Infant Sleep Health

Infants spend more time in REM sleep than

________ at any other point of the life span.

Co sleeping is increasing in

________Western nations, perhaps because of a rise in breastfeeding.

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

a condition that occurs when infants stop breathing, usually during the night, and die suddenly without an apparent cause

In REM sleep,

the eyes flutter beneath closed lids.

In non-REM sleep,

this type of eye movement does not occur and sleep is quieter.

Link between infant sleep and children’s cognitive functioning likely occurs

because of sleep’s role in brain maturation and memory consolidation.

Infants who sleep mostly at night appear to have

higher levels of executive function at age 4.

Poor quality of infant sleep has been shown to have

negative effects for the child.

Infants should sleep on

their backs rather than on their stomachs.

Newborns sleep

16 to 18 hours a day.

Highest risk of SIDS is at

2 to 4 months of age.

SIDS is less common in

bedrooms with a fan, for infants who breastfeed, and for infants who use a pacifier.

Sleep deprivation in early parenting is

a major stressor

Infants 0 to 2 years of age sleep an average of

12.8 hours a day, within a range of 9.7 to 15.9 hours

Surveys indicate 20 to 30 percent of infants have

difficulty going to sleep and staying asleep at night.

Parent–infant co-sleeping is

the norm in many of the world’s population.

Cultural emphasis on independent vs. interdependent self strongly influences

infant sleeping arrangements

American Academy of Pediatrics discourages

shared sleeping because of the risk of SIDS. Recommend baby in room until 6 mo. Of age

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS):

a condition that occurs when infants stop breathing, usually during the night, and die suddenly without an apparent cause.

Babies might have a higher risk of SIDS if:

• their mother smoked, drank, or used drugs during pregnancy and after birth

• their mother had poor prenatal care

• they were born prematurely or at a low birth weight

• there's a family history of SIDS

• their mothers were younger than 20 when they gave birth they are around tobacco smoke after birth

• babies get overheated

Poor quality of infant sleep can cause lower

attention regulation and more behavior problems at 3 to 4 years of age.

Poor quality of infant sleep can cause greater

distractibility

About how many SIDS cases are there in the US per year?

3400