Forget everything you think you know about infant sleep. What if the secret to better rest for the whole family isn't about training your baby, but about tuning into their needs? And what if science shows that breastfeeding, often blamed for maternal exhaustion, is actually a key to more sleep and lower depression risk?
In this groundbreaking follow-up episode of The Science Chick Report, Dr. Kathleen Kendall-Tackett moves beyond the critique of "cry it out" to present the powerful, evidence-based alternative. She dismantles the simplistic sleep-training model by exploring the complex web of factors that truly influence infant sleep from prenatal stress and parental mental health to attachment security and feeding methods.
Dr. Kendall-Tackett reveals stunning research that turns conventional wisdom on its head: exclusively breastfeeding mothers report more total sleep and better mental health than those who mix-feed or formula feed. She explains how responsive, attachment-based care creates a positive feedback loop of security and regulation, leading to better sleep outcomes for everyone.
If you are a new parent lost in the fog of exhaustion, or a healthcare provider looking for compassionate, science-backed guidance, this episode offers a revolutionary and empowering guide. It’s time to stop fighting biology and start working with it.
In This Episode:
(00:00) Introduction and limitations of sleep training models
(01:15) Domains influencing infant and child sleep
(02:25) Prenatal maternal depression and infant sleep
(04:37) Longitudinal evidence of prenatal depression effects
(05:46) Attachment theory and relational interventions
(06:48) Pilot study: parental education on infant crying
(09:48) Maternal sensitivity at bedtime
(10:58) Maternal responsivity and bedtime routines
(12:01) Feeding method and infant sleep
(13:04) Exclusive breastfeeding and maternal sleep
(14:09) Large-scale study: sleep predictors and feeding
(15:05) Contradictory findings on formula feeding
(20:37) Exclusive breastfeeding and bed sharing
(21:44) Does breastfeeding cause fragmented sleep
(22:45) Ecological perspective on infant sleep
(23:52) Attachment and ecological models vs sleep training
(24:53) Methodological issues in sleep training research
(25:50) Conclusion and resources
Notable Quotes:
(01:52) “Insecure attachment were linked to shorter sleep duration and more nighttime awakenings. And they said this was actually the most robust factor.” — Dr. Kathleen Kendall-Tackett
(03:24) “Higher prenatal depression scores were associated with shorter nighttime infant sleep duration, but interestingly only for babies born vaginally.” — Dr. Kathleen Kendall-Tackett
(07:51) “The maternal psychological stress can perpetuate infant regulatory difficulties in a negative feedback loop.” — Dr. Kathleen Kendall-Tackett
(09:55) “Secure attachment mitigates the effects of parental emotional dysregulation. And a secure attachment regulates infant sleep.” — Dr. Kathleen Kendall-Tackett
(13:39) “Exclusively breastfeeding mothers slept 40 minutes longer than the mixed or formula feeding mothers.” — Dr. Kathleen Kendall-Tackett
Resource and Links
The Science Chick Report
The Science Chick Report
Dr. Kathleen Kendall-Tackett
Mentioned
Dao & Liu (China) – Five domains influencing infant sleep
CHiLD Study (Canada) – Prenatal depression and infant sleep
Tiffany Field (2007) – Stress hormones and infant sleep patterns
ALSPAC Study (U.K.) – Longitudinal maternal depression findings
Montessori (2018) – Treating maternal anxiety to reduce infant crying
Emotional availability and attachment studies (2019)
Chinese and Canadian breastfeeding/sleep trajectory studies
James McKenna & Helen Ball – Anthropological perspectives on infant sleep