If you have not already done so, please read Blog Posts 1 through 5 that describe how sleep is important and beneficial. I will post specific information for parents and children based on my book, “Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child.” Please do not be put off by my book’s length. This is a reference book. Read only the topic of interest to you.
Do maternal symptoms of depression and anxiety during the pregnancy contribute to crying problems in the baby? Yes!
A 2021 Danish study confirmed the importance of these symptoms:
“In this prospective cohort study, 1290 pregnant women and their newborn children were followed throughout pregnancy until 8 weeks postpartum. Depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms were assessed three times during the pregnancy and again 8 weeks postpartum. We found statistically significant associations between high scores of depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms in pregnancy and infant crying problems.”
If you experienced depression or anxiety symptoms during pregnancy (Blog Posts 39–42) and your child has infant crying problems (Blog Posts 43 and 44) or sleeping problems (Blog Post 45), please discuss this with your own physician or your child’s primary caregiver.
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