Sleep well mum, keep bub in cot until three
CHILDREN who remain sleeping in cots until the age of three tend to have better sleeping patterns, a study has revealed.
Parents who opt to keep their children in a crib for about 36 months will also benefit from more sleep themselves – winner.
The study, reported in the journal Sleep Medicine, looked at the sleeping patterns of parents and caregivers in five countries – as well as those of their children.
Previous studies found that toddlers who suffer from sleep deprivation tend to have a harder time with simple tasks and are more prone to temper tantrums.
How can this be prevented?
The survey, which had participants in the UK, Australia, the US, Canada and New Zealand, has revealed that making the transition from cot to bed later in a child’s life can have a significant impact on their sleep.
Crib sleeping was associated with a number of benefits such as falling asleep sooner, sleeping undisturbed for longer and resisting less at bedtime.
And this is all great news for parents, as it also means more sleep for them.
The study authors surveyed 1983 people with children between the ages of 18 and 36 months, and the data was collected through the Johnson’s baby sleep app, which is a free smartphone app allowing parents to create sleep analyses and customisable bedtime routines.
While 63 per cent of toddlers aged 18 to 24 months were reported to use a cot, it dropped to 34 per cent between the ages of 24 and 30 months, and again down to just 13 per cent between 30 and 36 months.
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