‘infant sleep’

All Articles tagged ‘infant sleep’

Why Do Babies Wake Up At Night?

Posted on March 27, 2013 in: Infant, Seattle Mama Doc 10112 Comments

Most babies wake up at night. And although some superhero babies sleep 10-12 hours straight starting around 3-4 months of age, most infants wake up during the night and cry out for their parents. There are scientific reasons and some developmental and behavioral explanations for these awakenings. I spoke with my friend Dr Maida Chen, a pediatric pulmonologist, mother to three, and director of the Pediatric Sleep Disorders Center to put a list together regarding why babies do this. Leave questions and comments below if we can explain more. I’ll author a follow-up blog on ways you can help your baby when they wake up, too.

10 Reasons Babies Wake Up At Night:

  1. Sleep Cycle: Babies wake up during the night primarily because their brain waves shift and change cycles as they move from REM (rapid eye movement) sleep to other stages of non-REM sleep. The different wave patterns our brains make during certain periods define these sleep cycles or “stages” of sleep. As babies move from one stage of sleep to another during the night, they transition. In that transition, many babies will awaken. Sometimes they call out or cry. Sometimes they wake hungry. It’s normal for babies (and adults) to wake 4-5 times a night during these times of transition. However, most adults wake up and then fall back to sleep so rapidly that we rarely remember the awakening. At 4 months of age, many parents notice awakenings after a first chunk of deeper sleep. This is normal, and often due to development of delta wave sleep (deep sleep). The trick for parents is to do less and less as each month of infancy unfolds during these awakenings; we want to help our babies self-soothe more and more independently (without our help) during these awakenings so that sleeping through the night becomes a reality.      Read full post »

Mama Doc 101: Introduction of Solids

Posted on May 20, 2011 in: Infant, Seattle Mama Doc 1012 Comments

Ban on Drop-Side Cribs

Posted on December 15, 2010 in: Infant, Toddler27 Comments

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) officially banned manufacturing, sale, and resale on all drop-side cribs today. Laws will go in place June 2011. These cribs, with movable sides that come down to make it easier to place your baby or toddler in the crib, have been under scrutiny for years due to safety concerns. Previous CPSC warnings and recalls have been loudly amplified in the media. Many parents have had concerns.

Here is a nice summary of the announcement. If you have a crib with moving or drop-sides, check out these suggestions for ensuring your crib is safe by doing routine checks. Ensure the crib isn’t wobbly, that joints for the sides of the crib are secure, that there is not excess space between the mattress and the side of the crib (no more than 2 fingers should fit), and that parts are intact and unbroken. If any parts are broken, replace parts by following manufacturer recommendations by looking online at their site or calling the company who made the crib.

This is another great step in protecting our children. What’s your experience with drop-side cribs? Have any of you had experiences raising concerns while using them?

Here’s additional tips from the AAP on choosing a crib (hasn’t been updated to include today’s information).

(And yes, I look like I’m attacking the screen or eager to eat a large drumstick in the still above; I know. No comments necessary :-) )

Breast Feeding vs Formula: Mommy Sleep

Posted on November 8, 2010 in: Infant19 Comments

Loved a study published today in Pediatrics. Researchers sought to determine if mothers who breastfed slept less than those who formula fed their babies. I hear lots of talk (at birthday parties to office visits) about how formula or rice cereal creates better infant sleepers. So far, science doesn’t back up these claims. But as every new mom (and dad) knows, sleep is the major commodity during your infant’s first 6-12 months. We really want our babies to sleep through the night. Desperately. Six weeks in, crying is at a peak for infants and mothers are utterly exhausted after a pregnancy, a labor/delivery, and a month or so of very fragmented and dwindling sleep. Not only are we at peace when our babies sleep, we often rest, too. Maternal rest is essential for familial functioning, enjoyment of a baby’s infancy, and simple recovery. Sleep is not just about feeling rested or perceiving that you get more (or less) sleep than the other baby’s mothers on the block. It is about wellness, too. The study asserts that, “a growing body of evidence shows that mothers may not, in fact, do fine with less sleep.” Maternal sleep may affect rates of postpartum depression and an infant’s emotional and cognitive outcome. Getting rest is something we actually CRAVE in the first few months of our baby’s lives. Sleep, at some point, has to be a priority.

Researchers in West Virginia wanted to figure out if mothers of formula fed babies got a better night of sleep compared to those who breast fed or partially breast fed. The motivation behind the study was to dispel any perceived disadvantage of breastfeeding. Before you get up in arms about how bad your night sleep was while breast feeding compared to baby Jane next door who was chugging formula, look at what they did. Sometimes understanding how a study was performed helps you interpret how much weight you put into the results. Read full post »

Why I Hate Sleep Positioners

Posted on October 8, 2010 in: Infant, Reader's Picks25 Comments

I hate infant sleep positioners. They are not safe or helpful. If you have one or know a family/friend who uses one for their infant, throw it out. Trash compact it. Stomp on it. Cut it up in bits. This is one rare thing you should feel good about putting in landfill.

When I was first started in practice, I didn’t even know sleep positioners existed; I was shocked at how many parents told me they were using them. We are led to believe (by manufacturers) that positioners confer safety by keeping babies on their back. Since 1994, the Back to Sleep campaign has helped parents become vigilant (yes!) about putting babies to sleep on their backs. But after my sons were born, and while roaming the super-store aisles for bottles, crib sheets, overpriced silicon, and breast pads (oh the glory), I realized why parents get so confused.

In the infant sleep section, I found plenty of products designed for babies I would never recommend. Never. Sleep positioners, head positioners, comforter-like blankets for the crib, bumpers and stuffed animals. Many products went against what I was taught in my pediatric training and what I’ve learned thereafter. Like so many things in life and medicine, less is more. When asked about setting up a safe infant crib I say, “Boring, bare, basic.”

In 2005, the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) issued an updated guideline on the prevention of SIDS. Though the message has been effective, sleep positioners have persisted to sell. Two weeks ago, prompted by 12 deaths (over 13 yrs)  due to sleep positioners, the AAP reiterated their position citing the dangers from sleep positioners after the CPSC and FDA (photos seen here) sent out a warning. Even though these positioners go clearly against safety data and medical advice, companies have kept them on the market.

Why? Read full post »