Links between infant crying and sleep-waking at six weeks of age.
Infant crying, and parental concern about unexplained crying, peak when infants are around 6 weeks of age. Diary measures of amounts of time infants spent crying, sleeping, waking-settled and feeding at 6 weeks were obtained in three samples: a group of moderate criers (N = 45), a group with an evening crying peak (N = 33) and a group whose fuss/crying exceeded 3 h per day (persistent criers, N = 54). Substantial negative correlations between amounts of fuss/crying and sleeping, but few associations between fuss/crying and waking or feeding, were found. The persistent criers slept an average of 77 min per 24 h less than the moderate criers. The clearest group differences were in the daytime and all three groups showed evidence of a diurnal organisation in their behaviour. Persistent crying at 6 weeks is associated with a sleeping deficit.
James-Roberts
I S
IS
Thomas Coram Research Unit, University of London, UK.
Conroy
S
S
Hurry
J
J
D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003448:Crying; D004435:Eating; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D012890:Sleep; D014851:Wakefulness