I Caught My Mom Trying to Sleep Train My Baby

Introduction: A woman’s traumatic experience with her mother’s extreme approach to sleep training her three-month-old daughter, Lila, has left her reluctant to stay overnight at her parents’ house. While sleep training methods vary among parents, this incident highlights a clash in parenting beliefs and the consequences it can bring.

Meeting Lila: Lila’s maternal grandparents, eager to meet her, set up a crib in the spare room for her visit. However, unaware that Lila still slept in her parents’ room, logistical issues prevented the crib from being placed where planned. Despite the noise concerns, the parents accepted the situation, assuming they could hear Lila’s cries.

Disagreement Over Sleep Training: The next day, the grandmother suggested starting sleep training, advocating for letting Lila cry it out during the night. Disagreeing with this method due to Lila’s age and discomfort with the approach, the mother faced a distressing situation when she discovered her daughter’s room locked. The grandmother defended her actions, claiming to assist with sleep training.

Consequences and Resolution: Post-incident, the grandmother labeled the mother a “helicopter parent,” while the father opposed his wife’s actions. Despite the grandmother’s attempt to salvage the relationship by buying a crib for Lila, the woman no longer wishes to stay overnight at her parents’ house. This incident prompts a reevaluation of parenting methods and underscores the importance of respecting parental decisions.

This situation sparked concerns from Reddit users, with many emphasizing the potential dangers of locking a baby in a room. The incident serves as a cautionary tale about the need for communication and mutual understanding in navigating differing parenting philosophies.