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Interaction between feeding method and co-sleeping on maternal-newborn sleep.
Stephanie I M Quillin1, L Lee Glenn
1Department of Family and Community Nursing, College of Nursing, East Tennesse State University, Johnson City 37614-0676, USA. quillins@etsu.edu
Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing : JOGNN
|October 22, 2004
Summary
Breastfeeding mothers slept more when co-sleeping with their newborns. Developing safe co-sleeping methods can improve postpartum sleep for breastfeeding mothers and their infants.
Area of Science:
- Maternal and infant sleep science
- Postpartum adaptation
- Infant feeding practices
Background:
- Breastfed newborns are typically more awake than bottle-fed newborns.
- Breastfeeding mothers experience more fragmented sleep compared to bottle-feeding mothers.
- Maternal-newborn sleeping arrangements can influence sleep patterns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the interaction between infant feeding type and sleeping arrangements on postpartum sleep.
- To understand sleep patterns during the fourth week postpartum.
Main Methods:
- Correlational study with a two-way design.
- Independent variables: feeding method and newborn's nighttime location.
- Dependent variables: total sleep, night sleep, awakenings, and sleep periods.
- Participants: 33 first-time mothers and their newborns.
- Data collected using a modified sleep instrument.
Main Results:
- Breastfed newborns had less total sleep than bottle-fed newborns.
- Breastfeeding mothers had more sleep periods and more sleep when co-sleeping.
- Bottle-feeding mothers' sleep was not affected by the newborn's location.
- Newborns averaged approximately 14 hours of total sleep daily.
Conclusions:
- Co-sleeping arrangements increased sleep duration for breastfeeding mothers.
- There is a need for safe methods and devices facilitating close proximity sleeping for breastfeeding mothers and newborns.