title: Longitudinal study of sleep behavior in normal infants during the first year of life.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To longitudinally examine sleep patterns, habits, and parent-reported sleep problems during the first year of life.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven hundred four parent/child pairs participated in a longitudinal cohort study. Structured interview recording general demographic data, feeding habits, intercurrent diseases, family history, sleep habits, and parental evaluation of the infant's sleep carried out at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nocturnal, daytime, and total sleep duration showed a high inter-individual variability in the first year of life associated with changes in the first 6 months and stability from 6 to 12 months. Bedtime was at around 22:00 and remained stable at 6, 9, and 12 months of age. Approximately 20% of the infants had more than 2 awakenings and slept more often in the parent bed. Nearly 10% of the infants were considered as having a problematic sleep by parents and this significantly correlated with nocturnal awakenings and difficulties falling asleep.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sleep patterns change during the first year of life but most sleep variables (i.e., sleep latency and duration) show little variation from 6 to 12 months. Our data provide a context for clinicians to discuss sleep issues with parents and suggest that prevention efforts should focus to the first 3-6 months, since sleep patterns show stability from that time point to 12 months.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Oliviero
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bruni
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Baumgartner
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sette
authors.affiliation: Psychiatrist, Associazione Analisi Dinamiche di Relazione, Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ancona
authors.affiliation: Family Pediatrician, ASL Bergamo, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Caso
authors.affiliation: Family Pediatrician, ASL 1, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Elisabetta
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Di Cosimo
authors.affiliation: Family Pediatrician, ASL 3 Pistoia, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mannini
authors.affiliation: Family Pediatrician, ASL Distretto Brianza, Como, Italy.
authors.forename: Mariangela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ometto
authors.affiliation: Family Pediatrician, ASL 4 Prato, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pasquini
authors.affiliation: Family Pediatrician, ASS4 Medio Friuli, Udine, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ulliana
authors.affiliation: Sleep Research Centre, Department of Neurology, I.C., Oasi Institute (IRCCS), Troina, Italy.
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ferri
mesh_terms: D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018730:Infant Behavior; D007407:Interviews as Topic / Q000379:methods; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D012890:Sleep; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*
keywords: infants; sleep ecology; sleep habit; sleep problems