Although we know that babies, from as early as two months, have a definate sleep pattern developing, how healthy is it to have an infant sleep through the night?
You may argue as a parent that you need your night sleep, and wake only to feed or comfort your child. That it is better for you, and makes it easier to cope, if your child sleeps through the night and lets you sleep too.
While this has become the accepted standard, and parents are particularly proud when they can tell others that their child sleeps through the night from as early as a few months old, we know that breast fed babies wake several times through the night and that this encourages milk production.
Breast fed babies usually feed quickly and with minimal disturbance to their own or their mothers sleep, depending on the sleeping place.
There is another school of thought that says babies who are encouraged too soon to sleep too deeply are more likely to overcome their bodies natural "protective" impulse to wake, may be more likely to succum to Sudden Infant Death.
This arousal mechanism is the primary means by which infants defend themselves against potentially fatal breathing or cardiac perturbations. Encouraging early sleep consolidation may be placing arousal-deficient infants at increased risk of sudden and unexpected death.
When the "experts" disagree it is confusing for parents who want to do the best they can for their baby. Perhaps parents whose children do not sleep through the night before 6-9months should take heart that, although they may have a sleep deficit as a consequense, they are not necessarily doing anything wrong.
The truth of the matter is, that what is a problem for one set of parents, is not necessarily viewed as a problem by other parents. We should be prepared to work with our children. Supporting them through life and encouraging the behaviours we find acceptable. At the same time accepting that we all develop at different paces and there is some joy in the differences too.
There is no "one rule suits all" nor should there be.
You may argue as a parent that you need your night sleep, and wake only to feed or comfort your child. That it is better for you, and makes it easier to cope, if your child sleeps through the night and lets you sleep too.
While this has become the accepted standard, and parents are particularly proud when they can tell others that their child sleeps through the night from as early as a few months old, we know that breast fed babies wake several times through the night and that this encourages milk production.
Breast fed babies usually feed quickly and with minimal disturbance to their own or their mothers sleep, depending on the sleeping place.
There is another school of thought that says babies who are encouraged too soon to sleep too deeply are more likely to overcome their bodies natural "protective" impulse to wake, may be more likely to succum to Sudden Infant Death.
This arousal mechanism is the primary means by which infants defend themselves against potentially fatal breathing or cardiac perturbations. Encouraging early sleep consolidation may be placing arousal-deficient infants at increased risk of sudden and unexpected death.
When the "experts" disagree it is confusing for parents who want to do the best they can for their baby. Perhaps parents whose children do not sleep through the night before 6-9months should take heart that, although they may have a sleep deficit as a consequense, they are not necessarily doing anything wrong.
The truth of the matter is, that what is a problem for one set of parents, is not necessarily viewed as a problem by other parents. We should be prepared to work with our children. Supporting them through life and encouraging the behaviours we find acceptable. At the same time accepting that we all develop at different paces and there is some joy in the differences too.
There is no "one rule suits all" nor should there be.
If you have concerns about your child's sleep, Contact Dream-Angus.com
Posts
