British Medical Journal (BMJ)
05/02/2002
By Harvey McConnell
Mothers who are taught techniques for controlled crying can reduce infant sleep problems and their own symptoms of postnatal depression.
In a randomized controlled trial, researchers at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, identified 156 mothers whose six to 12 month old infants had severe sleep problems. Clinicians at the Centre for Community Child Health undertook a behavioral infant sleep intervention (controlled crying) which was given to the women in three sessions.
In Australia, up to 48 percent of parents report a problem with their infant's sleep in the second six months of life, and some 15 percent of mothers experience postnatal depression in their first year postpartum, clinicians point out. Both infant sleep problems and postnatal depression are associated with increased marital stress, family breakdown, child abuse, child behavior problems, and maternal anxiety.
Seventy-six mothers in the intervention group received advice on the use of controlled crying methods. In addition, they also received a sleep management plan, information about normal sleep patterns in infants, and the management of sleep problems. The 76 mothers in the control group received the information on normal sleep patterns, but did not receive advice on how to manage infant sleep problems.
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