Abstract
We examine infant sleep from evolutionary, historico-cultural, and statistical/epidemiological perspectives and explore the distinct conceptions of "normal" produced by each. We use data from the "Sleeping Like a Baby" study to illustrate how these perspectives influence the ideals and practices of new parents. The "Sleeping Like a Baby" study investigated maternal-infant sleep in north-east England. Sleep data for exclusively breastfeeding (EBF) and formula-feeding (EFF) dyads were captured every 2 weeks from 4 to 18 weeks postpartum through actigraphy and maternal report. Mothers also reported their infant sleep ideals and practices. Results explore objective and maternally-reported infant sleep parameters, and concordance of maternal ideals and practices with public health guidance. Comparison of sleep measures showed that mothers overestimate infant sleep duration compared with actigraphy; EFF mothers' reports were significantly more inaccurate than those of EBF mothers. For infants moved to a separate bedroom, maternally-reported sleep increases were not borne out by actigraphy. Across the study period, concordance of maternal ideal sleep location with public health recommendations occurred on average for 54% of mothers, while concordance in practice fell from 75% at 4-8 weeks to 67% at 14-18 weeks. Discordance for EBF dyads occurred due to bedsharing, and for EFF dyads due to infants sleeping in a room alone. Beliefs about "normal" infant sleep influence parents' perceptions and practices. Clinical and scientific infant sleep discourses reinforce dominant societal norms and perpetuate these beliefs, but biological and evolutionary views on infant sleep norms are beginning to gain traction with parents and health practitioners.
Highlights
Managing pre-conceived expectations about infant sleep is a difficult task for which many new parents in Western1 settings are ill-prepared
How maternal perceptions of infant sleep patterns are related to maternal sleep ideals are examined, along with concordance of maternal practices and ideals with infant safe sleep recommendations
Educational level was higher among exclusively breastfeeding (EBF) women, but household income did not differ between EBF and exclusively formula fed (EFF) women
Summary
Managing pre-conceived expectations about infant sleep is a difficult task for which many new parents in Western settings are ill-prepared. When infant sleep behaviors fail to meet social expectations parents begin to question whether their baby has a “sleep problem” that they must fix (Rudzik & Ball, 2016) or worse—is wilfully refusing to sleep—nighttime becomes a battle-ground pitting the parental pursuit of a “decent night's sleep” against babies' needs for contact, comfort and regular night-time feeds (Ball, 2020). In our infant sleep research, we seek to understand how the juxtaposition of parental expectations and babies' biological norms around sleep are experienced and managed (Ball, 2017). In this article we draw on original data collected by AR during her postdoctoral fellowship at Durham University 2012–2014
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
