Re: [ozmidwifery] AAIMHI Policy Paper on Controlled Crying
Thanks for the links, the info I have read has been very insightful an informative. I will print some more off when I get some more printer ink!! :-) Katrina On 17/12/2004, at 7:24 PM, Pinky McKay wrote: Hi all, I have been off line for the past week - looks like an interesting discussion. While I absolutely believe mothers need support and there should be no blame placed/ attacks on each other for choices of parenting style, just as for any other choices - birth, infant feeding etc, as people working with new parents, we do need to encourage INFORMED choice. While there appear to be no studies of the specific effects of controlled crying (this would require longitudinal studies over years) , there are studies into the physiology of infant stress and being left to cry it out is included in this in a number of papers by mental health professionals, including trauma specialist Bruce Perry who discusses how babies cant react to threat with a fight or flight response so react with a freeze response - ie they shut down (this reference is listed in the AIMHI paper). Translated to controlled crying, this is what happens as infants become stressed by being left to cry it out - they arent learning to sleep. There is some compelling evidence that early stress can mess up the cortisol release mechanism in the developing brain, predisposing infants to stress and anxiety disorders THROUGHOUT life. Rather than justifying harsh practices by waiting until there is a body of evidence to prove harm, it is worth considering that there can be a vast difference between no evidence of harm and evidence of no harm. Some babies will inevitably be more at risk than others - one of the saddest emails I have received was from a mother whose one year old slept after a week of controlled crying but also stopped talking and refusing all physical contact from her. A year later he was still not talking and was going to an older sibling for comfort. I have since had experience of another child who reacted by stopping talking. Many babies become extremely clingy and if they start waking again will almost certainly be much more difficult to settle, often staying awake for hours rather than just needing a quick reassurance or breastfeed as had often been the case prior to controlled crying. Mostly, from my personal observations/ emails/ phone calls from distraught , pressured mothers, it seems that sleep training is widely offered as the only/sensible option and mothers who respond to night time needs are feeling very pressured that they are doing things wrong and creating bad habits . I feel it is very simplistic to suggest that controlled crying will solve the problem of tired mothers - we shouldnt be pitting babies needs against mothers but rather seeking ways to support women to ask for help and develop networks for practical support - learning to say no to excessive demands and nurturing oneself are life skills whatever teh age of our kids. Most people are happy to share the joy of a baby in return for a few errands - ie dropping older kids to school, sitting with a baby/ taking it for a walk while mum has a nap . It is also worth noting that there are now at least two mother baby units in Melbourne where mothers are supported without controlled crying at all! - interestingly staff are reporting less maternal stress and babies are developing better sleep patterns as mothers are nurtured - there ARE gentle ways to change things that dont compromise babies needs or mothers instincts to respond. Tomorrows (Friday) Herald Sun will have an article re sleep training -I am sure I will be quoted on my personal views of puppy training for babies and there will also be an interview of the other side. Meanwhile here are a few articles/ papers that can be accessed online - the references at the end of the AIMHI paper also make compelling reading . Pinky www.pinky-mychild.com CONTROLLED CRYING: AAIMHI POSITION PAPER - includes refs. http://www.afcca.com.au/Files/Child%20Crying%20AAIMHI.doc Why love matters - how affection shapes a baby's brain . http://books.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,12084,1262302,00.html Stress in Infancy by Linda Folden Palmer, D.C. http://www.naturalchild.com/guest/linda_folden_palmer2.html Emotional Learning in Infants: A Cross-Cultural Examination Michael Lamport Commons, Ph.D. Harvard Medical School Patrice Marie Miller, Ph.D. Harvard Medical School and Salem State College http://www.naturalchild.com/research/emotional_learning_infants.html - Original Message - From: Graham and Helen [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au Sent: Monday, December 13, 2004 12:02 PM Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] AAIMHI Policy Paper on Controlled Crying Thanks for posting this Abby - it is a good reference document to have. At the end of the document it states that the references
Re: [ozmidwifery] AAIMHI Policy Paper on Controlled Crying
Hi all, I have been off line for the past week - looks like an interesting discussion. While I absolutely believe mothers need support and there should be no blame placed/ attacks on each other for choices of parenting style, just as for any other choices - birth, infant feeding etc, as people working with new parents, we do need to encourage INFORMED choice. While there appear to be no studies of the specific effects of controlled crying (this would require longitudinal studies over years) , there are studies into the physiology of infant stress and being left to cry it out is included in this in a number of papers by mental health professionals, including trauma specialist Bruce Perry who discusses how babies cant react to threat with a fight or flight response so react with a freeze response - ie they shut down (this reference is listed in the AIMHI paper). Translated to controlled crying, this is what happens as infants become stressed by being left to cry it out - they arent learning to sleep. There is some compelling evidence that early stress can mess up the cortisol release mechanism in the developing brain, predisposing infants to stress and anxiety disorders THROUGHOUT life. Rather than justifying harsh practices by waiting until there is a body of evidence to prove harm, it is worth considering that there can be a vast difference between no evidence of harm and evidence of no harm. Some babies will inevitably be more at risk than others - one of the saddest emails I have received was from a mother whose one year old slept after a week of controlled crying but also stopped talking and refusing all physical contact from her. A year later he was still not talking and was going to an older sibling for comfort. I have since had experience of another child who reacted by stopping talking. Many babies become extremely clingy and if they start waking again will almost certainly be much more difficult to settle, often staying awake for hours rather than just needing a quick reassurance or breastfeed as had often been the case prior to controlled crying. Mostly, from my personal observations/ emails/ phone calls from distraught , pressured mothers, it seems that sleep training is widely offered as the only/sensible option and mothers who respond to night time needs are feeling very pressured that they are doing things wrong and creating bad habits . I feel it is very simplistic to suggest that controlled crying will solve the problem of tired mothers - we shouldnt be pitting babies needs against mothers but rather seeking ways to support women to ask for help and develop networks for practical support - learning to say no to excessive demands and nurturing oneself are life skills whatever teh age of our kids. Most people are happy to share the joy of a baby in return for a few errands - ie dropping older kids to school, sitting with a baby/ taking it for a walk while mum has a nap . It is also worth noting that there are now at least two mother baby units in Melbourne where mothers are supported without controlled crying at all! - interestingly staff are reporting less maternal stress and babies are developing better sleep patterns as mothers are nurtured - there ARE gentle ways to change things that dont compromise babies needs or mothers instincts to respond. Tomorrows (Friday) Herald Sun will have an article re sleep training -I am sure I will be quoted on my personal views of puppy training for babies and there will also be an interview of the other side. Meanwhile here are a few articles/ papers that can be accessed online - the references at the end of the AIMHI paper also make compelling reading . Pinky www.pinky-mychild.com CONTROLLED CRYING: AAIMHI POSITION PAPER - includes refs. http://www.afcca.com.au/Files/Child%20Crying%20AAIMHI.doc Why love matters - how affection shapes a baby's brain . http://books.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,12084,1262302,00.html Stress in Infancy by Linda Folden Palmer, D.C. http://www.naturalchild.com/guest/linda_folden_palmer2.html Emotional Learning in Infants: A Cross-Cultural Examination Michael Lamport Commons, Ph.D. Harvard Medical School Patrice Marie Miller, Ph.D. Harvard Medical School and Salem State College http://www.naturalchild.com/research/emotional_learning_infants.html - Original Message - From: Graham and Helen [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, December 13, 2004 12:02 PM Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] AAIMHI Policy Paper on Controlled Crying Thanks for posting this Abby - it is a good reference document to have. At the end of the document it states that the references ...are not specifically to studies on the impact of controlled crying on infants because there are no records of such studies. That surprised me! Anyone know of any that have been done already?! Anyone interested in doing one??!!! Helen - Original Message - From: Abby and Toby
Re: [ozmidwifery] AAIMHI Policy Paper on Controlled Crying
Thanks for posting this Abby - it is a good reference document to have. At the end of the document it states that the references ...are not specifically to studies on the impact of controlled crying on infants because there are no records of such studies. That surprised me! Anyone know of any that have been done already?! Anyone interested in doing one??!!! Helen - Original Message - From: Abby and Toby [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, December 13, 2004 9:45 PM Subject: [ozmidwifery] AAIMHI Policy Paper on Controlled Crying Hi, Thought I would post a link to this for anyone that may not have seen it. The policy certainly challenges much of the popular thinking about sleep training and such. http://www.aaimhi.org/documents/position%20papers/controlled_crying.pdf Love Abby -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit http://www.acegraphics.com.au to subscribe or unsubscribe. __ NOD32 1.946 (20041213) Information __ This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. http://www.nod32.com -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit http://www.acegraphics.com.au to subscribe or unsubscribe.
Re: [ozmidwifery] AAIMHI Policy Paper on Controlled Crying
Hi Abby Just saw the email with the Australian Association for Infant Mental Health position paper, and one sentence jumped right out at me! The references below are not specifically to studies on the impact of controlled crying on infants because there are no records of such studies. Until more evidence is found from studies I do not feel any definitive decision could be made from that paper alone. Katrina :-) On 13/12/2004, at 9:45 PM, Abby and Toby wrote: Hi, Thought I would post a link to this for anyone that may not have seen it. The policy certainly challenges much of the popular thinking about sleep training and such. http://www.aaimhi.org/documents/position%20papers/controlled_crying.pdf Love Abby -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit http://www.acegraphics.com.au to subscribe or unsubscribe. -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit http://www.acegraphics.com.au to subscribe or unsubscribe.
Re: [ozmidwifery] in the paper again!
Would love to read it Tania. Hope you get time soon. Tina H. Brisbane. - Original Message - From: Tom, Tania and Sam Smallwood To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, July 24, 2003 8:00 AM Subject: [ozmidwifery] in the paper again! Well off the back of my letter to the Ed in last week's Adelaide Advertiser, I managed to get just about the whole back page of our local Hills newspaper dedicated to midwifery and women who make the choice to have a midwife. The journo who interviewed me did a great job, talked about the fact that we're really busy despite the insurance crisis, used very woman friendly language (not a delivery or confinement in cooeee) and published a lovely photo of myself looking on as Casey's daughter listened with a Pinard. I'd love to be able to lead you to a link, but they haven't put the article on their website, maybe I'll get a spare minute and type it out in the next few days. Chipping away slowly but surely. Tania
Re: [ozmidwifery] in the paper!
Title: Re: [ozmidwifery] in the paper! On 29/8/02 10:04 AM, JoFromOz [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I am a new midwife, working in the birth suite in a hospital as part of my grad year. Lately I have been getting some really nice, normal births... some have been inductions, but otherwise no interventions. (some had pain relief, some had none)... but today, my name appeared in the paper in the classifieds, (It's a Girl): Special thanks to Midwife Joanne Zoch I was SO PROUD!!! :) Just had to share. It's my first time ;) Jo Be happy; for every minute you're angry you lose 60 seconds of happiness. The kudos was no doubt well deserved Jo. Hope you continue in your career as a specialist in natural births. Jan Robinson
Re: [ozmidwifery] in the paper!
Title: Re: [ozmidwifery] in the paper!
Does Akhal have a website my emails to her
bounce
Denise
- Original Message -
From:
Jan
Robinson
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Monday, September 02, 2002 6:53
AM
Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] in the
paper!
On 29/8/02 10:04 AM, "JoFromOz" [EMAIL PROTECTED]
wrote:
I am a new midwife, working in
the birth suite in a hospital as part of my grad year.Lately I have been
getting some really nice, normal births... some have been inductions, but
otherwise no interventions. (some had pain relief, some had none)... but
today, my name appeared in the paper in the classifieds, ("It's a Girl"):
"Special thanks to Midwife Joanne Zoch" I was SO PROUD!!! :)Just
had to share. It's my first time ;)JoBe happy; for every minute you're angry
you lose 60 seconds of happiness.The kudos was no doubt well deserved Jo. Hope you continue in
your career as a specialist in natural births.Jan Robinson
Re: [ozmidwifery] in the paper!
Fantastic Jo,
Ain't it great!!
Keep up the good work, says I who is scoffing the chokkies an appreciative family gave me.
Judy
From: "JoFromOz" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [ozmidwifery] in the paper!
Date: Thu, 29 Aug 2002 10:04:37 +1000
I am a new midwife, working in the birth suite in a hospital as part of my grad year.
Lately I have been getting some really nice, normal births... some have been inductions, but otherwise no interventions. (some had pain relief, some had none)... but today, my name appeared in the paper in the classifieds, ("It's a Girl"): "Special thanks to Midwife Joanne Zoch" I was SO PROUD!!! :)
Just had to share. It's my first time ;)
Jo
Be happy; for every minute you're angry you lose 60 seconds of happiness.
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This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics.
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Re: [ozmidwifery] in the paper!
DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE FIRST TIME JO I STILL GET A BUZZ AFTER LOTS OF TIMES
ANDREA Q
On Thursday, August 29, 2002, at 10:04 AM, JoFromOz wrote:
I am a new midwife, working in the birth suite in a hospital as part of my grad year.
Lately I have been getting some really nice, normal births... some have been inductions, but otherwise no interventions. (some had pain relief, some had none)... but today, my name appeared in the paper in the classifieds, ("It's a Girl"): "Special thanks to Midwife Joanne Zoch" I was SO PROUD!!! :)
Just had to share. It's my first time ;)
Jo
Be happy; for every minute you're angry you lose 60 seconds of happiness.
RE: [ozmidwifery] in the paper!
Well
done, Jo!
Karen
-Original Message-From: JoFromOz
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]Sent: Thursday, 29 August 2002
10:05 AMTo: [EMAIL PROTECTED]Subject:
[ozmidwifery] in the paper!
I am a new midwife, working in the birth suite in a hospital
as part of my grad year.
Lately I have been getting some really nice, normal
births... some have been inductions, but otherwise no interventions. (some
hadpain relief, some had none)... but today, my name appeared in the
paper in the classifieds, ("It's a Girl"): "Special thanks to Midwife Joanne
Zoch" I was SO PROUD!!! :)
Just had to share. It's my first time ;)
Jo
Be happy; for every minute you're angry you lose 60 seconds
of happiness.
