Attachment, caregiving, and sleep: The tie that keeps infants and mothers awake

Sleep is a biological function that is partially regulated by the ecological context of the familial relationships. Yet, only a few empirical studies examined sleep from a relational standpoint. Furthermore, while sleep-wake transitions are likely to involve the attachment and the caregiving systems, data pertaining to this interplay are scarce. Thus, the goal of the present study was to focus on attachment-related constructs and address settling and night waking difficulties. Sixty-eight Kibbutz mothers of healthy infants, aged 9-15 months, completed sleep questionnaires and responded to self-report measures pertaining to adult attachment and to maternal feelings. The prevalence of insecurity among this group of mothers was 54%. Overall, the mothers reported high pleasure in interacting with their child. Mothers' anxiety in close adult relationships correlated with hostility towards the infant. Sleep problems were common; 46% of the infants were perceived as having a sleep problem. While mothers' attachment characteristics were not related to the child's sleep, the emotional tie to the infant was linked to sleep regulation. Specifically, pleasure in the interaction was associated with more sleep problems and more involved nighttime parenting. In conclusion, around one year of age, sleep-related difficulties are common and appear to be characteristic of infants whose mothers express a positive emotional tie towards them. Given that both the sleep data and the relationship assessment were based on maternal reports, it remains a task for future studies to include longitudinal observations that illuminate how emotional ties impact sleep regulation. Due to sampling and assessment limitations, more studies across different ages and contexts are warranted.