Research has established that breastfed babies will only have their sleep patterns disrupted at the outset and the normal pattern will be restored after a time. The results which were published at the American Academy of Paediatrics National Conference and Exhibition in Boston revealed that babies who are breastfed wake up more frequently to be fed. A Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire was given to mothers, and the results revealed that the parents of children who were exclusively breastfed take less naps and are more likely to wake up during the night. It also found that the instances of failing to sleep in their own bed were increased in breastfed babies. These habits were found to be a common occurrence for the first three months but after six months there was no longer a problem with most of these issues. The only difference revealed between breastfed and non-breastfed babies was that there was less chance of the former waking up in their own bed. The lead author of the study, Jodi Mindell said that when breast feeding parents should not be anxious about establishing long term sleep disturbance.
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