another myth...

You can spoil a baby by...Holding them, not letting them cry it out, having them sleep in your arms....

This one's easy:  you can't spoil a baby.  If you buy them a Ferrari for their 16th birthday, we'll talk.

These little miracles are completely dependent on us for their very existence and survival.  But, and with all due respect for their miracle-ness, they really can't be taught much of anything in their first few weeks of life, other than that somebody loves them and their needs for sleep, love, food and diaper changing will be met.  As their brain gets hooked up and grows, they will learn things, but not right away.

Babies in the womb are in the dark, are cramped, are jiggled around as mom walks, and are listening to lots of noises as mom's heart beats and her gut moves and daddy talks to mama's belly.  They come out into this world, sometimes through a very small hole, into a bright light and a place where if they stretch those cool baby arms and legs, they don't bump into anything. That's got to be weird.  

No wonder they want to nurse all the time, to be held constantly, to sleep on us, not just near us.  They are in a whole new environment and it's got to be a little upsetting.

Holding them each time they cry sounds like a good idea to me. Think about this:  when we were living in caves and running away from tigers, having a crying baby giving away our location would be a very bad idea.  It makes sense to make sure they don't cry.  

That's why we teach you to feed the baby when you see cues not waiting until they cry.  The "cure" if there is one, for  colic, is snuggling.  And crying it out as a way of teaching kids something  rarely ever works.

So hold your baby... as much as feels right. Have them sleep on your chest, because there is really nothing like it and enjoy their infancy, because it goes by before you know it.