Association of Breastfeeding Practices During the First 3 Months with Infant Sleep Trajectories: A Prospective Cohort...

Breastfeeding has numerous effects on maternal and child health. The effect of breastfeeding on infant sleep remains inconclusive.

We aimed to examine whether full breastfeeding (FBF) during the first 3 mo is associated with longitudinal infant sleep trajectories in their first 2 y of life.

The study was embedded in the Tongji Maternal and Child Health Cohort study. Information on infant feeding practices was collected at 3 mo of age, and maternal/child pairs were assigned to the FBF or the non-FBF group (including partially breastfeeding and exclusive formula feeding) on the basis of feeding practices during the first 3 mo of life. Sleep data of infants were obtained at 3, 6, 12, and 24 mo. Total, night, and day sleep trajectories across 3 to 24 mo were estimated with group-based models. Each sleep trajectory was differentiated on the basis of sleep duration at 3 mo (long/moderate/short) and the interval from 6 to 24 mo (moderate/short). Multinomial logistic regression was used to investigate the association of breastfeeding practices with infant sleep trajectories.

Among the 4056 infants studied, 2558 (63.1%) received FBF for 3 mo. When compared with FBF infants, non-FBF infants had shorter sleep duration at 3, 6, and 12 mo (P < 0.01). Non-FBF infants were more likely to experience Moderate-Short (OR: 1.31; 95% CI: 1.06, 1.61) and Short-Short (OR: 1.56; 95% CI: 1.12, 2.16) total sleep trajectories and more likely to experience Moderate-Short (OR: 1.84; 95% CI: 1.22, 2.77), and Short-Moderate (OR: 1.40; 95% CI: 1.06, 1.85) night sleep trajectories than FBF infants.

Full breastfeeding for ≥3 mo were positively associated with longer infant sleep duration. Infants fully breastfed were more likely to experience better sleep trajectories characterized by longer duration in their first 2 y of life. Full breastfeeding may benefit infants through healthy sleep.