Infant Sleep
How many hours should an infant sleep?
Most infants sleep around 16-17 hours per day.
How is an infant’s sleep different from an adult’s sleep?
Infant sleep is divided into quiet sleep (NREM in adults), active sleep (REM in adults), and indeterminate sleep. Vocalizations and muscle movements may occur in active sleep.
How should an infant be positioned in the crib?
Infants should be placed on their backs, as stomach sleep has been associated with SIDS. Also, toys and pillows should not be allowed in the crib to prevent suffocation.
How can I ensure my infant will sleep through the night?
Newborns and infants will still need to be fed and changed during the night for a while. It has been suggested that by the time an infant is 4 months old, they will be able to sleep up to 5 hours per night; by the time they are a year old, they should be able to sleep 10 hours per night and take 2 naps during the day.
Is my infant’s sleep pattern related to postnatal depression?
The frequent night awakenings mentioned above could lead to a learned behavior that can become more problematic (difficulty settling for sleep, increasing periods of time the parent is in the room during the night, etc). The lack of sleep the parent experiences from frequent infant night awakenings may increase the risk of developing postnatal depression. This depression can lead to increased stress on relationships and anxiety.
How prevalent is postnatal depression?
Postnatal depression affects between 8-20% of mothers.
How can I improve both postnatal depression and my infant’s sleep patterns?
Some studies suggest behavioral intervention can decrease the number and duration of night awakenings in infants and improve depression symptoms. One such intervention is the “controlled crying” method, where the parent increases the amount of time it takes to enter the room once an infant starts crying. The goal is to have the infant learn to settle themselves and rely less on parents. If you think you or your infant could benefit from behavioral intervention, please contact your physician for information.
Lenik, Steven. “Infant staging.” Handbook for Sleep Medicine Technologists. Kansas City: American Society of Electroneurodiagnostic Technologists, Inc., 2003.
Murray, Sharon, and McKinney Emily. "Home Care of the Infant." Foundations of Maternal- Newborn and Women's Health Nursing. Maryland Heights: Saunders, 2010.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007215.htm (postnatal depression statistic)
