[xcultural mummy]

Hello there,

It's best to follow your own instincts when it comes to what to do with your baby. There is a natural point when you feel that she's old enough to cry it out a little and I think there is a difference between being cruel and being firm. So it's fair enough for you not to want to let her cry, whereas you don't have to be there next to her all the time if she's not actually crying. She'll let you know when she needs you! It sounds like it's you who'd rather be there and you can't let her go!

I used to help my toddler sleep when he was younger, though it was mostly not to do with night sleep but day time naps. Then it came a point when I was clearer about what was a cry, and what was a distress cry, and at 11 months (I'm a stay-at-home-mum) I thought, sod it, he's old enough to be able to fall asleep on his own, and I put him down in his cot for naps and night time sleep. Sure enough, it didn't take long each day before he fell asleep and it was more of a mock cry than real crying, and now at 19 months he'd say night night and bye bye and give me a kiss before I switch the lights off.

The moral of the story is, trust yourself and do what you believe is right in accordance with advice we're all giving you!

Hope this helps!