Cozy Little Convos

In this episode, I share my experiences and insights on the topic of baby temperament and sleep. I discuss my personal experiences with my two children's sleep patterns and how temperament can play a role in their sleep habits. It’s important to understand and respond to a baby's temperament in a positive and nurturing way, rather than labeling them as "bad sleepers." I want to encourage you to consider evidence-based positive parenting techniques and sleep teaching methods to support your child's sleep needs. Sensitive sleepers can still become great sleepers with the right approach. 

In this episode we share:

• Misconceptions about babies' sleep


• The impact of parental stress and lack of knowledge on perceived temperament


• Nine different dimensions used to measure temperament


• The interplay between nature, nurture, and temperament in sleep behavior


• The influence of parental response and environmental factors on sleep challenges


• Sustainable sleep solutions exist beyond strict schedules and cry-out methods

Visit the show notes for this episode:

• 4. Let's Talk About Bad Sleepers!

Resources/Blog Posts

• Free Night Waking Guide


• Temperament + Baby Sleep Blog Post


• Free Sleep Help Resources

Connect with Alice:

• Instagram - @cozybabysleep


• Facebook - @cozybabysleep


• TikTok - @cozybabysleep


• Cozy Baby Sleep Links


• Website - www.cozybabysleep.com

Citations: 

Atkinson, E., Vetere, A., & Grayson, K. (1995). Sleep disruption in young children. The influence of temperament on the sleep patterns of pre‐school children. Child: care, health and development, 21(4), 233-246.

Gilissen, R., Bakermans-Kranenburg, M. J., van IJzendoorn, M. H., & van der Veer, R. (2008). Parent–child relationship, temperament, and physiological reactions to fear-inducing film clips: Further evidence for differential susceptibility. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 99(3), 182-195.

Goyal, D., Gay, C., & Lee, K. (2009). Fragmented maternal sleep is more strongly correlated with depressive symptoms than infant temperament at three months postpartum. Archives of women's mental health, 12(4), 229-237.

Hafstad, G. S., Abebe, D. S., Torgersen, L., & von Soest, T. (2013). Picky eating in preschool children: The predictive role of the child's temperament and mother's negative affectivity. Eating behaviors, 14(3), 274-277.

Halpern, L. F., Anders, T. F., Coll, C. G., & Hua, J. (1994). Infant temperament: Is there a relation to sleep-wake states and maternal nighttime behavior?. Infant Behavior and Development, 17(3), 255-263.

Mesman, J., Stoel, R., Bakermans-Kranenburg, M. J., van IJzendoorn, M. H., Juffer, F., Koot, H. M., & Alink, L. R. (2009). Predicting growth curves of early childhood externalizing problems: Differential susceptibility of children with difficult temperament. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 37(5), 625-636.

Moore, M., Slane, J., Mindell, J. A., Burt, S. A., & Klump, K. L. (2011). Sleep problems and temperament in adolescents. Child: care, health and development, 37(4), 559-562.

Karreman, A., de Haas, S., van Tuijl, C., van Aken, M. A., & Deković, M. (2010). Relations among temperament, parenting and problem behavior in young children. Infant behavior and development, 33(1), 39-49.

Keener, M. A., Zeanah, C. H., & Anders, T. F. (1988). Infant temperament, sleep organization, and nighttime parental interventions. Pediatrics, 81(6), 762-771.

Putnam, S. P., Sanson, A. V., & Rothbart, M. K. (2002). Child temperament and parenting. In M. H. Bornstein (Ed.), Handbook of parenting: Children and parenting (p. 255–277). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers.

Rettew, D. C., Stanger, C., McKee, L., Doyle, A., & Hudziak, J. J. (2006). Interactions between child and parent temperament and child behavior problems. Comprehensive psychiatry, 47(5), 412-420.

Rothbart, M. K., Derryberry, D., & Hershey, K. (2000). Stability of temperament in childhood: Laboratory infant assessment to parent report at seven years. Temperament and personality development across the lifespan, 85-119.

Sadeh, A., & Anders, T. F. (1993). Infant sleep problems: Origins, assessment, interventions. Infant mental health Journal, 14(1), 17-34.

Spruyt, K., Aitken, R. J., So, K., Charlton, M., Adamson, T. M., & Horne, R. S. (2008). Relationship between sleep/wake patterns, temperament and overall development in term infants over the first year of life. Early human development, 84(5), 289-296.

Stams, G. J. J., Juffer, F., & Van IJzendoorn, M. H. (2002). Maternal sensitivity, infant attachment, and temperament in early childhood predict adjustment in middle childhood: The case of adopted children and their biologically unrelated parents. Developmental psychology, 38(5), 806.

Vitaro, F., Barker, E. D., Boivin, M., Brendgen, M., & Tremblay, R. E. (2006). Do early difficult temperament and harsh parenting differentially predict reactive and proactive aggression?. Journal of abnormal child psychology, 34(5), 681-691.

Yaman, A., Mesman, J., van IJzendoorn, M. H., & Bakermans-Kranenburg, M. J. (2010). Parenting and toddler aggression in second-generation immigrant families: The moderating role of child temperament. Journal of Family Psychology, 24(2), 208.

Zentner, M., & Bates, J. E. (2008). Child temperament: An integrative review of concepts, research programs, and measures. International Journal of Developmental Science, 2(1-2), 7-37.

Van IJzendoorn, M. H. V., & Bakermans-Kranenburg, M. J. (2012). Integrating temperament and attachment: The differential susceptibility paradigm. In M. Zentner & R. L. Shiner (Eds.), Handbook of temperament (p. 403–424). The Guilford Press.

Mentioned in this episode:

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