Baby’s been up two times already tonight, and there she goes again. You consider letting her cry it out, but then you wonder, “Will she be scarred forever?”  A new study from the AAP says no — that letting baby cry every now and then won’t hurt her emotionally or ruin your relationship with her.

After a 2005 Infant Sleep Study suggested the cry-it-out method wouldn’t benefit children, a second study was conducted to see how sleep interventions — or lack thereof — affect children’s emotions and behaviors in the long run. During the five year follow up, known as the Kid Sleep Study, researchers evaluated the emotional health of 255 children from the original study.

When the children turned six, researchers conducted a 60-minute home-based observation of each child’s lifestyle. Afterwards, they distributed the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory and took post-sleep samples of cortisol (a hormone released as a response to stress) for further evaluation. All of these assessments were used to determine the child’s emotional state and the quality of their child-parent relationships.

In the end, researchers found no difference in emotional health or in parental relationships between children who received sleep intervention and those who were left to cry.

So should you do the “cry-it-out” technique or not? Unfortunately, there’s no right answer that works for every parent. As with most parenting styles, you have to go with what feels right to you.

Did you ever let your baby cry it out? Why or why not?

Plus more from The Bump:

When is Crying It Out Okay?

Cry It Out: Bad for Babies?

Help Baby Sleep Better

If your two-year-old is throwing temper tantrums (and even a few toys) around the house, you can obviously blame it on the fact that he’s two. But, you could also blame it on his sleep habits. Specifically: His snoring.

A recent study from the American Academy of Pediatrics found that persistent snoring in 2- to 3-year-olds led to behavioral problems later in life. (Not to mention it kept moms up at night!) In the study, researchers evaluated the snoring and behavioral patterns of 249 children ages 2 to 3. Based on the snoring habits, reported by parents using the Child Sleep Habits Questionnaire, children were assigned to three groups: non-snorers, children who rarely snored; transient snorers, children who snored more than twice a week at either age 2 or age 3; and persistent snorers, children who snored more than twice a week at age 2 and 3.

Parents then completed the preschool form of the Behavior Assessment System for Children. Scores, known as zBMI scores, were generated for hyperactivity, aggression, depression, and inattention. A higher score meant a child showed sever signs of these traits.

At the end of the study, researchers found that persistent snorers had higher zBMI scores than transient and non-snorers. The most significant difference showed with the characteristic of hyperactivity. Almost 40 percent of persistent snorers were at risk for hyperactivity, compared to 10 percent of both transient and non-snorers.

While many would consider snoring a sign of a good rest, lead study author Dean Beebe says it’s actually the opposite.

“It’s not like in the cartoons, where snoring is what signifies sleep,” Beebe said in an interview with MSNBC. She adds that a person snores when they have trouble breathing, which often disrupts the sleep. This challenge can be caused by a cold, allergies or even enlarged adenoid glands (yep, the ones in your neck).

The study also found that children who had been breastfed for an extended period of time and weren’t exposed to cigarette smoke were at a lower risk for persistent snoring. If you’re worried about your tot’s snoring, his pediatrician may be able to help you find ways to reduce it — and that may just help make your household (slightly) more peaceful.

Does your child snore? How do you help them get a good night’s sleep?

Plus, more from The Bump: 

Want Your Toddler to Sleep Like This Kid? Change the Channel 

Help Baby Sleep Better 

Bedtime Routine for Baby