Babies cry. There's no disputing it. Opinions vary though on how — and how often — you should respond to those cries. Experts and moms weigh-in on this age-old question below.
Security is important for development
Yes, you can, but it's worth it
"Yes, you can absolutely spoil a baby. And I'm 100% guilty of it. I would run every time my little guy cried. I would continue holding him when I knew it was a good time to put him down. And I'm paying for it now that we're sleep training. (Sigh.) But, to be honest, I wouldn't have changed a thing. All those baby snuggles were totally worth it!"
— Kristina Nagle, Mom.com team and mom of three
'Food spoils; babies do not.'
"Food spoils; babies do not. I strongly recommend you hold, hug, cuddle, and kiss your baby as much as you can. It’s good for you and baby."
— Wendy C., mom of three
Routine is important
"You can never spoil a baby. They like routine, so as long as there's one established for feeding and sleeping, carry him all you want, cuddle, love him. This time is so short, you don't even realize it until you have a big 4-year-old and are missing the tiny baby."
— Yuliana Delgado, Mom.com team and mom of two
Listen to a voice of experience
"Short answer, no. Babies only cry when they need something. I wore all of mine. They are well-adjusted and appropriately independent."
— Christina Crabtree, mom of five
Just be careful about sleep habits
"Never! But you can teach bad habits, especially when it comes to sleep training. We had to learn the hard way — but it's different for every family and every child."
— Dana Hewitt, mom of four
We owe our babies love and comfort
"Nope. Nada. Absolutely not. These sweet little ones spent 9+ months having every need immediately met in their mama's womb. Imagine what a shock entering the real world is. Babies need every ounce of love and comfort we can give along with ample support to make the transition earthside as easy as possible."
— Gretchen Bossio, blogger and mom of four
