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.
During the first few months of life, all babies have moments when they fuss and cry for no apparent reason. This behavior may occur even when they are well-fed, warm, dry, and lovingly rocked in mother’s arms. Some babies fuss and cry like this a little and some babies do this a lot. There is usually more fussing (which if unattended to by parent soothing would lead to crying) than actual crying. Sometimes, the crying is ‘unconsolable’, that is, not responsive to parent soothing. When there is a lot of this behavior, it may be called ‘infant colic’. Blog Posts 43 and 44.
This unexplained fussing/crying behavior disappears between 2-4 months of age. But when it is present, both the child and the mother may have difficulty sleeping. Thus, the mother might become increasingly sleep deprived and exhausted. The mother may have feelings of anxiety because she incorrectly fears that something is fundamentally wrong with her baby or her ability to soothe her baby. Also, her sleep-deprived state of exhaustion may lead to symptoms of depression. Also, during these first 2-4 months, the intense parental efforts to soothe their child may cause the baby to become only parent-soothed because the baby does not learn self-soothing skills. When this colicky behavior disappears at 2-4 months of age, some babies, who now lack self-soothing skills, develop sleeping problems. The baby’s sleep deprivation continues and worsens and in turn causes persistent fussing and crying.
What causes this behavior during the first 2-4 months of life?
In my book ‘Your Fussy Baby’ (https://www.amazon.com/Your-Fussy-Baby-Marc-Weissbluth/dp/0345463005), I present data that suggests that this infant behavior is a within-the-child or biologically determined behavior.
In my book ‘Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Twins (https://www.amazon.com/Healthy-Sleep-Habits-Happy-Twins/dp/0345497791), I present data that suggests that this infant behavior is a within-the mother issue that causes the baby’s fussing/crying.
Both pathways and bidirectional effects are discussed in my book ‘Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child’ (https://www.amazon.com/Healthy-Sleep-Habits-Happy-Child/dp/0593158547).
Dr Marc,
What are your thoughts on silent reflux? Is it something that could cause a night waking problem? It so, what would be some signs/indicators that this is the problem? I am asking for a friend, her son is around 7 months. (My daughter sleeps like a log at night thanks to the implementation of your methods/book!
My old review of the literature revealed this to be a bogus explanation because studies showed that babies have physiologic reflux normally due to immaturity of the gastroesophageal junction and that episodes of reflux are not associated with disturbed sleep. I have seen nothing new to refute this view.
Thanks for clarifying Dr Marc, that was what I was thinking. Appreciate the help.