Interventions for influencing sleep patterns in exclusively breastfed infants.
BACKGROUND
The difference between night and day may be reinforced in young babies by offering a 'focal feed' between 10pm and midnight and gradually lengthening the intervals between night-time feeds by a variety of other activities (such as nappy changing, re-swaddling and walking with the infant).


OBJECTIVE
The objective of this review was to assess the effects of using a structured training programme to teach exclusively breastfed infants to sleep through the night by eight weeks old.


METHODS
We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group trials register.


METHODS
Acceptably controlled trials of a structured programme accentuating the difference between night and day compared with no intervention in first time parents of singleton babies, with mothers intending to exclusively breastfeed their infants for at least eight weeks post-partum.


METHODS
Trial quality was assessed and data were extracted independently by two reviewers.


RESULTS
One trial involving 33 couples was included. More infants in the treatment group were sleeping throughout the night by eight weeks of age than in the control group (odds ratio 0.04, 95% confidence interval 0.01 to 0.21).


CONCLUSIONS
There is some evidence to show that first time parents using a structured sleeping programme can teach their babies to sleep through the night by eight weeks of age.
Renfrew
M J
MJ
Mother and Infant Research Unit, University of Leeds, 22 Hyde Terrace, Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK, LS2 9LN. m.j.renfrew@leeds.ac.uk
Lang
S
S
Martin
L
L
Woolridge
M
M
D001942:Breast Feeding; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007224:Infant Care; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D012890:Sleep