Valencia says that her youngest child was a horrendous sleeper. She incorporated cry it out sleep training at one year and it worked. and I established a consistent night routine of bath, book, bottle, and then bed, her sleep quality and duration improved tremendously. It will all be fine Whether or not a parent chooses to employ the cry-it-out method of sleep training, these decisions are often made with both love and the purest of intentions for a child. Hopewell Junction mom of two Nikole Seipp says it best. "In the end, if we are concerned about our kids' well-being, then no matter what method we use, it will all be just fine." Jill Valentino is a wife, mom of two and elementary educator. In the wee hours of the evening she moonlights as a wannabe novelist, and classic rock mommy review blogger. To read more, visit her website at DoublesMom77.com. Learning Together, where children explore the world the way they learn best, through play! • A happy, safe and caring environment encouraging a child's physical, creative, and intellectual growth • Serving children of all abilities • Early and after care hours available Kathy Masloski, Director 845-883-5151 40 Park Lane, Highland, NY 12528 845-293-5600 228 Ward Street, Montgomery, NY 12549 LearningTogetherInc.com AN INTEGRATED PRESCHOOL PROGRAM