If there’s one thing that everyone knows about newborn babies, it’s that they don’t sleep through the night, and neither do their parents. But in fact, those first few months are crucial to developing the regular sleeping and waking patterns, known as circadian rhythms, that a child will need for a healthy future.
Some children may start life with the sleep odds stacked against them, though, say Researchers. Babies whose mothers experienced depression any time before they became pregnant, or developed mood problems while they were pregnant, are much more prone to having chaotic sleep patterns in the first half-year of life than babies born to non-depressed moms, studies have found . This disruption of the baby body clock may help set these children up for their own depression later in life.
Although depression does run in families, not all babies born to depressed mothers are doomed with the gene. Parents can encourage a healthier pattern by putting babies to bed and waking them up at the same time every day. Creating rituals around bedtime also help their bodies develop rhythms tied to light. Better yet, sleep when your baby sleeps, nap when your baby naps- all is happy.
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