Babies cry at night ‘to delay siblings’ birth’

Babies who wake up during the night to be fed are trying to delay the birth of a younger brother or sister, researchers claim.

A Harvard University study said that shorter delays between the birth of siblings is linked to higher mortality rates, particularly in areas with widespread infectious diseases and scarce resources.

This means that a Darwinian tactic has developed in breast feeding children, in an attempt to reduce competition to improve their survival, it is claimed.

During the first six months after birth, breast feeding acts as a natural contraceptive.

Professor David Haigh, who led the study, said babies are most likely to wake often in the night at around six months, which is around the time when mothers are becoming fertile again.

Culled from skynews.co.uk