Link Between Maternal Bonding Challenges and Infant Sleep Issues Identified

Recent research conducted by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare in collaboration with the University of Helsinki has revealed significant connections between maternal bonding difficulties and sleep issues in infants. This study highlights the importance of understanding how parent-child relationships can impact child development, particularly regarding sleep patterns.

The research involved evaluating various types of sleep disturbances in infants, focusing on issues such as total sleep duration, frequency of night awakenings, challenges in falling asleep, and difficulties related to sleep associations. These associations refer to the problems infants face when trying to resettle or fall asleep independently after waking.

Previous studies examining the relationship between parental bonding and sleep issues have been limited, particularly in relation to fathers. The findings of this study underscore that mothers who experience challenges in forming a bond with their eight-month-old infants are more likely to encounter increased overall sleep problems and difficulties in getting their babies to fall asleep. At the age of two, these issues tend to worsen, with heightened occurrences of night awakenings and sleep-association disturbances.

Interestingly, the study found no significant correlation between bonding problems in fathers and sleep issues in their infants. However, depressive symptoms in both parents were found to elevate the risk of sleep problems in children. Specifically, maternal depressive symptoms were linked both directly and indirectly to infant sleep issues, often exacerbated by difficulties in bonding.

Erja Rusanen, a University Lecturer and lead author of the study, emphasized the necessity of early identification of bonding challenges between mothers and their infants, advocating for support aimed at enhancing this relationship. She noted that interventions should be particularly focused on mothers experiencing depressive symptoms and difficulties in bonding, as these factors can create a cycle that adversely affects family dynamics.

The study monitored mothers, fathers, and their children over a two-year period, gathering data at four crucial milestones: during the last trimester of pregnancy, and when the children were aged three, eight, and 24 months. Both parents completed nearly identical questionnaires, and the researchers used multiple control variables to ensure the reliability of their findings.

A total of 1,299 mothers and 1,211 fathers participated in the bonding questionnaire, while assessments of infant sleep issues were completed by 1,301 parents at eight months and 950 at 24 months, making this study one of the largest of its kind.

This research is a component of the broader CHILD-SLEEP project, a collaborative effort involving the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, the Wellbeing Services County of Pirkanmaa, the University of Helsinki, Tampere University, and the University of Eastern Finland.