03/22/2023
āØAttachment + Sleep TrainingāØ
This is a shockingly debated topic. Iāve read so many actual studies on this topic and the takeaway is:
-sleep training works.
(when done properly and no underlying medical conditions are present)
-sleep training does NOT damage infants and children developmentally.
(in fact the consolidated sleep they get afterwards positively promotes their development)
-sleep training has ZERO impact on attachment if the child is in a warm, loving environment.
-short-term stress boosts your childās resilience and self-regulation.
Studies for these specific findings:
Parental use of 'cry it out in infants: no adverse effects on attachment and behavioural development at 18 months.
Ayten Bilgin, 1 and Dieter Wolke1,2
'Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK; ?Division of Health Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
Behavioral Treatment of Bedtime Problems and Night Wakings in Infants and Young Children
An American Academy of Sleep Medicine Review
Jodi A. Mindell, PhD14; Brett Kuhn, PhD?; Daniel S. Lewin, PhD°, Lisa J. Meltzer, PhD*: Avi Sadeh, DSc
'Department of Psychology, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, PA;
(Article): Cry, Baby, Cry
A journal jumps on the Dr. Sears bandwagon to say sleep training is dangerous.
Science says otherwise.
-Melinda Webber Moyer
Five-Year Follow-up of Harms and Benefits of Behavioral Infant Sleep Intervention: Randomized Trial
Anna M.H. Price, BA(Hons) ; Melissa Wake, MB BS; Obioha C. Ukoumunne, PhD; Harriet Hiscock, MB B°
Sleep Problems in Early Childhood: Continuities, Pre Factors, and Behavioral Correlates
Barry Zuckerman; James Stevenson; Veira Bailey Pediatrics (1987) 80 (5): 664-671.
Links between infant sleep and parental tolerance for infant cry longitudinal assessment from pregnancy through six months postpartum
Michal Kahn ", Yasmin Bauminger°, Ella Volkovich, Gal Meiri , Avi Sadeh a, 1,
Liat Tikotzky