Summary: A large Finnish cohort study shows that mothers who experience difficulty bonding with their infants are more likely to have children with persistent sleep problems that continue into toddlerhood. Maternal bonding challenges measured at eight months were linked to sleep disturbances—such as frequent night awakenings, trouble falling asleep, and reliance on sleep associations—that still appeared at two years of age.
The study found no clear connection between fathers’ bonding difficulties and child sleep outcomes, although depressive symptoms in either parent increased the likelihood of infant sleep problems. These results underline the value of early support for maternal bonding and parental mental health as part of efforts to improve infant sleep and overall family well-being.
Key Facts
- Maternal Bonding Matters: Problems bonding at eight months predicted greater sleep disturbances at both 8 months and 24 months.
- Depression Raises Risk: Depressive symptoms in parents—particularly in mothers—were associated with more infant sleep problems.
- Father’s Bonding Not Linked: Paternal bonding issues did not show a direct association with child sleep difficulties in this study.
Source: University of Helsinki
Study Overview: Researchers from the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare and the University of Helsinki examined how parent–infant bonding relates to distinct types of infant sleep problems. Parents reported on total sleep problems, the frequency of night awakenings, difficulties falling asleep, and sleep-association disturbances—situations where a child has trouble resettling or falling back to sleep without parental help after waking.
Research on how parent–child bonding affects infant sleep is limited, and prior studies have largely omitted fathers. This study addresses that gap by including data from both mothers and fathers across the first two years of the child’s life.
Mothers who reported bonding difficulties with their eight-month-old infants were more likely to report overall sleep problems and trouble falling asleep at that same age. By the time children reached 24 months, these maternal bonding problems were also associated with increased night awakenings and persistent sleep-association disturbances.
These associations remained significant after adjusting for multiple factors known to influence infant sleep: parental age, parental depressive symptoms, education, health problems, breastfeeding, the child’s gender and age, and the number of siblings.
Unexpectedly, paternal bonding problems at eight months did not predict infant sleep problems at either eight or 24 months. However, depressive symptoms in both mothers and fathers were linked to higher risk of sleep disturbances in children. In mothers, depressive symptoms contributed to infant sleep problems both directly and indirectly through compromised bonding.
Support for mother–child interaction can reduce infant sleep problems in some families
“These findings highlight the importance of recognizing early challenges in the emotional bond between mother and infant—ideally as early as the prenatal period,” says University Lecturer Erja Rusanen, PhD in Education, the study’s corresponding author from the University of Helsinki. “When mothers show depressive symptoms and have trouble forming a bond, targeted support to strengthen that relationship should be offered.”
Rusanen notes that infant sleep problems should be addressed with a focus on parent–infant interaction. Interventions or psychotherapy that support bonding could break a mutually reinforcing cycle, since bonding difficulties and sleep problems often amplify each other and may undermine family well-being if left untreated.
Longitudinal observation of mothers, fathers, and children
The research was conducted in central Finland using repeated parent reports collected at four stages: the third trimester of pregnancy and when the child was 3, 8, and 24 months old. Both mothers and fathers completed nearly identical questionnaires. Researchers measured infant sleep problems at 8 and 24 months, while parental bonding was assessed at the 8-month mark. Several control variables were recorded at all time points.
This study benefited from a substantial sample size compared with many similar investigations: 1,299 mothers and 1,211 fathers completed the bonding assessment. Responses about infant sleep came from 1,301 parents at eight months and 950 parents at 24 months, providing a robust dataset for analysis.
Funding: The study is part of the CHILD-SLEEP project, a collaborative effort involving the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, the Wellbeing Services County of Pirkanmaa, the University of Helsinki, Tampere University, and the University of Eastern Finland.
Key Questions Answered
A: Maternal bonding difficulties at eight months predicted more sleep problems both at that age and at two years. Paternal bonding problems did not show a comparable link.
A: Depressive symptoms in both parents increased the likelihood of infant sleep problems. Maternal depression was associated with sleep issues both directly and indirectly through bonding difficulties.
A: Early identification and support for maternal bonding difficulties and parental depressive symptoms may reduce infant sleep problems and prevent a negative cycle affecting family life.
About this research on bonding, sleep, and early development
Author: Suvi Uotinen
Source: University of Helsinki
Contact: Suvi Uotinen – University of Helsinki
Image: Image credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: Open access. The study, led by Erja Rusanen and colleagues, examined whether maternal and paternal bonding problems are associated with child sleep problems at 8 and 24 months and is published in Infant Behavior and Development.
Abstract
Are maternal and paternal bonding problems associated with child sleep problems at 8 and 24 months?
Both parental bonding and infant sleep play key roles in early psychosocial development. This study used a representative birth cohort to investigate how maternal and paternal bonding relate to child sleep problems at 8 and 24 months.
Maternal (N = 1,299) and paternal (N = 1,211) bonding at 8 months were measured with the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire (PBQ). Infant sleep problems were assessed with the Infant Sleep Questionnaire (ISQ) at 8 months (N = 1,301) and 24 months (N = 950). Multiple covariates were included, measured prenatally or at 3, 8, or 24 months. Linear regression analyses showed maternal bonding problems at 8 months were associated with child sleep problems at both 8 and 24 months, and maternal bonding mediated effects of maternal depression. Paternal bonding problems were not associated with infant sleep problems at either time point.
These findings emphasize the primary caregiver’s influence on infant sleep. Routine screening and early support for both infant sleep issues and parent–infant relationship difficulties are recommended, given their close interconnection and potential to create reciprocal risks.