Sleep problems in young infants and maternal mental and physical health

Abstract

AIM: Sleep problems in the second 6 months of life are common and associated with maternal depression. This paper extends previous research to (i) establish the prevalence of sleep problems in younger infants from a broader socio-economic spectrum, (ii) examine the relationship between infant sleep problems and maternal physical, as well as mental, health, and (iii) explore mothers' sleep quality as a potential mediator of this relationship. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, community survey in Melbourne, Australia. SAMPLE: Mothers of 3- to 6-month-old infants (mean 4.6 months) recruited from well-child clinics in six sociodemographically diverse metropolitan local government areas. OUTCOME MEASURES:..