Unraveling the Truth: Debunking Common Myths About Baby Sleep
Are you tired of feeling exhausted and overwhelmed by your baby's sleep patterns? Many new parents are, and it's not just a case of tiredness. The world of baby sleep is riddled with misinformation, from the idea that babies should 'sleep through' by six months to the belief that motion naps aren't restorative. In this article, we'll explore five common myths about infant sleep and what the scientific research actually says.
Myth 1: Most babies 'sleep through the night'
While it's a parent's dream, the reality is that most babies don't 'sleep through the night' until much later. Studies show that nearly seven in 10 six-month-olds wake at least once per night, while more than one in four 18-month-olds do. The Finnish study found that, on average, babies that were three, six, or eight months old woke more than twice per night, and 12-month-olds woke 1.8 times per night. However, the frequency of wakes varies greatly, with some babies waking up to 21.5 times per night.
Myth 2: Night wakes are always 'normal'
Some parents believe that children will continue to wake at night until they're taught not to. But this dismisses the fact that typically developing infants consolidate their sleep over time on their own. It also overlooks any underlying health conditions that can impact sleep, such as iron deficiency, food allergies, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and ear infections. Sleep disorders, like obstructive sleep apnea, can also cause frequent wakes, with a peak between two to six years old.
Myth 3: 12 hours of sleep per night is quite a lot for most infants
The idea that babies should sleep about 12 hours per night is widespread, but it's not accurate. In Australia, children from infancy up to almost five years of age slept 11 hours overnight on average. In other parts of the world, including many Asian countries, babies sleep far less. Even in societies that tend to idealize 7-7 sleep, recommendations from sleep health associations indicate that a 12-hour night would be on the higher end of the spectrum.
Myth 4: On-the-go naps are 'restorative'
Claims that motion naps aren't restorative are common, but there's no scientific evidence to support this. In fact, some research indicates the opposite may be true. Studies have found that rocking babies at higher frequencies can help them fall asleep faster and decrease the amount of time in light sleep. Rocking even promotes sleep in mice, and no published studies have examined infants' brain activity during motion naps.
Myth 5: Sleep 'breeds sleep'
The idea that the more sleep a child gets during the day, the more sleep they'll get at night, isn't usually borne out by the research. In fact, in older toddlers and preschoolers, most studies have found it goes the other way. However, one study found that longer naps during the day didn't affect nighttime sleep in babies at six or 15 weeks of age, but did in babies at 24 weeks old. It's important to note that this difference was slight, and it's not clear whether the longer nap could explain why the babies slept more at night.
So, the next time you're feeling overwhelmed by your baby's sleep patterns, remember that you're not alone. And the next time you hear a myth about baby sleep, ask yourself: what does the scientific research actually say?
