Common Myths About Infant Sleep and the Science Behind Them

1. Not all babies 'sleep through the night'. Contrary to the belief that infants should sleep continuously, studies reveal that many do not. For instance, a Norwegian study involving over 55,000 babies found that nearly 70% of six-month-olds woke at least once during the night. A 2020 Finnish study showed that infants aged three to eight months woke up more than twice nightly, while 12-month-olds averaged 1.8 wakings. Although nearly 80% of eight-month-olds woke at night, only about 25% of two-year-olds did.

2. Night wakings can indicate underlining issues. While children occasionally waking at night is normal, persistent awakenings may suggest health problems rather than merely a lack of sleep training.

3. Twelve hours of sleep per night is not a universal requirement. Many parenting resources advocate for a 12-hour sleep schedule, but studies show variability among children. An Australian study of 5,000 babies found that the average overnight sleep duration for children aged four to five years was about 11 hours. In different cultures, infants average even less sleep.

4. On-the-go naps are restorative. There is a common belief that naps taken during movement, such as in strollers or cars, result in less restorative sleep. However, research suggests that these motion naps could be as beneficial as those in cribs, as babies spent much of their time in utero sleeping during maternal movement.

5. Daytime sleep does not necessarily promote nighttime sleep. Although some parents believe that more daytime sleep leads to better nighttime slumber, the evidence is inconclusive. Research indicates that, for infants around 24 weeks old, longer daytime naps could lead to slightly more nighttime sleep, but this link is minimal and context-dependent.

Amanda Ruggeri, a journalist exploring sleep science, notes that individual sleep needs vary greatly among infants, just as they do for adults. Her upcoming book will delve further into these topics.