Text: Salome Kurth
We would like to extend our warmest congratulations to Fabienne Sunier for her defense and excellent thesis on the topic “Maternal Sleep-Related Cognitions on Infant Sleep: Examined Subjectively and Objectively.” Her hard work and dedication have also led her to win the poster prize for this research. Fabienne’s study delved into the realm of maternal sleep-related cognitions and their impact on infant sleep, shedding light on important aspects of this crucial relationship.
The thesis focused on investigating maternal sleep-related cognitions in two distinct cohorts, meticulously created in collaboration with the research team. The primary objective was to explore the domains of limit setting and reducing involvement at nighttime to resist the infant’s demands. By examining subjective (survey) and objective sleep measures (actigraphy) in infants with and without reported sleep problems, Fabienne sought to unravel the subjective burdens associated with difficulties in infant sleep.
The preliminary findings of this research unveiled the high prevalence of difficulties with infant sleep and the pivotal role played by parental perceptions. Interestingly, the study indicated that subjective measures tended to overestimate night sleep and underestimate daytime sleep when compared to objective sleep measured with actigraphy. However, inconsistencies between subjective and objective methods were observed in infants without sleep problems. In contrast, infants with sleep problems displayed similar durations of night and day sleep across both assessment methods.
Fabienne’s thesis offers interesting insights into the limitations of relying solely on subjective or objective measures to assess infant sleep patterns. The observed disparities between the two measures underscore the importance of considering multiple evaluation methods to obtain a comprehensive understanding of an infant’s actual sleep patterns. These findings have important implications for designing effective intervention strategies aimed at addressing infant sleep problems.
We wholeheartedly congratulate Fabienne and are grateful that this work inspires further advancements in the field of maternal and infant sleep studies.