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Vogiatzoglou M, Iliadou M, Antoniou E, Andersson E, Mrvoljak-Theodoropoulou I, Dagla C, Sotiropoulou D, Tsolaridou E, Orovou E, Tomara E, Dagla M. Exploring the Relationship between Co-Sleeping, Maternal Mental Health and Expression of Complaints during Infancy, and Breastfeeding. Healthcare (Basel) 2024; 12:1278. [PMID: 38998813 PMCID: PMC11241345 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12131278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2024] [Revised: 06/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study explores whether the implementation of co-sleeping in infants aged 6-12 months (a) is associated with maternal complaints and mothers' difficulties regarding their infant's sleep, (b) is associated with maternal mental health, (c) affects infant sleep characteristics and maternal sleep quality, and (d) is associated with breastfeeding. METHODS This study is a cross-sectional study conducted from July to November 2021. A total of 151 new mothers of infants aged 6-12 months participated. All participants were divided into two different groups, the group of mothers who adopted the co-sleeping method from birth up to the time of the survey and the group of those who did not adopt co-sleeping at that time. The Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire-Revised Short Form (BISQ-R SF), the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and a questionnaire on mothers' demographics were administered. RESULTS Regarding the mothers' complaints, mothers who co-sleep with their children have lower sleep quality than those who do not co-sleep. In respect of the mothers' mental health, there did not seem to be a statistically significant difference in the two groups. Regarding the difficulties during the sleep process, children who sleep with their parents seem to have more difficulties compared to the others (p = 0.008). It was also shown that co-sleeping children seem to have more disturbed sleep compared to those who sleep alone (p = 0.018), and a general trend obtained of a significantly higher number of awakenings for co-sleeping children (p < 0.001). Finally, breastfeeding appeared to be more related to the children of the present sample sleeping with their parents (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS This study showed that co-sleeping is associated with more difficulties in infant and maternal sleep, but no direct correlation with maternal mental health was found. In addition, it showed a positive correlation of co-sleeping with breastfeeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilena Vogiatzoglou
- Department of Midwifery, School of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece; (M.V.); (M.I.); (E.A.); (E.T.); (E.O.); (E.T.)
- Day Center for the Care of the Mental Health of Women (Perinatal Mental Health Disorders), Non-Profit Organization “FAINARETI”, 17121 Athens, Greece; (I.M.-T.); (C.D.); (D.S.)
| | - Maria Iliadou
- Department of Midwifery, School of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece; (M.V.); (M.I.); (E.A.); (E.T.); (E.O.); (E.T.)
| | - Evangelia Antoniou
- Department of Midwifery, School of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece; (M.V.); (M.I.); (E.A.); (E.T.); (E.O.); (E.T.)
- Day Center for the Care of the Mental Health of Women (Perinatal Mental Health Disorders), Non-Profit Organization “FAINARETI”, 17121 Athens, Greece; (I.M.-T.); (C.D.); (D.S.)
| | - Ewa Andersson
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden;
| | - Irina Mrvoljak-Theodoropoulou
- Day Center for the Care of the Mental Health of Women (Perinatal Mental Health Disorders), Non-Profit Organization “FAINARETI”, 17121 Athens, Greece; (I.M.-T.); (C.D.); (D.S.)
| | - Calliope Dagla
- Day Center for the Care of the Mental Health of Women (Perinatal Mental Health Disorders), Non-Profit Organization “FAINARETI”, 17121 Athens, Greece; (I.M.-T.); (C.D.); (D.S.)
| | - Dimitra Sotiropoulou
- Day Center for the Care of the Mental Health of Women (Perinatal Mental Health Disorders), Non-Profit Organization “FAINARETI”, 17121 Athens, Greece; (I.M.-T.); (C.D.); (D.S.)
| | - Eleni Tsolaridou
- Department of Midwifery, School of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece; (M.V.); (M.I.); (E.A.); (E.T.); (E.O.); (E.T.)
- Day Center for the Care of the Mental Health of Women (Perinatal Mental Health Disorders), Non-Profit Organization “FAINARETI”, 17121 Athens, Greece; (I.M.-T.); (C.D.); (D.S.)
| | - Eirini Orovou
- Department of Midwifery, School of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece; (M.V.); (M.I.); (E.A.); (E.T.); (E.O.); (E.T.)
- Department of Midwifery, University of Western Macedonia, 50200 Ptolemaida, Greece
| | - Eirini Tomara
- Department of Midwifery, School of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece; (M.V.); (M.I.); (E.A.); (E.T.); (E.O.); (E.T.)
| | - Maria Dagla
- Department of Midwifery, School of Health and Care Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece; (M.V.); (M.I.); (E.A.); (E.T.); (E.O.); (E.T.)
- Day Center for the Care of the Mental Health of Women (Perinatal Mental Health Disorders), Non-Profit Organization “FAINARETI”, 17121 Athens, Greece; (I.M.-T.); (C.D.); (D.S.)
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Kruse SP, D'Souza L, Tuncer HGG, Stewart SE. Sources of attitudes towards parent-child co-sleeping and their effects: A systematic scoping review. FAMILY PROCESS 2024. [PMID: 38837802 DOI: 10.1111/famp.13022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Parent-child co-sleeping is a common practice in many cultures, although in Western countries, families who engage in parent-child co-sleeping can encounter attitudes about co-sleeping that feel critical from the people around them, as it is not commonly accepted and often stigmatized. This systematic scoping review examined and synthesized the available literature on the attitudes about parent-child co-sleeping that people encounter, their origins, and their effect on parents' own attitudes and behaviors. A total of 9796 abstracts were screened, and 33 studies were included. While the scope of the literature on this topic was narrow, this review demonstrated that parents/caregivers mostly encounter encouraging attitudes about co-sleeping from their extended family members and within their culture and discouraging attitudes from healthcare professionals. Findings suggest that encouraging attitudes enhance the likelihood of parents engaging and continuing with co-sleeping behavior, while discouraging attitudes can lead to the avoidance of parents discussing sleep with their healthcare professionals and can cause conflicts with other family members, including partners. Based on these findings, we conclude that further research is needed in several areas related to co-sleeping in Western culture, most specifically in how external attitudes influence the decision to co-sleep, as well as other behaviors and cognitions such as engagement with healthcare professionals, family satisfaction, parental self-efficacy, and overall mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah P Kruse
- Faculty of Education, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Levita D'Souza
- Faculty of Education, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Hannah G G Tuncer
- Faculty of Education, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sandra E Stewart
- Faculty of Education, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Wood NK, Helfrich-Miller KR, Dyer AM. A longitudinal study of breastfeeding relationships at home during the COVID-19 pandemic: A grounded theory method. J Adv Nurs 2024. [PMID: 38738588 DOI: 10.1111/jan.16219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
AIMS To describe the process of breastfeeding relationships among stay-at-home mother and infant dyads at 1, 3, 5 and 6 months. DESIGN A longitudinal qualitative online survey design was used. METHODS Data were obtained at 1, 3, 5 and 6 months from 26 breastfeeding mothers who stayed home with their infants and directly breastfed at least once a day for the first 6 months between June 2022 and August 2023. Mothers' written responses to 3 open-ended questions were analysed to assess breastfeeding experiences at home, thoughts/comments while directly breastfeeding and breastfeeding concerns/problems and strategies they used. Based on grounded theory, inductive content analysis was used to analyse the data. Trustworthiness of results was established by coding to consensus, formal peer debriefing and maintaining an audit trail. RESULTS 'Breastfeeding Relationships at Home,' the core construct, was identified and organized the process of breastfeeding relationships into 5 domains: (1) mothers' emotional well-being while breastfeeding, (2) infant-led feeding, (3) alternatives to breastfeeding, (4) evaluation of breastfeeding and (5) changes in breastfeeding as infants grow older. CONCLUSION Breastfeeding is not simply about feeding breast milk but also involves nurturing and developing a relationship between mother and infant. Across the domains, mutual responsiveness, a central element of the breastfeeding relationship was clear. Mothers who were committed to breastfeeding with embedded infant suckling reached emotional well-being in return for their engagement which has potential to reduce maternal stress and prevent postpartum depression. IMPACT Findings from the current study add to nurses' knowledge about the relationship building process between stay-at-home mothers and their infants in the first 6 months of breastfeeding during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nurses must remain sensitive to aid the development of breastfeeding relationships in the home environment to maximize mutual responsiveness. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION No patients or public involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natsuko K Wood
- Washington State University College of Nursing, Spokane, Washington, USA
| | | | - Ann M Dyer
- Washington State University Spokane Academic Library, Spokane, Washington, USA
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Boedker I, Ball HL, Richter M, South TL, Roberts SGB. Construction of the Views oN Infant Sleep (VNIS) Questionnaire. Early Hum Dev 2024; 191:105989. [PMID: 38513547 DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2024.105989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Parents' beliefs about infant sleep behaviour vary over time and across cultures. No validated instrument exists to understand parents' pre- and postnatal views on infant sleep behaviours, which may influence their caregiving decisions. The Views oN Infant Sleep Questionnaire (VNIS) will be a tool to assess parents' beliefs in order to facilitate tailored perinatal care, increase the reliability of postnatal self-report measures, allow for cross-cultural comparisons, and provide a baseline for researchers to use in longitudinal studies. We recruited an online sample of 971 female participants who were resident in the United Kingdom, at least 28 weeks pregnant, and at least 18 years of age. The initial questionnaire consisted of 31 questions about infant independence, night-waking, infant feeding, touch, and safety, and items were rated on a 5-point Likert scale. The item pool was reduced to 12 using principal component analysis and a structure was found for the three components "Closeness", "Independence", and "Night-waking". Overall, these results suggest that the VNIS can provide a brief scale to measure different aspects of individuals' beliefs about infant sleep. In further research the VNIS needs to be validated with a confirmatory factor analysis in another sample, and to be tested as a cross-cultural instrument.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid Boedker
- School of Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
| | - Helen L Ball
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Richter
- School of Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Tina L South
- School of Nursing and Allied Health, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Sam G B Roberts
- School of Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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Cato K, Funkquist EL, Karlsson Rosenblad A. Instrument development and an intervention to increase parents' self-efficacy regarding their infant's sleep. SEXUAL & REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE 2024; 39:100944. [PMID: 38183709 DOI: 10.1016/j.srhc.2023.100944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Many Swedish parents experience that their infant has sleeping problems. Parents' self-efficacy regarding their infants' sleep may play an important role in how they perceive these problems. This pilot study aimed to develop an instrument measuring parents' self-efficacy regarding their infant's sleep and to examine if parents' self-efficacy was affected by an intervention focusing on parental education. METHOD Mothers and fathers, at a maternity unit in Sweden, were drawn into either an intervention (n = 46) or a control (n = 42) group. The intervention group received a home visit from a nurse who provided information about infant sleep; the importance of attachment; and advice regarding sleep, breastfeeding and bed sharing, including guidelines for safe bed sharing. Three months later, the participants answered questions on background data, breastfeeding, sleep and self-efficacy. RESULTS The 11-item two-factor Uppsala Parental Self-Efficacy about Infant Sleep Instrument (UPPSEISI) was constructed to measure parents' perceived self-efficacy. In adjusted analyses, being in the intervention group was associated with a higher self-efficacy (P = 0.035), as were being a mother (P = 0.003) and being satisfied with one's own sleep (P = 0.007), while parents' own sleeping problems were associated with a lower self-efficacy (P = 0.015). CONCLUSION Importantly, parental education may increase parents' self-efficacy regarding their infant's sleep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Cato
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Dag Hammarskjölds väg 14 B, 752 37 Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Eva-Lotta Funkquist
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Dag Hammarskjölds väg 14 B, 752 37 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Andreas Karlsson Rosenblad
- Department of Medical Sciences, Division of Clinical Diabetology and Metabolism, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden; Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Statistics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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Tracer DP. Evolutionary and empirical perspectives on 'demand' breastfeeding: The baby in the driver's seat or the back seat? Evol Med Public Health 2024; 12:24-32. [PMID: 38380129 PMCID: PMC10878247 DOI: 10.1093/emph/eoae003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Background/Objectives The concept of 'demand' breastfeeding is central in public health. A key feature of the concept is that the infant is the locus of control in the breastfeeding process; when the breast is demanded by the infant, it is given the opportunity to feed. This study questions this notion of the infant as the locus of control in demand breastfeeding for empirical and theoretical reasons. From an evolutionary perspective, infants are expected to seek maximal investment and, against this backdrop of maximal investment-seeking, parents decide how much investment to put into offspring. Methodology Focal follows were conducted among 113 mother-infant dyads in Papua New Guinea. During these follows, response times and types of responses, including breastfeeding to offspring fussing and crying, were recorded. Results Infants were breastfed an average of 3.6 times/hour for just over 2 min/feed. Fussing and crying were responded to quickly, with most response times under 1 min. When the mother responded, she breastfed the child approximately 52% of the time. The other 48% of the time, mothers responded to infants with other forms of pacification. Mothers were significantly less likely to respond to infants by breastfeeding if the child had been breastfed within the past 59-76 min. Conclusion/Implications As predicted by evolutionary parental investment theory, infants make frequent demands on their parents for investment, but mothers are ultimately the locus of control in the investment process. The mother decides whether and how frequently to breastfeed her offspring against this backdrop of near-continuous investment demands.
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Affiliation(s)
- David P Tracer
- Department of Health and Behavioral Sciences, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, USA
- Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, USA
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D'Souza L, Cassels T. Contextual considerations in infant sleep: Offering alternative interventions to families. Sleep Health 2023; 9:618-625. [PMID: 35768320 DOI: 10.1016/j.sleh.2022.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Infant sleep problems are one of the commonly reported reasons parents seek professional help, yet what constitutes a "sleep problem" depends on the models used to explain the development of infant sleep. The current models are based on research conducted in the western context where infant solitary sleeping is the norm. Parent-child co-sleeping is the norm in many cultures around the world. We argue that the primary focus of current research on parent-child interactions as the mediating context for the development of infant sleep problems has inherently made these models and ensuing interventions less sensitive and applicable to infant sleep problems in the context of co-sleeping families. When families present for help with infant sleep difficulties, extinction based behavioral interventions or interventions focused on reducing parental presence at bedtime are commonly recommended. These recommendations may not always align with cultural values and parenting practices of all families, therefore precluding these families from getting necessary help. In attempting to provide families with choices that depart from behavioral based interventions, this paper draws on research and adapts current models to propose an alternative to conceptualize perceptions of infant sleep problems that may be sensitive to and applied across various cultural and personal contexts. We attempt to provide a rationale for interventions that are inclusive and sensitive to families where reduced parental nighttime responsiveness may not be a preferred choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Levita D'Souza
- Faculty of Education, Monash University, 19 Ancora Imparo Way, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia.
| | - Tracy Cassels
- Evolutionary Parenting, 116 County Rd, 16 Milford, ON, K0K 2P0, Canada
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Newman L, Thorne H, Gupta CC, Sprajcer M. How do infant feeding method, sleeping location, and postpartum depression interact with maternal sleep quality? Sleep Med 2023; 110:183-189. [PMID: 37619378 DOI: 10.1016/j.sleep.2023.08.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
New mothers generally experience poor and/or disrupted sleep. A range of infant care and mental health factors may impact new mothers' sleep quality. A cross-sectional online survey was completed by a sample of 101 Australian new mothers with children under 12 months (M = 5.52 months, SD = 3.29 months) to examine the relationship between infant feeding method, infant sleeping location, and postpartum depression with maternal sleep quality. Subjective maternal sleep quality was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and postpartum depression was measured using the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS). Overall, new mothers experienced poor subjective sleep quality, with high average PSQI scores, above the cut-off of 5 (M = 9.63, SD = 4.07). The majority of new mothers did not experience postpartum depression, with an average EPDS score below the cut-off of 11 (8.66, SD = 5.20). Mothers who breastfed their infants experienced significantly better subjective sleep quality than mothers who bottle-fed, with a medium effect size (ηp2 = 0.458). Subjective maternal sleep quality did not differ based on infant sleeping location. Poor subjective maternal sleep quality was a significant predictor of postpartum depression. While poor sleep was common in this sample of Australian new mothers, this study demonstrated that new mothers who breastfeed may experience slightly better subjective sleep quality than other feeding methods. Further research into, and better services for the education and advocation of, new mothers' sleep quality will be beneficial to both new mothers and clinicians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Newman
- Appleton Institute, Central Queensland University, Wayville, SA, Australia
| | - Hannah Thorne
- Appleton Institute, Central Queensland University, Wayville, SA, Australia
| | - Charlotte C Gupta
- Appleton Institute, Central Queensland University, Wayville, SA, Australia
| | - Madeline Sprajcer
- Appleton Institute, Central Queensland University, Wayville, SA, Australia.
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Schäfer L, Croy I. An integrative review: Human chemosensory communication in the parent-child relationship. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 153:105336. [PMID: 37527693 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
Body odors serve as signals of kinship, with parents exhibiting a preference for the scent of their infants, and vice versa. The reciprocal perception of body odors can promote bonding through two mechanisms. Firstly, as an indirect pathway, through associative chemosensory learning, which leads to changes in proximity-seeking behaviors. Secondly, as a direct pathway, by eliciting the display of positive emotions, thereby reinforcing the mutual bond. Both mechanisms weaken as the child undergoes development due to changes in body odor expression and perception. This comprehensive review provides an overview of the current literature on chemosignals in the parent-child relationship, highlighting their significance in facilitating dyadic communication throughout the developmental span. Furthermore, future research perspectives are outlined to gain a better understanding of these benefits and, on the long run, derive potential interventions to strengthen parent child attachment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Schäfer
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Ilona Croy
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Germany; German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Site Jena-Magdeburg-Halle, Germany
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Gettler LT, Samson DR, Kilius E, Sarma MS, Miegakanda V, Lew-Levy S, Boyette AH. Hormone physiology and sleep dynamics among BaYaka foragers of the Congo Basin: Gendered associations between nighttime activity, testosterone, and cortisol. Horm Behav 2023; 155:105422. [PMID: 37683498 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Sleep quality is an important contributor to health disparities and affects the physiological function of the immune and endocrine systems, shaping how resources are allocated to life history demands. Past work in industrial and post-industrial societies has shown that lower total sleep time (TST) or more disrupted nighttime sleep are linked to flatter diurnal slopes for cortisol and lower testosterone production. There has been little focus on these physiological links in other socio-ecological settings where routine sleep conditions and nighttime activity demands differ. We collected salivary hormone (testosterone, cortisol) and actigraphy-based sleep data from Congolese BaYaka foragers (N = 39), who have relatively short and fragmented nighttime sleep, on average, in part due to their typical social sleep conditions and nighttime activity. The hormone and sleep data collections were separated by an average of 11.23 days (testosterone) and 2.84 days (cortisol). We found gendered links between nighttime activity and adults' hormone profiles. Contrary to past findings in Euro-American contexts, BaYaka men who were more active at night, on average, had higher evening testosterone than those with lower nighttime activity, with a relatively flat slope relating nighttime activity and evening testosterone in women. Women had steeper diurnal cortisol curves with less disrupted sleep. Men had steeper cortisol diurnal curves if they were more active at night. BaYaka men often hunt and socialize when active at night, which may help explain these patterns. Overall, our findings indicate that the nature of nighttime activities, including their possible social and subsistence contexts, are potentially important modifiers of sleep quality-physiology links, meriting further research across contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee T Gettler
- University of Notre Dame, Department of Anthropology, Notre Dame 46556, USA; University of Notre Dame, Eck Institute for Global Health, Notre Dame 46556, USA.
| | - David R Samson
- University of Toronto Mississauga, Department of Anthropology, Mississauga L5L1C6, Canada
| | - Erica Kilius
- University of Toronto Mississauga, Department of Anthropology, Mississauga L5L1C6, Canada
| | - Mallika S Sarma
- Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore 21287, USA
| | - Valchy Miegakanda
- Laboratoire National de Sante Publique, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo
| | - Sheina Lew-Levy
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, UK
| | - Adam H Boyette
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Leipzig 04103, Germany
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Dixley A, Ball HL. The impact of swaddling upon breastfeeding: A critical review. Am J Hum Biol 2023; 35:e23878. [PMID: 36787374 PMCID: PMC10909524 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2022] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Many parents swaddle their infants to promote sleep and reduce night-waking, however lack of definitive evidence about the pros and cons of swaddling when breastfeeding hinders postnatal recommendations regarding this infant care practice. This review critically examines research conducted on the impact of swaddling upon breastfeeding. METHODS Only two recent studies on swaddling outcomes have reported infant feed-type, therefore the purpose of this paper is to consider the known effects of swaddling on breastfeeding babies and their mothers. We interpret the existing literature on swaddling in terms of impact on breastfeeding physiology and behaviour during the immediate post-natal period, and as infancy progresses. RESULTS Infants swaddled immediately after birth show a delay in initial breastfeeding, less successful suckling at the breast, reduced intake of breastmilk and greater weight loss compared to un-swaddled babies. Swaddling visually obscures feeding cues and reduces crying, thereby eliminating two key feeding prompts typically used by parents/carers. CONCLUSIONS As swaddled babies cry less, and are fed less frequently than un-swaddled babies some clinical trials position swaddling as a 'novel weight regulation tool' to combat obesity. However, in the case of breastfed babies, by reducing feed frequency swaddling may impede maternal milk production and thereby infant growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Dixley
- Durham Infancy & Sleep Centre, Department of AnthropologyDurham UniversityDurhamUK
| | - Helen L. Ball
- Durham Infancy & Sleep Centre, Department of AnthropologyDurham UniversityDurhamUK
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Hookway L, Brown A, Grant A. Breastfeeding sick children in hospital: Exploring the experiences of mothers in UK paediatric wards. MATERNAL & CHILD NUTRITION 2023; 19:e13489. [PMID: 36808886 PMCID: PMC10019061 DOI: 10.1111/mcn.13489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023]
Abstract
There is a paucity of literature exploring the challenges of breastfeeding sick children in hospital. Previous research has focused on single conditions and hospitals which limits understanding of the challenges in this population. Although evidence suggests that current lactation training in paediatrics is often inadequate, it is unclear where the specific training gaps are. This qualitative interview study of UK mothers aimed to explore the challenges of breastfeeding sick infants and children on a paediatric ward or paediatric intensive care unit. From 504 eligible respondents, a sample of 30 mothers of children aged 2-36 months with various conditions and demographic backgrounds was purposively chosen, and a reflexive thematic analysis undertaken. The study identified previously unreported impacts such as complex fluid needs, iatrogenic withdrawal, neurological irritability and changes to breastfeeding behaviour. Mothers described breastfeeding as emotionally and immunologically meaningful. There were many complex psychological challenges such as guilt, disempowerment, and trauma. Wider struggles such as staff resistance to bedsharing, inaccurate breastfeeding information, lack of food and inadequate breast pump provision made breastfeeding more challenging. There are numerous challenges related to breastfeeding and responsively parenting sick children in paediatrics, and these also impacted maternal mental health. Staff skill and knowledge gaps were widespread, and the clinical environment was not always conducive to supporting breastfeeding. This study highlights strengths in clinical care and provides insight into what measures are perceived as supportive by mothers. It also highlights areas for improvement, which may inform more nuanced paediatric breastfeeding standards and training.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lyndsey Hookway
- Centre for Lactation, Infant Feeding and Translation (LIFT), School of Health and Social CareSwansea UniversitySwanseaUK
| | - Amy Brown
- Centre for Lactation, Infant Feeding and Translation (LIFT), School of Health and Social CareSwansea UniversitySwanseaUK
| | - Aimee Grant
- Centre for Lactation, Infant Feeding and Translation (LIFT), School of Health and Social CareSwansea UniversitySwanseaUK
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13
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Hossain S, Mihrshahi S. Exclusive Breastfeeding and Childhood Morbidity: A Narrative Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:14804. [PMID: 36429518 PMCID: PMC9691199 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192214804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Globally, diarrheal diseases and acute respiratory infections are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in children under 5 years old. The benefits of exclusive breastfeeding in reducing the risk of gastrointestinal and respiratory infections are well documented. Optimal breastfeeding may potentially save the lives of about 800,000 children in low-income settings. Despite the evidence, around 63% of infants from birth to 6 months are not exclusively breastfed worldwide. We searched the literature published between 2010 and 2022 in Medline, Embase, and Scopus on the association between exclusive breastfeeding and infectious diseases. We selected and reviewed 70 relevant studies. Our findings expand and confirm the positive association between exclusive breastfeeding and reduced risk of a number of gastrointestinal, respiratory, and other infections in 60 out of 70 studies observed in both low- and high-income settings. Several studies analyzing exclusive breastfeeding duration reported that a longer exclusive breastfeeding duration is protective against many infectious diseases. This review also reported a lack of standardized definition for measuring exclusive breastfeeding in many studies. Overall, the results highlight the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding in many studies and suggests reporting exclusive breastfeeding in future studies using a consistent definition to enable better monitoring of exclusive breastfeeding rates.
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14
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Gettler LT, Samson DR, Kilius E, Sarma MS, Ouamba YR, Miegakanda V, Boyette AH, Lew-Levy S. Links between household and family social dynamics with sleep profiles among BaYaka foragers of the Congo Basin. Soc Sci Med 2022; 311:115345. [PMID: 36179483 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Given the contributions of sleep to a range of health outcomes, there is substantial interest in ecological and environmental factors, including psychosocial contexts, that shape variation in sleep between individuals and populations. However, the links between social dynamics and sleep are not well-characterized beyond Euro-American settings, representing a gap in knowledge regarding the way that local socio-ecological conditions interrelate with sleep profiles across diverse settings. Here, we focused on data from a subsistence-level society in Republic of the Congo to test for links between the household/family social environment and sleep measures. Specifically, we used actigraphy-derived sleep data (N = 49; 318 nights) from two community locations (a village and rainforest camp) among BaYaka foragers, who are members of a remote, non-industrialized subsistence society in the Congo Basin. We drew on social dynamics that have been previously linked to sleep variation in Euro-American contexts, including: household crowding, same surface cosleeping, and marital conflict. We examined the following sleep measures: total sleep time (TST), total 24-h sleep time (TTST), and sleep quality (fragmentation). BaYaka adults had shorter and lower quality sleep when their shared sleeping space was more crowded. In the village, parents with breastfeeding-aged infants had longer TTST and higher quality sleep than adults without infants, contrasting with results from other cultural contexts. Based on peer rankings of marital conflict, husbands showed longer and higher quality sleep in less conflicted marriages. Women showed the opposite pattern. These counter-intuitive findings for women may reflect the limitations of the measurement for wives' marital experiences. In total, these results point to the importance of considering local socio-ecological conditions to sleep profiles and underscore the need for expanded study of sleep and health outcomes in settings where shared sleep in constrained space is routine practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee T Gettler
- University of Notre Dame, Department of Anthropology, Notre Dame, 46556, USA; University of Notre Dame, Eck Institute for Global Health, Notre Dame, 46556, USA.
| | - David R Samson
- University of Toronto Mississauga, Department of Anthropology, Mississauga, L5L1C6, Canada
| | - Erica Kilius
- University of Toronto Mississauga, Department of Anthropology, Mississauga, L5L1C6, Canada
| | - Mallika S Sarma
- Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, 21287, USA
| | - Yann R Ouamba
- Université Marien N'Gouabi, Ecole Nationale Supérieure d'Agronomie et de Foresterie, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo
| | - Valchy Miegakanda
- Laboratoire National de Santé Publique, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo
| | - Adam H Boyette
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Leipzig, 04103, Germany
| | - Sheina Lew-Levy
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Leipzig, 04103, Germany
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15
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Zanetti N, D'Souza L, Tchernegovski P, Blunden S. Parents' perceptions of the quality of infant sleep behaviours and practices: A qualitative systematic review. INFANT AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/icd.2369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nina Zanetti
- Faculty of Education Monash University Clayton Victoria Australia
| | - Levita D'Souza
- Faculty of Education Monash University Clayton Victoria Australia
| | | | - Sarah Blunden
- Appleton Institute of Behavioural Science, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences Central Queensland University Rockhampton Queensland Australia
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16
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Teti DM, Fronberg KM, Fanton H, Crosby B. Infant sleep arrangements, infant-parent sleep, and parenting during the first six months post-partum. Infant Behav Dev 2022; 69:101756. [PMID: 36027627 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2022.101756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The present study of 124 families examined linkages between patterns of sleep arrangement use across the first 6 months post-partum and (a) family socio-demographics, (b) nighttime sleep of infants, mothers, and fathers, and (c) coparenting distress, and mothers' emotional availability with infants and bedtime. Families were recruited when infants were 1-month-old, and infants were classified, from video data available at 3 and 6 months post-partum, into one of three sleep arrangement pattern groups: Solitary sleep, cosleeping, and cosleeping (at 3 months)-to-solitary sleep (at 6 months). Mothers in cosleeping arrangements were more likely to be at higher socioeconomic risk, non-White, unemployed, and to have completed fewer years of education. Controlling for these variables and for duration of breast feeding and parental depressive and anxiety symptoms, subsequent 3 (sleep arrangement pattern) X 2 (infant age: 3 and 6 months) mixed-model analyses of covariance revealed that sleep arrangement patterns were more robustly linked with maternal sleep than with infant and father sleep. Mothers in cosleeping arrangements experienced more fragmented sleep and greater variability in fragmented sleep relative to mothers of infants in solitary sleep, and fathers in cosleeping arrangements showed greater variability across the week in the number of minutes of nighttime sleep. Cosleeping was associated with mother reports of less positive and more negative coparenting, and mothers in cosleeping arrangements were independently observed to be less emotionally available with their infants at bedtime compared to mothers in the other two sleep arrangement groups. These linkages were largely upheld after statistically controlling for mothers' stated preference for sleep arrangements they were using.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas M Teti
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, United States.
| | - Kaitlin M Fronberg
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, United States
| | - Heidi Fanton
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, United States
| | - Brian Crosby
- Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, United States
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17
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Moon RY, Carlin RF, Hand I. Evidence Base for 2022 Updated Recommendations for a Safe Infant Sleeping Environment to Reduce the Risk of Sleep-Related Infant Deaths. Pediatrics 2022; 150:188305. [PMID: 35921639 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2022-057991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Every year in the United States, approximately 3500 infants die of sleep-related infant deaths, including sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) (International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th Revision [ICD-10] R95), ill-defined deaths (ICD-10 R99), and accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed (ICD-10 W75). After a substantial decline in sleep-related deaths in the 1990s, the overall death rate attributable to sleep-related infant deaths have remained stagnant since 2000, and disparities persist. The triple risk model proposes that SIDS occurs when an infant with intrinsic vulnerability (often manifested by impaired arousal, cardiorespiratory, and/or autonomic responses) undergoes an exogenous trigger event (eg, exposure to an unsafe sleeping environment) during a critical developmental period. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a safe sleep environment to reduce the risk of all sleep-related deaths. This includes supine positioning; use of a firm, noninclined sleep surface; room sharing without bed sharing; and avoidance of soft bedding and overheating. Additional recommendations for SIDS risk reduction include human milk feeding; avoidance of exposure to nicotine, alcohol, marijuana, opioids, and illicit drugs; routine immunization; and use of a pacifier. New recommendations are presented regarding noninclined sleep surfaces, short-term emergency sleep locations, use of cardboard boxes as a sleep location, bed sharing, substance use, home cardiorespiratory monitors, and tummy time. In addition, additional information to assist parents, physicians, and nonphysician clinicians in assessing the risk of specific bed-sharing situations is included. The recommendations and strength of evidence for each recommendation are published in the accompanying policy statement, which is included in this issue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Y Moon
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia
| | - Rebecca F Carlin
- Division of Pediatric Critical Care and Hospital Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, New York City, New York
| | - Ivan Hand
- Department of Pediatrics, SUNY-Downstate College of Medicine, NYC Health + Hospitals, Kings County, Brooklyn, New York
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18
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Negayama K, Trevarthen C. A comparative study of mother-infant co-regulation of distance at home in Japan and Scotland. Infant Behav Dev 2022; 68:101741. [PMID: 35779387 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2022.101741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2021] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Mothers and infants co-regulate their distance from one another at home. Continuous, naturalistic home observations of the changes in mother-infant distance were carried out in Japan and Scotland during infant ages of 0-1, 6-7, and 12-13 months. This study examined mutual distance-increasing and distance-reducing behaviours, referred to as parent-infant 'centrifugalism' and 'centripetalism'. Cultural differences emerged in the modes of mother-infant distance co-regulation. Scottish mothers were more active in initiating contact and leaving infants alone to sleep, whereas Japanese mothers showed stronger infant-centredness by maintaining physical contact with infants when they fell asleep and reacting to their crying when they woke up. Age differences were found relating to decrease in sleep and increase in object play in the middle of the first year, which resulted in more separation within a 0.5 m distance at 6-7 months, a compromise between closeness and distancing between mothers and awake infants. Cultural and age differences in the co-regulation of mother-infant distance were discussed in relation to the development of locomotion, object play, and intention-reading.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koichi Negayama
- Waseda University, 2-579-15 Mikajima, Tokorozawa, Saitama 359-1192, Japan.
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19
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Using complexity science to understand the role of co-sleeping (bedsharing) in mother-infant co-regulatory processes. Infant Behav Dev 2022; 67:101723. [PMID: 35594598 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2022.101723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Human infants spend most of their time sleeping, but over the first few years of life their sleep becomes regulated to coincide more closely with adult sleep (Galland et al., 2012; Paavonen et al., 2020). Evidence shows that co-sleeping played a role in the evolution of infant sleep regulation, as it is part of an ancient behavioral complex representing the biopsychosocial microenvironment in which human infants co-evolved with their mothers through millions of years of human history (Ball, 2003; McKenna 1986, 1990). This paper is a conceptual, interdisciplinary, integration of the literature on mother-infant co-sleeping and other mother-infant co-regulatory processes from an evolutionary (biological) perspective, using complexity science. Viewing the mother-infant dyad as a "complex adaptive system" (CAS) shows how the CAS fits assumptions of regulatory processes and reveals the role of the CAS in the ontogeny of mother-infant co-regulation of physiological (thermoregulation, breathing, circadian rhythm coordination, nighttime synchrony, and heart rate variability) and socioemotional (attachment and cortisol activity) development.
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20
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McLaughlin K, Chandra A, Camerota M, Propper C. Relations between infant sleep quality, physiological reactivity, and emotional reactivity to stress at 3 and 6 months. Infant Behav Dev 2022; 67:101702. [PMID: 35158216 PMCID: PMC9306017 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2022.101702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Revised: 01/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The study examines the association between infant sleep, physiological, and emotional reactivity at 3 and 6 months of age in 89 African American infants and their caregivers. Infant sleep was objectively measured at 3 and 6months using actigraphy for 7 days and nights. At 6 months of age, dyads participated in the Still-Face Paradigm (SFP) (Tronick et al., 1978) to assess infants' physiological reactivity (via respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA)) and emotional reactivity. Findings revealed that infant night wakings at 3 months was positively correlated with baseline RSA at 6 months (β = .35, p < .001). Night wakings at 3 months marginally predicted negative affect during the recovery episode of SFP (β = -.26, p = .057). Further, night wakings at 6-months-old predicted more positive affect during the recovery episode of SFP (β = .34, p = .007). We discuss potential explanations for these findings such as an exuberant temperament style, parenting behavior, and lack of sleep consolidation at this early age to be the focus of future studies in this area. The current study adds to the limited research examining the relationship between sleep and reactivity in the earliest months of development. Findings reveal that it is critical to take developmental timing into account as all results were unexpected in relation to the childhood literature. Moreover, this is the first study of its kind to focus on an African American sample.
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21
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Gettler LT, Kuo PX, Sarma MS, Lefever JEB, Cummings EM, McKenna JJ, Braungart-Rieker JM. US fathers' reports of bonding, infant temperament and psychosocial stress based on family sleep arrangements. Evol Med Public Health 2022; 9:460-469. [PMID: 35154780 PMCID: PMC8830308 DOI: 10.1093/emph/eoab038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and objectives Evolutionary-grounded sleep research has been critical to establishing the mutual dependence of breastfeeding and nighttime sleep proximity for mothers and infants. Evolutionary perspectives on cosleeping also often emphasize the emotional motivations for and potential benefits of sleep proximity, including for parent-infant bonding. However, this potential link between infant sleep location and bonding remains understudied for both mothers and fathers. Moreover, in Euro-American contexts bedsharing has been linked to family stress and difficult child temperament, primarily via maternal reports. We know relatively little about whether paternal psychosocial dynamics differ based on family sleep arrangements, despite fathers and other kin often being present in the cosleeping environment across cultures. Here, we aim to help address some of these gaps in knowledge pertaining to fathers and family sleep arrangements. Methodology Drawing on a sample of Midwestern U.S. fathers (N=195), we collected sociodemographic and survey data to analyze links between infant nighttime sleep location, paternal psychosocial well-being, father-infant bonding, and infant temperament. From fathers’ reports, families were characterized as routinely solitary sleeping, bedsharing, or roomsharing (without bedsharing). Results We found that routinely roomsharing or bedsharing fathers, respectively, reported stronger bonding than solitary sleepers. Bedsharing fathers also reported that their infants had more negative temperaments and also tended to report greater parenting-related stress due to difficulties with their children. Conclusions These cross-sectional results help to highlight how a practice with deep phylogenetic and evolutionary history, such as cosleeping, can be variably expressed within communities with the potential for family-dependent benefits or strains. Evolutionary-grounded cosleeping research has elucidated the intimate connections between mother-infant sleep proximity and breastfeeding. However, some Euro-American research indicates that bedsharing can coincide with family strain and stress. Here, U.S. fathers who routinely roomshared or bedshared, respectively, reported stronger bonds to their babies than solitary sleeping fathers, but bedsharing fathers also reported more negative infant temperament.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee T Gettler
- Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA.,Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA.,William J. Shaw Center for Children and Families, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, IN, USA
| | - Patty X Kuo
- Department of Child, Youth and Family Studies, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
| | - Mallika S Sarma
- Department of Otolaryngology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - E Mark Cummings
- William J. Shaw Center for Children and Families, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, IN, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - James J McKenna
- Department of Anthropology, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA, USA
| | - Julia M Braungart-Rieker
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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22
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Dixley A, Ball HL. The effect of swaddling on infant sleep and arousal: A systematic review and narrative synthesis. Front Pediatr 2022; 10:1000180. [PMID: 36533224 PMCID: PMC9748185 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2022.1000180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Western parents swaddle infants to promote sleep and reduce night-waking, however recent evidence of the effects of swaddling on the sleep of healthy infants has not been systematically reviewed. OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of swaddling on the sleep of infants up to 1 year of age using a narrative synthesis approach. DATA SOURCES We systematically searched five academic databases, including the Cochrane trial registry (Pubmed, PsycINFO, Embase, the Cochrane library, and Blackwell Synergy). We manually searched reference lists and citations of included studies and reference lists of existing reviews. STUDY SELECTION Studies of any type, published since 2007, reporting primary data whose subjects were humans up to 12 months of age with outcome measures relating to the impact of swaddling on sleep and arousal. DATA EXTRACTION By hand using a customized template. A narrative synthesis is used to present the results. RESULTS In total 171 studies were retrieved with 115 studies discarded at title. A further 43 were discarded at abstract, and six were discarded at full text. Two papers were combined as they reported on the same study giving a total of 6 studies that met the inclusion criteria for the review. An evidence hierarchy was used to assess Risk of Bias in the included studies; the results are presented via a narrative synthesis. Swaddling was associated with increased duration of quiet sleep in infants and a significantly reduced number of sleep state changes among infants naïve to the intervention. LIMITATIONS The integrity of the intervention (swaddling) including its baseline characteristics, was defined broadly across the included studies limiting the interpretation and transferability of the results of this review. CONCLUSIONS Swaddling appears to increase quiet sleep duration in infants and reduces the number of sleep state changes among infants naïve to the intervention. Parents should be made aware that implementing conditions unfavorable to arousability may increase SUDI risk among infant who have not previously been swaddled. This review has relevance for informing future practice recommendations and parent advice as well as in designing future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Dixley
- Durham Infancy & Sleep Centre, Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom
| | - Helen L Ball
- Durham Infancy & Sleep Centre, Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom
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23
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Bach V, Libert JP. Hyperthermia and Heat Stress as Risk Factors for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: A Narrative Review. Front Pediatr 2022; 10:816136. [PMID: 35498814 PMCID: PMC9051231 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2022.816136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Heat stress and hyperthermia are common findings in sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) victims. It has been suggested that thermal stress can increase the risk of SIDS directly via lethal hyperthermia or indirectly by altering autonomic functions. Major changes in sleep, thermoregulation, cardiovascular function, and the emergence of circadian functions occur at the age at which the risk of SIDS peaks-explaining the greater vulnerability at this stage of development. Here, we review the literature data on (i) heat stress and hyperthermia as direct risk factors for SIDS, and (ii) the indirect effects of thermal loads on vital physiological functions. RESULTS Various situations leading to thermal stress (i.e., outdoors temperatures, thermal insulation from clothing and bedding, the prone position, bed-sharing, and head covering) have been analyzed. Hyperthermia mainly results from excessive clothing and bedding insulation with regard to the ambient thermal conditions. The appropriate amount of clothing and bedding thermal insulation for homeothermia requires further research. The prone position and bed-sharing do not have major thermal impacts; the elevated risk of SIDS in these situations cannot be explained solely by thermal factors. Special attention should be given to brain overheating because of the head's major role in body heat losses, heat production, and autonomic functions. Thermal stress can alter cardiovascular and respiratory functions, which in turn can lead to life-threatening events (e.g., bradycardia, apnea with blood desaturation, and glottal closure). Unfortunately, thermal load impairs the responses to these challenges by reducing chemosensitivity, arousability, and autoresuscitation. As a result, thermal load (even when not lethal directly) can interact detrimentally with vital physiological functions. CONCLUSIONS With the exception of excessive thermal insulation (which can lead to lethal hyperthermia), the major risk factors for SIDS appears to be associated with impairments of vital physiological functions when the infant is exposed to thermal stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Véronique Bach
- PeriTox, UMR_I 01, UPJV/INERIS, Jules Verne University of Picardy, Amiens, France
| | - Jean-Pierre Libert
- PeriTox, UMR_I 01, UPJV/INERIS, Jules Verne University of Picardy, Amiens, France
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24
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Abstract
This paper comprises a collection of illustrations, along with background information, analysis, and commentary, from “baby books”—advice books published in the United States for a parent audience from the 1890s to the 1980s. These publications, and especially their drawings and photos, provide a window on past child rearing practices and beliefs. The paper provides historical background on parenting behaviors such as toilet training and infant feeding, then traces changes over time through drawings and photos that appeared in parenting advice publications. These publications grew in popularity as changing work and family structures removed traditional sources of information for parents, and scientific information and expert guidance took their place. Publications from a variety of sources, but especially the U.S. Children’s Bureau, are explored. A finding of note is that images of babies and their families, which in earlier publications were entirely white and middle class, became more diverse over time. The author concludes that published parental advice from professionals made for a fascinating study, was ideologically driven, and often lacked a basis in empirical scientific knowledge of child development, and therefore asserts that parents may regard such advice conditionally.
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25
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Barry ES, McKenna JJ. Reasons mothers bedshare: A review of its effects on infant behavior and development. Infant Behav Dev 2021; 66:101684. [PMID: 34929477 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2021.101684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Bedsharing is controversial for nighttime caregiving in the U.S. today, as in most of the West. However, from the standpoint of evolutionary pediatrics, anthropology, and cultural psychology, bedsharing is not controversial at all, representing the context for human infant evolution and conferring a host of physiological benefits to the infant as well as the mother. In an effort to understand the rise in Western bedsharing in recent decades (and following Ball, 2002; McKenna & Volpe, 2007), Salm Ward (2015) systematically reviewed the literature on mother-infant bedsharing and identified ten reasons why mothers choose to bedshare: (1) breastfeeding, (2) comforting for mother or infant, (3) better/more sleep for infant or parent, (4) monitoring, (5) bonding/ attachment, (6) environmental reasons, (7) crying, (8) cultural or familial traditions, (9) disagree with danger, and (10) maternal instinct. The current paper offers the "review behind the review," highlighting the scientific evidence behind the reasons mothers give for their decision to bedshare, focusing on how mothers' decisions about infant sleep location influence infant behavior and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine S Barry
- Human Development & Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, Fayette, The Eberly Campus, USA.
| | - James J McKenna
- Mother-Baby Sleep Lab, Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, IN, USA; Department of Anthropology, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA, USA
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26
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Al-shehri H, Almozaai R, Kariri M, Alhazmi Y, AlDakhel S, Alhunaishel R, Aladhadhi D. Factors Associated with Safe Infant Sleep Practices in Saudi Arabia. Pediatric Health Med Ther 2021; 12:533-541. [PMID: 34955665 PMCID: PMC8694400 DOI: 10.2147/phmt.s343535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose To assess mothers’ approaches to infant sleep practices. Patients and Methods A cross-sectional survey study was conducted on mothers with babies aged below five months who were attending paediatric clinics between November 1st, 2020, and January 5th, 2021, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Results A total of 522 mothers participated in this study. A total of 38.9% practised exclusive formula feeding. A total of 61.9% of the participants practised the supine position. The majority (93.3%) of the mothers shared a room with their babies, while 34.7% shared a bed. Only 6.9% did not use any soft bedding. Age was a significant predictor associated with participant practices regarding sleeping and feeding positions (p < 0.05). Having two or more children was associated with improper sleeping practices (p < 0.05). Being non-Saudi and having a university degree or higher were associated with having a higher risk of unsafe practices regarding bed-sharing (p < 0.05). On the other hand, being contacted by a doctor, nurse, or other healthcare worker about safe sleep practices were an important factor that influenced safe practices regarding feeding (p < 0.05). Receiving care at a private hospital was associated with safer practices regarding sleeping position and bed-sharing (p < 0.05). Conclusion We observed high-risk sleeping practices among Saudi mothers. This includes using soft bedding and unsafe sleeping positions. The importance of this study lies in the future implementation of this result through public health measures aimed at at-risk populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hassan Al-shehri
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Correspondence: Hassan Al-shehri Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaTel +966112582759 Email
| | - Rahaf Almozaai
- College of Medicine, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Marwh Kariri
- College of Medicine, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Yara Alhazmi
- College of Medicine, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Shatha AlDakhel
- College of Medicine, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Reyouf Alhunaishel
- College of Medicine, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Dina Aladhadhi
- College of Medicine, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Abstract
Humans have a prolonged childhood, which begins with an immature developmental state at birth. We take care of these helpless infants through a variety of cultural adaptations, including material culture, provisioning of food, and shared child care. Our species has long been characterized as having secondary altriciality, but an examination of human life history shows that we are fundamentally precocial, despite seeming helpless at birth. Human babies are also relatively large and overall require substantial attention and energy from caregivers. Previous work has focused on how culture permits us to give birth to helpless young and how our cultural adaptation solves problems stemming from encephalization. The birth of these dependent, costly creatures poses challenges but also creates opportunities by enhancing the development of social and emotional relationships with caregivers as well as language acquisition and enculturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen R. Rosenberg
- Department of Anthropology, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716, USA
- Philosophical Faculty, University of Hradec Králové, 500 03 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
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28
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Riquet S, Roussel M, Vigie M, Zakarian C, Hassler P. [Co-sleeping: Proximal parenting for the child in its first 1,000 days]. Rech Soins Infirm 2021; 145:79-90. [PMID: 34372655 DOI: 10.3917/rsi.145.0079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Introduction : Sleeping with your infant (known as co-sleeping) is a proximal parenting practice. In some societies, 80 percent of children sleep with their parents. In France, a culture of sleeping separately has emerged, and the practice of co-sleeping has been associated with sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). International recommendations tend to advise against co-sleeping and to devalue it as a practice.Material and methods : Two focus groups with co-sleepers (n=6) complemented by ten in-depth interviews were organized to identify the motivations and organization that mothers and their partners have when it comes to practicing co-sleeping with their children. A content analysis of what was said in the interviews by individuals and couples enabled us to find out more about the needs that co-sleeping responds to, as well as parents' co-sleeping practices.Results : Co-sleeping, made taboo by SIDS, responds to emotional and practical factors. The couple's life does not seem to be negatively impacted by it. The positive relationship it allows parents to have with their children is valued. Recommendations may often describe this way of sleeping as "unsafe," but co-sleepers support this parenting practice, along with breastfeeding.Conclusion : The results highlight the health education importance for co-sleepers. Being educated about co-sleeping will ensure that their practice is safe and will mean that they do not isolate themselves socially to hide it because they only have partial knowledge of the SIDS safety measures.
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29
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Kilius E, Samson DR, Lew-Levy S, Sarma MS, Patel UA, Ouamba YR, Miegakanda V, Gettler LT, Boyette AH. Gender differences in BaYaka forager sleep-wake patterns in forest and village contexts. Sci Rep 2021; 11:13658. [PMID: 34211008 PMCID: PMC8249621 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-92816-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Sleep studies in small-scale subsistence societies have broadened our understanding of cross-cultural sleep patterns, revealing the flexibility of human sleep. We examined sleep biology among BaYaka foragers from the Republic of Congo who move between environmentally similar but socio-ecologically distinct locations to access seasonal resources. We analyzed the sleep-wake patterns of 51 individuals as they resided in a village location (n = 39) and a forest camp (n = 23) (362 nights total). Overall, BaYaka exhibited high sleep fragmentation (50.5) and short total sleep time (5.94 h), suggestive of segmented sleep patterns. Sleep duration did not differ between locations, although poorer sleep quality was exhibited in the village. Linear mixed effect models demonstrated that women's sleep differed significantly from men's in the forest, with longer total sleep time (β ± SE = - 0.22 ± 0.09, confidence interval (CI) = [- 0.4, - 0.03]), and higher sleep quality (efficiency; β ± SE = - 0.24 ± 0.09, CI = [- 0.42, - 0.05]). These findings may be due to gender-specific social and economic activities. Circadian rhythms were consistent between locations, with women exhibiting stronger circadian stability. We highlight the importance of considering intra-cultural variation in sleep-wake patterns when taking sleep research into the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica Kilius
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, L5L1C6, Canada.
| | - David R Samson
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, L5L1C6, Canada.
| | - Sheina Lew-Levy
- Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, V5A1S6, Canada.,Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies, Aarhus University, 8270, Højbjerg, Denmark
| | - Mallika S Sarma
- School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, 21287, USA
| | - Ujas A Patel
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, L5L1C6, Canada
| | - Yann R Ouamba
- Ecole Nationale Supérieure d'Agronomie et de Foresterie, Université Marien N'Gouabi, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo
| | - Valchy Miegakanda
- Laboratoire National de Santé Publique, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo
| | - Lee T Gettler
- Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, 46556, USA.,Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, 46556, USA
| | - Adam H Boyette
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
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30
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Bovbjerg ML. Current Resources for Evidence-Based Practice, July 2021. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs 2021; 50:485-495. [PMID: 34147485 DOI: 10.1016/j.jogn.2021.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
An extensive review of new resources to support the provision of evidence-based care for women and infants. The current column includes a discussion of how fetal monitoring may lead to overuse of birth-related interventions, commentaries on reviews focused on bedsharing, and women's lifetime estrogen exposure and risk of cardiovascular mortality.
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31
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DuBois LZ, Shattuck-Heidorn H. Challenging the binary: Gender/sex and the bio-logics of normalcy. Am J Hum Biol 2021; 33:e23623. [PMID: 34096131 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2020] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND We are witnessing renewed debates regarding definitions and boundaries of human gender/sex, where lines of genetics, gonadal hormones, and secondary sex characteristics are drawn to defend strict binary categorizations, with attendant implications for the acceptability and limits of gender identity and diversity. AIMS Many argue for the need to recognize the entanglement of gender/sex in humans and the myriad ways that gender experience becomes biology; translating this theory into practice in human biology research is essential. Biological anthropology is well poised to contribute to these societal conversations and debates. To do this effectively, a reconsideration of our own conceptions of gender/sex, gender identity, and sexuality is necessary. METHODS In this article, we discuss biological variation associated with gender/sex and propose ways forward to ensure we are engaging with gender/sex diversity. We base our analysis in the concept of "biological normalcy," which allows consideration of the relationships between statistical distributions and normative views. We address the problematic reliance on binary categories, the utilization of group means to represent typical biologies, and document ways in which binary norms reinforce stigma and inequality regarding gender/sex, gender identity, and sexuality. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS We conclude with guidelines and methodological suggestions for how to engage gender/sex and gender identity in research. Our goal is to contribute a framework that all human biologists can use, not just those who work with gender or sexually diverse populations. We hope that in bringing this perspective to bear in human biology, that novel ideas and applications will emerge from within our own discipline.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Zachary DuBois
- Department of Anthropology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, USA
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32
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Mason GM, Holmes JF, Andre C, Spencer RMC. Bedsharing in Early Childhood: Frequency, Partner Characteristics, and Relations to Sleep. The Journal of Genetic Psychology 2021; 182:269-288. [PMID: 33988085 DOI: 10.1080/00221325.2021.1916732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Bedsharing (sharing a bed with others during sleep) in early childhood (3-5 years old) is common across Western and non-Western societies alike. Though prior work indicates that bedsharing may relate to impairments in child sleep quantity or quality, the majority of studies conducted in young children are limited to parent-child bedsharing and rely almost exclusively on caregiver reports to measure child sleep. Here, the authors endeavored to gain further insights into the diversity of bedsharing practices among children in the United States, including how different bedsharing partners (caregivers, siblings) might impact actigraphy-derived measures of children's sleep. Using a sample of 631 children ages 2:9 to 5:11 years, we found that over 36% of children bedshared in some form overnight, with approximately 22% bedsharing habitually. In a subset of children for whom actigraphy measures were collected (n = 337), children who bedshared habitually (n = 80) had significantly shorter overnight sleep, later sleep and wake times, and longer naps than solitary sleepers (n = 257), even when controlling for socioeconomic status. Despite supplementing their shorter overnight sleep with longer naps, habitually bedsharing children had significantly shorter 24-hr sleep time than did solitary sleepers, though differences in sleep efficiency were nonsignificant for all sleep periods. Additionally, sleep efficiency, onset latency, and duration did not differ between children who habitually bedshared with siblings versus those who habitually bedshared with parents. The present results add to prior work examining family contextual correlates of sleep differences in early childhood and provide a more objective account of relations between bedsharing and child sleep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gina M Mason
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA.,Neuroscience & Behavior Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jennifer F Holmes
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Chloe Andre
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rebecca M C Spencer
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA.,Neuroscience & Behavior Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA.,Institute for Applied Life Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
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33
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Abstract
BACKGROUND There is great global variation in the sleeping arrangements for healthy newborn infants. Bed sharing is a type of sleeping practice in which the sleeping surface (e.g. bed, couch or armchair, or some other sleeping surface) is shared between the infant and another person. The possible physiological benefits include better oxygen and cardiopulmonary stability, fewer crying episodes, less risk of hypothermia, and a longer duration of breastfeeding. On the other hand, the most important harmful effect of bed sharing is that it may increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Studies have found conflicting evidence regarding the safety and efficacy of bed sharing during infancy. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the efficacy and safety of bed sharing, started during the neonatal period, on breastfeeding status (exclusive and total duration of breastfeeding), incidence of SIDS, rates of hypothermia, neonatal and infant mortality, and long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes. SEARCH METHODS We used the standard search strategy of Cochrane Neonatal to search the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL 2020, Issue 7) in the Cochrane Library; MEDLINE via PubMed (1966 to 23 July 2020), CINAHL (1982 to 23 July 2020), and LILACS (1980 to 23 July 2020). We also searched clinical trials databases, and the reference lists of retrieved articles, for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTS. SELECTION CRITERIA We planned to include RCTs or quasi-RCTs (including cluster-randomised trials) that included term neonates initiated on bed sharing within 24 hours of birth (and continuing to bed share with the mother in the first four weeks of life, followed by a variable time period thereafter), and compared them to a 'no bed sharing' group. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS We used standard methodological procedures as recommended by Cochrane. We planned to use the GRADE approach to assess the certainty of evidence. MAIN RESULTS Our search strategy yielded 6231 records. After removal of duplicate records, we screened 2745 records by title and abstract. We excluded 2739 records that did not match our inclusion criteria. We obtained six full-text studies for assessment. These six studies did not meet the eligibility criteria and were excluded. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS We did not find any studies that met our inclusion criteria. There is a need for RCTs on bed sharing in healthy term neonates that directly assess efficacy (i.e. studies in a controlled setting, like hospital) or effectiveness (i.e. studies conducted in community or home settings) and safety. Future studies should assess outcomes such as breastfeeding status and risk of SIDS. They should also include neonates from high-income countries and low- and middle-income countries, especially those countries where bed sharing is more prevalent because of cultural practices (e.g. Asian countries).
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Affiliation(s)
- Rashmi R Das
- Department of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Mari Jeeva Sankar
- Newborn Health Knowledge Centre, WHO Collaborating Centre for Training and Research in Newborn Care, Department of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, India
| | - Ramesh Agarwal
- Newborn Health Knowledge Centre, WHO Collaborating Centre for Training and Research in Newborn Care, Department of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, India
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34
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Barry ES. Sleep Consolidation, Sleep Problems, and Co-Sleeping: Rethinking Normal Infant Sleep as Species-Typical. The Journal of Genetic Psychology 2021; 182:183-204. [PMID: 33783334 DOI: 10.1080/00221325.2021.1905599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Infants evolved in the context of close contact (including co-sleeping). Evolutionary context is rarely considered in psychological infant sleep research, and Western sleep researchers make assumptions about what optimal "normal" infant sleep is and how to achieve early, deep, infant sleep consolidation and avoid infant sleep problems. However, an evolutionary and anthropological view of infant sleep as species-typical recognizes that human evolution likely prepared the infant brain for optimal development within its evolutionary context - co-sleeping. Thus, "normal" infant sleep, sleep consolidation, and sleep problems should all be understood within the framework of co-sleeping infants, not the historically new-phenomenon of solitary-sleeping infants. Much work needs to be done in order to understand "normal" infant sleep as species-typical and how adaptive infants are to environments that stray from their evolutionary norm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine S Barry
- Human Development & Family Studies, Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus, Lemont Furnace, PA, USA
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35
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Rudzik AEF, Ball HL. Biologically normal sleep in the mother‐infant dyad. Am J Hum Biol 2021; 33:e23589. [DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Revised: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alanna E. F. Rudzik
- Department of Anthropology State University of New York College at Oneonta Oneonta New York USA
| | - Helen L. Ball
- Department of Anthropology, Infancy & Sleep Centre Durham University Durham UK
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36
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Nakagawa M, Ohta H, Shimabukuro R, Asaka Y, Nakazawa T, Oishi Y, Hirata M, Ando A, Ikeda T, Yoshimura Y, Mitani Y, Kaneshi Y, Morioka K, Fukutomi R, Kobayashi K, Ozawa M, Takeshima M, Mishima K, Kikuchi M, Cho K, Yoda H, Kusakawa I. Daytime nap and nighttime breastfeeding are associated with toddlers' nighttime sleep. Sci Rep 2021; 11:3028. [PMID: 33542276 PMCID: PMC7862350 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-81970-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The purpose of the present study is to examine the association between toddlers' sleep arrangements and their nighttime sleep duration and other sleep variables. For this investigation, we performed a study in which child activity and sleep levels were recorded using actigraphy. The parents of 1.5-year-old toddlers (n = 106) were asked to attach an actigraphy unit to their child’s waist with an adjustable elastic belt and complete a sleep diary for 7 consecutive days. Questionnaires were used to assess the sleep arrangements of the toddlers. There was a significant negative correlation between nap duration and nighttime sleep duration, suggesting that longer nap sleep induces shorter nighttime sleep duration. Among the sleep arrangements, such as nighttime breastfeeding or co-sleeping, only nighttime breastfeeding predicted shorter nighttime sleep duration. Our findings indicate that shorter naps induce a longer nighttime sleep in 1.5-year-old toddlers while nighttime breastfeeding decreases their nighttime sleep duration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Machiko Nakagawa
- Department of Pediatrics, St. Luke's International Hospital, 9-1 Akashi-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-8560, Japan.,Pediatric Nursing, Graduate School of Nursing Science, St. Luke's International University, 10-1 Akashi-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0044, Japan.,Department of Neonatology, Toho University Omori Medical Center, 6-11-1 Omori-nishi, Ota-ku, Tokyo, 143-8541, Japan
| | - Hidenobu Ohta
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Hondo 1-1-1, Akita, Akita, 010-8543, Japan. .,Department of Sleep-Wake Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawa-higashi-cho, Kodaira, Tokyo, 187-8553, Japan. .,Department of Psychiatry, Asai Hospital, 38-1 Togane, Chiba, 283-0062, Japan.
| | - Rinshu Shimabukuro
- Department of Pediatrics, St. Luke's International Hospital, 9-1 Akashi-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-8560, Japan
| | - Yoko Asaka
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, N12, W5, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 060-0812, Japan
| | - Takayo Nakazawa
- Maternity and Perinatal Care Center, Hokkaido University Hospital, N15, W7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 060-8638, Japan
| | - Yoshihisa Oishi
- Department of Pediatrics, Japanese Red Cross Medical Center, 4-1-22 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, 150-8935, Japan
| | - Michio Hirata
- Department of Pediatrics, St. Luke's International Hospital, 9-1 Akashi-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-8560, Japan
| | - Akiko Ando
- Maternity and Perinatal Care Center, Hokkaido University Hospital, N15, W7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 060-8638, Japan
| | - Takashi Ikeda
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takara-machi, Kanazawa, 920-8640, Japan
| | - Yuko Yoshimura
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takara-machi, Kanazawa, 920-8640, Japan.,Institute of Human and Social Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa, 921-1192, Japan
| | - Yusuke Mitani
- Department of Pediatrics, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takara-machi, Kanazawa, 920-8640, Japan
| | - Yousuke Kaneshi
- Maternity and Perinatal Care Center, Hokkaido University Hospital, N15, W7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 060-8638, Japan
| | - Keita Morioka
- Maternity and Perinatal Care Center, Hokkaido University Hospital, N15, W7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 060-8638, Japan
| | - Rika Fukutomi
- Pediatric Nursing, Graduate School of Nursing Science, St. Luke's International University, 10-1 Akashi-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0044, Japan
| | - Kyoko Kobayashi
- Pediatric Nursing, Graduate School of Nursing Science, St. Luke's International University, 10-1 Akashi-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0044, Japan
| | - Miwa Ozawa
- Department of Pediatrics, St. Luke's International Hospital, 9-1 Akashi-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-8560, Japan
| | - Masahiro Takeshima
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Hondo 1-1-1, Akita, Akita, 010-8543, Japan
| | - Kazuo Mishima
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Hondo 1-1-1, Akita, Akita, 010-8543, Japan
| | - Mitsuru Kikuchi
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takara-machi, Kanazawa, 920-8640, Japan
| | - Kazutoshi Cho
- Maternity and Perinatal Care Center, Hokkaido University Hospital, N15, W7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 060-8638, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Yoda
- Department of Neonatology, Toho University Omori Medical Center, 6-11-1 Omori-nishi, Ota-ku, Tokyo, 143-8541, Japan
| | - Isao Kusakawa
- Department of Pediatrics, St. Luke's International Hospital, 9-1 Akashi-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-8560, Japan.,Pediatric Nursing, Graduate School of Nursing Science, St. Luke's International University, 10-1 Akashi-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0044, Japan
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37
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Quinn EA. Centering human milk composition as normal human biological variation. Am J Hum Biol 2021; 33:e23564. [DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A. Quinn
- Department of Anthropology Washington University in St. Louis Saint Louis Missouri USA
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38
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Andre CJ, Lovallo V, Spencer RMC. The effects of bed sharing on sleep: From partners to pets. Sleep Health 2021; 7:314-323. [PMID: 33436343 DOI: 10.1016/j.sleh.2020.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bed sharing is common practice across the global population. However, the vast majority of research on bed sharing has focused solely on mother-infant bed sharing. METHODS Here, we provide a holistic review of research on bed sharing. Articles investigating the relationship between bed sharing and sleep were identified in 4 dyad categories: (1) parent and child, (2) couples, (3) siblings, and (4) pet owners and pets. Of interest was whether sleep-promoting factors such as psychological comfort were generalizable across bed-sharing dyads; alternatively, sleep-demoting factors such as movement or heat may be commonalities. RESULTS We found that, across dyad types, in general, subjective reports of sleep quality were better when bed sharing despite generally worse objective measures of sleep. CONCLUSIONS Understanding bed sharing is important to treating sleep disturbances, given the prevalence of shared beds. This scoping review points to critical gaps in our understanding of bed sharing that motivate future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe J Andre
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Victoria Lovallo
- Commonwealth Honors College, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Rebecca M C Spencer
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA; Neuroscience & Behavior Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA; Institute for Applied Life Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA.
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39
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Gunst A, Sundén M, Korja R, Boddy AM, Kotler J, Paavonen EJ, Uusitupa HM, Karlsson L, Karlsson H, Antfolk J. Postpartum depression and mother-offspring conflict over maternal investment. Evol Med Public Health 2021; 9:11-23. [PMID: 33664956 PMCID: PMC7910802 DOI: 10.1093/emph/eoaa049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES As the mother-offspring relationship is central to human reproduction, postpartum depression symptoms are difficult to explain in evolutionary terms. We proposed that postpartum depression might arise as a result of evolutionary mother-offspring conflict over maternal investment, and investigated the association between postpartum depression symptoms, infant night waking, maternal sleep disturbance and breastfeeding frequency. METHODOLOGY We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using survey responses at 6 months postpartum from 1598 Finnish mothers. We hypothesized that infant night waking at 6 months postpartum would be associated with postpartum depression symptoms, and that this association would be mediated by maternal sleep disturbance and a higher breastfeeding frequency. RESULTS Infant night waking was moderately associated with postpartum depression symptoms, and this association was mediated by maternal sleep disturbance (R 2=0.09). Contrary to our prediction, we found that increased breastfeeding was associated with less postpartum depression symptoms. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS We conclude that postpartum depression symptoms might partly be the result of increased maternal fatigue stemming from high offspring demands on maternal investment, but that this is not due to the metabolic strain from increased breastfeeding. Studying postpartum depression from the mother-offspring conflict perspective can potentially improve our understanding of the involved behavioral processes of both mother and offspring, and allow interventions designed to benefit the well-being of both parties. Lay Summary: We proposed that postpartum depression is due to an evolutionary conflict between mother and infant, where the infant tires the mother to delay the arrival of a sibling. We found a link between infant night waking and postpartum depression, mediated by the mother's sleep, but not by breastfeeding frequency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika Gunst
- Department of Psychology, Åbo Akademi University, Tehtaankatu 2, Turku 20500, Finland
| | - My Sundén
- Department of Psychology, Åbo Akademi University, Tehtaankatu 2, Turku 20500, Finland
| | - Riikka Korja
- Department of Psychology, University of Turku, Assistentinkatu 7, Turku 20014, Finland
- Department of Clinical Medicine, FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 3, Turku 20014, Finland
| | - Amy M Boddy
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 3210, USA
| | - Jennifer Kotler
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University, 33 Kirkland Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - E Juulia Paavonen
- Department of Public Health Solutions, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, P.O. Box 30, 00271 Helsinki, Finland
- Centre for Population Health Research, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, Turku 20520, Finland
| | - Henna-Maria Uusitupa
- Department of Clinical Medicine, FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 3, Turku 20014, Finland
| | - Linnea Karlsson
- Department of Clinical Medicine, FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 3, Turku 20014, Finland
- Pediatric Research Center, Helsinki University Hospital, P.O. Box 63, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 3, Turku 20014, Finland
| | - Hasse Karlsson
- Department of Clinical Medicine, FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, Turku Brain and Mind Center, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 3, Turku 20014, Finland
- Department of Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 3, Turku 20014, Finland
| | - Jan Antfolk
- Department of Psychology, Åbo Akademi University, Tehtaankatu 2, Turku 20500, Finland
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Missler M, van Straten A, Denissen J, Donker T, Beijers R. Effectiveness of a psycho-educational intervention for expecting parents to prevent postpartum parenting stress, depression and anxiety: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2020; 20:658. [PMID: 33129314 PMCID: PMC7603696 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-020-03341-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The first months postpartum can be challenging for parents, leading to elevated symptoms of parenting stress, depression and anxiety. In turn, distressed parents are at higher risk for providing suboptimal quality of caregiving. As psychoeducational interventions can be effective in reducing psychological distress, the goal of this randomized controlled trial was to examine the effectiveness of low-intensity universal psychoeducational program to prevent postpartum parenting stress, and to enhance parental well-being and caregiving quality. METHOD Between 26 and 34 weeks of pregnancy, 138 pregnant women and 96 partners were randomized to the intervention or a waitlist control group. The intervention consisted of a booklet, a video, a home visit, and a telephone call. Information was provided on (1) sensitive responsiveness, adapting to the parental role, and attending to own needs; (2) crying patterns; (3) feeding (arrangements); and (4) sleeping (arrangements). The primary outcome was parenting stress postpartum. Secondary outcomes were additional measures of distress (depression and anxiety), parental well-being, and caregiving quality. RESULTS Both groups showed a rise in distress after birth. No between-group differences were observed on parenting stress, nor on the secondary outcomes. The intervention was rated as useful and of added value by the parents. CONCLUSION This study offered no evidence that our universal prevention program was effective in decreasing parental distress or in increasing caregiving quality. However, parents found aspects of the intervention useful. More research is needed, including a longer period of follow-up as well as observational measures of parents' responsiveness. TRIAL REGISTRATION This trial has been registered on 15 September 2016 in the Netherlands National Trial Register, ID: NTR6065, https://www.trialregister.nl/trial/5782 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjolein Missler
- Department of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology, Section of Clinical Psychology & Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Developmental Psychology, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 1, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Annemieke van Straten
- Department of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology, Section of Clinical Psychology & Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jaap Denissen
- Department of Developmental Psychology, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 1, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Tara Donker
- Department of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology, Section of Clinical Psychology & Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychology, Laboratory for Biological and Personality Psychology, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Stefan-Meier-Straße 8, D-79104 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Roseriet Beijers
- Radboud University, Behavioural Science Institute, Montessorilaan 3, 6525 HR Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition & Behavior, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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41
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A Nursing Perspective on Infant Bed-Sharing Using Multidisciplinary Theory Integration. ANS Adv Nurs Sci 2020; 43:338-348. [PMID: 32956089 DOI: 10.1097/ans.0000000000000326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends against bed-sharing between infants and caregivers due to an association with suffocation. Caregivers continue to share a bed with their infant despite these recommendations for a multitude of reasons. A close examination of the bed-sharing literature reveals that the debate is fundamentally about theoretical differences. The major theories used to frame this problem include the triple risk model of bed-sharing and evolutionary theories. Nurses are masters of multidisciplinary collaboration and are well positioned to unify the triple risk and evolutionary views of infant bed-sharing to guide future innovations in health care practice and research.
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42
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Lerner RE, Camerota M, Tully KP, Propper C. Associations between mother-infant bed-sharing practices and infant affect and behavior during the still-face paradigm. Infant Behav Dev 2020; 60:101464. [PMID: 32650137 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2020.101464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2019] [Revised: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Parents in the United States increasingly report bed-sharing with their infants (i.e., sleeping on a shared sleep surface), but the relationship between bed-sharing and child socioemotional outcomes are not well understood. The current study examines the links between mother-infant bed-sharing at 3 months and infant affect and behavior during a dyadic challenge task at 6 months. Further, we examine nighttime mother-infant contact at 3 months as a possible mechanism that may mediate linkages between bed-sharing and infant outcomes. Using observational data from a sample of 63 mother-infant dyads, we found that infants who bed-shared for any proportion of the observation period at 3 months displayed significantly more self-regulatory behaviors during the still-face episode of the Still-Face Paradigm (SFP) at 6 months, compared to non-bed-sharing infants. Also, infants of mothers who bed-shared for the entire observation period displayed significantly less negativity during the reunion episode than non-bed-sharing infants. There was no evidence that the relations between mother-infant bed-sharing practices and infant affect and behavior during the SFP were mediated through nighttime mother-infant contact. Results suggest that infant regulation at 6 months postpartum may vary based on early nighttime experiences, with bed-sharing potentially promoting more positive and well-regulated behavior during dyadic interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel E Lerner
- Frances L. Hiatt School of Psychology, Clark University, Worcester, MA, USA.
| | - Marie Camerota
- Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| | - Kristin P Tully
- Center for Maternal and Infant Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| | - Cathi Propper
- Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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43
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Revisiting the roots of attachment: A review of the biological and psychological effects of maternal skin-to-skin contact and carrying of full-term infants. Infant Behav Dev 2020; 60:101441. [PMID: 32603951 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2020.101441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2019] [Revised: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
During the early period of hypothesis building and empirical testing of attachment theory, a major emphasis was placed on mother-infant physical contact. In spite of this, mother-infant contact has received scant attention amongst attachment and child development researchers in the past decades. Here, a brief theoretical framework for mother-infant contact is presented, drawing on animal studies as well as human studies of preterm infants and neonates. Salient mechanisms may include an extended sensitive period during early infancy, requiring specific somatosensory stimuli for bio-behavioral homeorhesis; oxytocinergic and epigenetic pathways; kinesthetic stimuli and face-to-face proximity allowing for increased social interaction. Studies of extended human mother-full-term infant physical contact have demonstrated positive effects in multiple domains. For infants, these include sleep organization, temperature and heart rate regulation, behavioral response, crying/colic, socio-emotional development, attachment quality, speech development opportunities and mother-child interactions. For mothers, studies demonstrate improved depressive symptomatology, physiological stress regulation, contingent responsivity, breastfeeding and mother-child interactions. Parent-infant attachment quality has gained prominence as a trauma-resilience factor as well as a predictor of adult physical health. The potential role of mother-infant contact as an attachment promoting intervention as well as future research subjects are discussed. Current evidence supports the original attachment research that early maternal touch provision may influence infant socio-emotional development and attachment quality, with positive implications for mother-child relationship functioning.
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44
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Schaal B, Saxton TK, Loos H, Soussignan R, Durand K. Olfaction scaffolds the developing human from neonate to adolescent and beyond. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 375:20190261. [PMID: 32306879 PMCID: PMC7209940 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The impact of the olfactory sense is regularly apparent across development. The fetus is bathed in amniotic fluid (AF) that conveys the mother's chemical ecology. Transnatal olfactory continuity between the odours of AF and milk assists in the transition to nursing. At the same time, odours emanating from the mammary areas provoke appetitive responses in newborns. Odours experienced from the mother's diet during breastfeeding, and from practices such as pre-mastication, may assist in the dietary transition at weaning. In parallel, infants are attracted to and recognize their mother's odours; later, children are able to recognize other kin and peers based on their odours. Familiar odours, such as those of the mother, regulate the child's emotions, and scaffold perception and learning through non-olfactory senses. During juvenility and adolescence, individuals become more sensitive to some bodily odours, while the timing of adolescence itself has been speculated to draw from the chemical ecology of the family unit. Odours learnt early in life and within the family niche continue to influence preferences as mate choice becomes relevant. Olfaction thus appears significant in turning on, sustaining and, in cases when mother odour is altered, disturbing adaptive reciprocity between offspring and carer during the multiple transitions of development between birth and adolescence. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Olfactory communication in humans'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benoist Schaal
- Developmental Ethology and Cognitive Psychology Laboratory, Centre des Sciences du Goût, UMR 6265 CNRS-Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Inra-AgroSup, Dijon, France
| | - Tamsin K. Saxton
- Department of Psychology, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Hélène Loos
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
- Department of Sensory Analytics, Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV, Freising, Germany
| | - Robert Soussignan
- Developmental Ethology and Cognitive Psychology Laboratory, Centre des Sciences du Goût, UMR 6265 CNRS-Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Inra-AgroSup, Dijon, France
| | - Karine Durand
- Developmental Ethology and Cognitive Psychology Laboratory, Centre des Sciences du Goût, UMR 6265 CNRS-Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Inra-AgroSup, Dijon, France
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45
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Scelza BA, Hinde K. Crucial Contributions : A Biocultural Study of Grandmothering During the Perinatal Period. HUMAN NATURE-AN INTERDISCIPLINARY BIOSOCIAL PERSPECTIVE 2020; 30:371-397. [PMID: 31802396 PMCID: PMC6911617 DOI: 10.1007/s12110-019-09356-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Maternal grandmothers play a key role in allomaternal care, directly caring for and provisioning their grandchildren as well as helping their daughters with household chores and productive labor. Previous studies have investigated these contributions across a broad time period, from infancy through toddlerhood. Here, we extend and refine the grandmothering literature to investigate the perinatal period as a critical window for grandmaternal contributions. We propose that mother-daughter co-residence during this period affords targeted grandmaternal effort during a period of heightened vulnerability and appreciable impact. We conducted two focus groups and 37 semi-structured interviews with Himba women. Interviews focused on experiences from their first and, if applicable, their most recent birth and included information on social support, domains of teaching and learning, and infant feeding practices. Our qualitative findings reveal three domains in which grandmothers contribute: learning to mother, breastfeeding support, and postnatal health and well-being. We show that informational, emotional, and instrumental support provided to new mothers and their neonates during the perinatal period can aid in the establishment of the mother-infant bond, buffer maternal energy balance, and improve nutritional outcomes for infants. These findings demonstrate that the role of grandmother can be crucial, even when alloparenting is common and breastfeeding is frequent and highly visible. Situated within the broader anthropological and clinical literature, these findings substantiate the claim that humans have evolved in an adaptive sociocultural perinatal complex in which grandmothers provide significant contributions to the health and well-being of their reproductive-age daughters and grandchildren.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooke A Scelza
- Department of Anthropology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1553, USA. .,Center for Behavior, Evolution and Culture, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1553, USA.
| | - Katie Hinde
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA.,Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
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46
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Blunden S, Dawson D. Behavioural sleep interventions in infants: Plan B - Combining models of responsiveness to increase parental choice. J Paediatr Child Health 2020; 56:675-679. [PMID: 32073200 DOI: 10.1111/jpc.14818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2019] [Revised: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
In families with infants between the ages of 6 and 18 months, sleep disruption can be significant, often putting parents at risk of a range of negative psychological and psychosocial consequences. Commonly prescribed sleep interventions typically involve 'extinction' methods, which require parents to completely or periodically ignore their infant's overnight cries. These methods can be effective in many, but not all cases. For over 40 years 30-40% of parents have consistently reported difficulty ignoring their child. For this group, ignoring their child is behaviourally and/or ideologically difficult with attrition often leading to a perceived sense of failure. For these parents the treatment may be worse than the problem. On the other hand, there is emerging evidence to support the use of more responsive methods for those who find extinction approaches behaviourally or ideologically challenging. In this paper we propose an integrated, less polarised approach to infant behavioural sleep interventions that better caters to those who have difficulty with extinction methods - our so-called 'Plan B'. This approach potentially resolves the often opposing ideological and theoretical perspectives of extinction versus responsiveness into a practical, complementary and pragmatic treatment framework. Recommendations on how best to implement Plan B are also presented. In our view, Plan B could provide practitioners with a logically integrated well-targeted suite of clinical interventions that could potentially improve compliance, reduce attrition and ultimately benefit the sleep and well-being of all infants and their parents, especially those who struggle with traditional extinction methodologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Blunden
- Appleton Institute of Behavioural Science, Central Queensland University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Drew Dawson
- Appleton Institute of Behavioural Science, Central Queensland University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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47
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Bailey C, Tawia S, McGuire E. Breastfeeding Duration and Infant Sleep Location in a Cohort of Volunteer Breastfeeding Counselors. J Hum Lact 2020; 36:354-364. [PMID: 31237801 DOI: 10.1177/0890334419851801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Debate about mother and infant bed sharing has been polarized between supporters of bed sharing and public health policies that attempt to mitigate the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Differences in group demographics may be an important aspect in co-sleeping acceptability. RESEARCH AIMS The first aim of this study was to investigate infant sleeping location in a dataset of mothers with strong breastfeeding outcomes. The second aim was to investigate the association between infant sleeping location and breastfeeding (exclusive breastfeeding to 6 months and total breastfeeding duration). Finally, we aimed to investigate predictors of breastfeeding duration. METHODS Participants comprised 174 women who had applied to train as counselors with the Australian Breastfeeding Association. Data were compiled from a survey of the participants' lactation histories, including questions related to the exclusivity and duration of breastfeeding, concerns about and problems encountered during breastfeeding, type of birth, medications during birth, demographics, and infant sleeping location. The study design was a cross-sectional, one-group survey design. RESULTS A high proportion of participants in this study bed shared and room shared: At 0-1 month (n = 58), 33% of participants bed-shared, which increased to 58% by 6-12 months (n = 80). Infants who co-slept were more likely to be exclusively breastfed at 6 months (χ2 (2, n = 116) = 4.83, p = .03) and had longer breastfeeding duration (t (62.61) = 3.81, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS Breastfeeding targets have been difficult to achieve globally, and innovative ideas are required to improve breastfeeding outcomes through public health messaging. There was a strong association in the current study between breastfeeding outcomes and degree of closeness of the infant to the mother at night. This finding should be brought into the discourse on breastfeeding and infant sleep arrangements, accompanied by evidence-based advice about safe sleeping and the promotion of breastfeeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cate Bailey
- 2541 Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation (MCHRI), School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
| | - Susan Tawia
- 110651 Australian Breastfeeding Association, Victoria, Australia
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48
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Abstract
The human need for sleep is universal and unquestioned; however, humans vary in their sleep needs according to age, individual differences, as well as cultural and social norms and practices. Therefore, what is “normal” in infant sleep and the development of sleep architecture in humans is highly dependent on biological and sociocultural variables as well as socially constructed assumptions about what infant sleep “should” look like. This paper uses a multidisciplinary approach to review papers from fields including pediatrics, anthropology, psychology, medicine, and sociology to understand “normal” infant sleep. Because human culture and behavioral practice changes much more quickly than evolved human biology, and because human evolutionary history occurred in the context of breastfeeding and cosleeping, new work in the field of infant sleep architecture development would benefit from a multidisciplinary approach. To come to a consensus about what is “normal” infant sleep, researchers must agree on underlying basic assumptions of infant sleep from which to ask question and interpret findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine S. Barry
- Human Development and Family Studies, Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus, Lemont Furnace, PA, USA
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49
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Blair PS, Ball HL, McKenna JJ, Feldman-Winter L, Marinelli KA, Bartick MC, Noble L, Calhoun S, Elliott-Rudder M, Kair LR, Lappin S, Larson I, Lawrence RA, Lefort Y, Marshall N, Mitchell K, Murak C, Myers E, Reece-Stremtan S, Rosen-Carole C, Rothenberg S, Schmidt T, Seo T, Sriraman N, Stehel EK, Wight N, Wonodi A. Bedsharing and Breastfeeding: The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine Protocol #6, Revision 2019. Breastfeed Med 2020; 15:5-16. [PMID: 31898916 DOI: 10.1089/bfm.2019.29144.psb] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
A central goal of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine is the development of clinical protocols for managing common medical problems that may impact breastfeeding success. These protocols serve only as guidelines for the care of breastfeeding mothers and infants and do not delineate an exclusive course of treatment or serve as standards of medical care. Variations in treatment may be appropriate according to the needs of an individual patient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter S Blair
- Centre for Academic Child Health, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Helen L Ball
- Infancy and Sleep Centre, Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom
| | - James J McKenna
- Department of Anthropology, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, California.,Mother-Baby Sleep Lab, Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana
| | - Lori Feldman-Winter
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Adolescent Medicine, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Camden, New Jersey
| | - Kathleen A Marinelli
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut.,Connecticut Children's Medical Center, Division of Neonatology, Hartford, Connecticut
| | - Melissa C Bartick
- Department of Medicine, Cambridge Health Alliance and Harvard Medical School, Cambridge Massachusetts
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50
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Douglas PS. Pre-emptive Intervention for Autism Spectrum Disorder: Theoretical Foundations and Clinical Translation. Front Integr Neurosci 2019; 13:66. [PMID: 31798425 PMCID: PMC6877903 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2019.00066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are an emergent public health problem, placing significant burden upon the individual, family and health system. ASD are polygenetic spectrum disorders of neural connectome development, in which one or more feedback loops amplify small genetic, structural, or functional variations in the very early development of motor and sensory-motor pathways. These perturbations trigger a 'butterfly effect' of unpredictable cascades of structural and functional imbalances in the global neuronal workspace, resulting in atypical behaviors, social communication, and cognition long-term. The first 100 days post-term are critically neuroplastic and comprise an injury-sensitive developmental window, characterized by a neural biomarker, the persistence of the cortical subplate, and a behavioral biomarker, the crying diathesis. By the time potential diagnostic signs are identified, from 6 months of age, ASD neuropathy is already entrenched. The International Society for Autism Research Special Interest Group has called for pre-emptive intervention, based upon rigorous theoretical frames, and real world translation and evaluation. This paper responds to that call. It synthesizes heterogenous evidence concerning ASD etiologies from both psychosocial and biological research literatures with complexity science and evolutionary biology, to propose a theoretical framework for pre-emptive intervention. This paper hypothesizes that environmental factors resulting from a mismatch between environment of evolutionary adaptedness and culture initiate or perpetuate early motor and sensory-motor lesions, triggering a butterfly effect of multi-directional cascades of atypical developmental in the complex adaptive system of the parent and ASD-susceptible infant. Chronic sympathetic nervous system/hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis hyperarousal and disrupted parent-infant biobehavioral synchrony are the key biologic and behavioral mechanisms perpetuating these atypical developmental cascades. A clinical translation of this evidence is proposed, for application antenatally and in the first 6 months of life, as pre-emptive intervention for ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela S. Douglas
- Transforming Maternity Care Collaborative, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Discipline of General Practice, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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