Respectful Sleep Strategies
Reflecting on what MSBC has done in 2022, I’ll point out two especially rich events. First, were you able to attend the “Patchwork of Parenting” in May? That was indeed a thoughtful and heartwarming evening of personal stories. (Next year’s Storytelling Event is May 13.)
In addition, we celebrated World Breastfeeding Week (the first week of August) with four instructive webinars. One popular topic was, and still is, the issue of Sleep. That was presented by Jenna Marion, a sleep and stress management coach. You can review this webinar and other webinars on our YouTube channel.
I followed up with Jenna Marion afterwards to discuss some further points. Below is a summary of our conversation.
Robin: We spoke about the "gap in postpartum education" in regard to sleep and babies. What do you think people should understand as soon as possible?
Jenna: I believe we need more educational materials for parents right from birth – and before – and from credible sources. New parents do receive pamphlets and are required to watch videos on safe sleep. However, parents are not given information on how to ensure the baby is sleeping well and sleeping enough. They are left to their own devices – and the internet. This is overwhelming. In addition to lack of sleep, it can lead to postpartum depression and anxiety. Parents end up resorting to unsafe sleep practices.
I approached Maine Medical Center with the idea of offering infant sleep classes as part of their childbirth education department. To this end, I’ve created three infant and child sleep classes for MaineHealth – a newborn sleep class; a 3-6 months class and a 6-12 month class for parents. These have been added to MaineHealth’s UbiCare patient education program. I am working to get class information into the provider welcome packets as well as in the mother-baby rooms after birth.
R: Based on the science of sleep, what are realistic expectations for expectant and new parents?
J: The first thing I always teach parents is the five stages of the infant sleep cycle and sleep patterns that change as the brain matures. When people understand the when and why that alone helps lower anxieties. Next, I talk about the definition of sleeping through the night. According to experts, sleeping through the night is six to nine hours. Developmentally, that doesn’t happen until six to nine months. Here are typical patterns of night feedings:
0-3 months: on demand
3-4 months: 4-5 hr stretch of sleep, 2-3 night feedings
4-6 months: 5-8 hr stretch of sleep; 1-2 night feedings
6-9 months: 7-9 hr stretch of sleep; 0-1 night feeding
9+ months: 8-12 hr stretch of sleep; one possible early morning feed
R: How does your work differ from Sleep Training? Terms are used loosely on the internet.
J: Agreed. According to Sleep Foundation “The goal of sleep training is for your baby to be comfortable sleeping for several hours through the night on their own. If they wake up, they’ll learn to self-soothe and fall back asleep… Once they’ve been sleep trained, babies can sleep 9-12 hours at night.” This tells me that, developmentally, babies shouldn’t be “sleep trained” until nine months. Yet this same website says babies are ready at four to six months. That sounds like unrealistic expectations to me.
I don’t use the term “sleep training” And I don’t believe in the above definition. Babies WILL wake up every couple of hours. We all wake up in the middle of the night whether we realize it or not. The goal of implementing sleep improvement strategies is not to stop a baby from waking up. The goal is to encourage a baby to transition between sleep cycles while still maintaining age appropriate night feedings.
At any stage and age parents can implement sleep improvement strategies that are age appropriate and comfortable for their lifestyle. My mission is to help parents feel empowered, confident and encouraged with sleep improvement strategies. I provide them with the support and encouragement we all deserve.
R: I agree that families need realistic guidelines. You make an important point that infants are not ready to sleep through the night before four months. It’s because infant’s brains are still developing. Parents and families benefit from understanding that infants do not even have a circadian rhythm (day/night wake/sleep cycles).
It’s also crucial that parents know they have the time to allow this normal growth. Paid Family Leave would smooth this process. Babies need time and parents need patience to slowly acquire their skills in tandem with their infant’s abilities.
Thank you, Jenna, for the important points you made and for furthering respectful education about children’s sleep cycles.
Photo credit: Laura Garcia from Pexel