Parents expect that a newborn baby will sleep on an irregular schedule, but they worry if their 6-month old is not sleeping through the night. Is the baby OK? Is there a problem with the crib?
Infant sleep patterns vary for at least the first three years for many reasons. Healthcare professionals can help parents understand what normal is when it comes to a baby's sleep patterns and how those patterns change during the first years of life. Whether parents should be present at bedtime, sleep training, and allowing infants to settle down to sleep on their own are topics that are frequently debated and parents might look to healthcare professionals for advice.
According to a study by researchers at Pennsylvania State University in Mont Alto, nurse practitioners can be a valuable resource for information about sleep for new parents. They reviewed recent research on infant sleep, infant safety, and the wellbeing of both the infant and the mother during the night.
The study found that there are four common areas of concern for both parents and healthcare professionals. These are: what is a "normal" sleep and waking pattern for an infant, whether waking in the night frequently is a problem or not, whether a parent's presence is disruptive when the baby is falling asleep, and whether sleep training is safe and healthy for infants.
By encouraging nurse practitioners to talk about current knowledge on infant night waking and parental presence at bedtime, among other things, the researchers hope that parents will become more comfortable and confident with their nighttime care choices.
Sleep training is one way to establish a sleep routine for a child, although the methods used may not be appealing to parents or in the best interests of the child, the researchers said.
The study was published in the American Journal of Nurse Practitioners.
