Uninterrupted Infant Sleep, Development, and Maternal Mood

Abstract

Objectives: Contrary to the importance of total sleep duration, the association between sleeping through the night and development in early infancy remains unclear. Our aims were to investigate the proportion of infants who sleep through the night (6- or 8-hour sleep blocks) at ages 6 and 12 months in a longitudinal cohort and to explore associations between sleeping through the night, mental and psychomotor development, maternal mood, and breastfeeding.

Methods: At 6 and 12 months of age, maternal reports were used to assess the longest period of uninterrupted infant sleep and feeding method (n = 388). Two different criteria were used to determine if infants slept through the night: 6 and 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Mental and psychomotor developmental indices (Bayley Scales of Infant Development II) and maternal mood (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale) were measured at 6, 12, and 36 months of age.

Results: Using a definition of either 6 or 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep, we found that 27.9% to 57.0% of 6- and 12-month-old infants did not sleep through the night. Linear regressions revealed no significant associations between sleeping through the night and concurrent or later mental development, psychomotor development, or maternal mood (P > .05). However, sleeping through the night was associated with a much lower rate of breastfeeding (P < .0001).

Conclusions: Considering that high proportions of infants did not sleep through the night and that no associations were found between uninterrupted sleep, mental or psychomotor development, and maternal mood, expectations for early sleep consolidation could be moderated.