This is YOUR child. This is YOUR family.
Maybe you have a newborn or toddler. Perhaps you just found out that you are expecting or your due date is quickly approaching. Whatever the case may be, I am sure you have experienced others telling you how to parent. Some people with the best of intentions, others more judgemental with a tone that their way is the only way.
Sweet and loving Grandma has told you how she once did it and everyone seemed to turn out fine. Or the lady bagging your groceries mentions how important it is that you breastfeed and breastfeed only. A friend with a child of her own comments on how you can expect months and years without rest.
Perhaps, you have collected a library of baby books and discover that while one provides advice with scientific evidence to back it up, another provides the exact opposite advice also followed by scientific evidence.
Whatever the case may be, I am here to tell you that not just one way of parenting is the right way. This is your child, this is your family. Several parenting philosophies exist and there is no scientific evidence to show which one is THE best way for every family.
Yes, you still might seek advice and research. You will find supporting evidence to back up different philosophies. However, what you decide to do with that information is ultimately up to you and your family. Feel free to make decisions based on what is best fitting for your child and your family to be healthy and happy.
In the end, you are the one at home raising your child. You are the one who is with her during the day and at night. Not Grandma, not the lady bagging groceries, and not your friend.
The same goes with sleep training. It is ultimately up to you to choose how you want to go about helping your child develop healthy sleep habits.
Some parents might want to start working on sleep from day one. Others might want to start once their child is about six months old. While others want to wait longer.
Some might be ok with the Ferber Method. Others might want to do the Sleep Wave. Some might choose the Extinction Method or the Sleep Lady Shuffle.
Whatever the case may be, remember that this is YOUR child. This is YOUR family. It is ok to make the decisions that are best fit for your family and parenting philosophy.