Infant Sleep Difficulties at the 6(th) Week and the 12(th) Month Postpartum: What Is their Relationship with Maternal Mental Health and Other Perinatal Factors?

INTRODUCTION: Infant sleep difficulties are often a challenge for new parents and may be related to maternal mood. AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the presence of reported infant sleep difficulties at the 6(th) week and at the 12(th) month postpartum is associated with maternal psychological well-being and the presence of a mental health disorder in the perinatal period or with other perinatal factors. METHODS: It is a retrospective longitudinal study, examining a sample of 622 women who attended a 12-month innovative psychosocial intervention. Data were obtained through the EPDS and PHQ-9 psychometric tools, and the completion of a health history. Statistical analyses included Spearman rank correlation coefficients and Chi-square tests. RESULTS: Reported infant sleep difficulties at the 6(th) week postpartum were associated with a) increased maternal scores on psychometric tools (EPDS and PHQ-9) during pregnancy and at the 6(th) week postpartum, b) the presence of pathological maternal mental health symptoms in the perinatal period (p =.034), c) high maternal educational level (p <.001), and d) reported maternal breastfeeding difficulties at the 6(th) week postpartum (p =.031). Reported infant sleep difficulties at the 12(th) month postpartum were associated with a) increased maternal scores on the EPDS at the 6(th) week after birth (p =.030), and at the 6(th) (p =.031) and the 12(th) month (p =.006) postpartum, b) reported infant sleep difficulties (p <.001) and frequent infant awakenings in the puperperium (p <.001), d) maternal fatigue at the 6(th) week postpartum (p <.001), e) infant gastro-esophageal reflux problems (p <.001), and f) high maternal educational level (p =.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates a positive relationship between infant sleep difficulties at the 6(th) week and at the 12(th) months postpartum, with poor maternal mental health in the perinatal period.