Normative Longitudinal Maternal Sleep: the First 4 Postpartum Months

Overview

Journal Am J Obstet Gynecol

Publisher Elsevier

Specialty Gynecology & Obstetrics

Date 2010 Aug 20

PMID 20719289

Citations 67

Authors

Hawley E Montgomery-Downs

Salvatore P Insana

Megan M Clegg-Kraynok

Laura M Mancini

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: To describe the normative course of maternal sleep during the first 4 months postpartum.

Study Design: Sleep was objectively measured using continuous wrist actigraphy. This was a longitudinal, field-based assessment of nocturnal sleep during postpartum weeks 2 through 16. Fifty mothers participated during postpartum weeks 2 through 13; 24 participated during postpartum weeks 9 through 16.

Results: Maternal nocturnal sleep time was 7.2 (SD ± 0.95) hours and did not change significantly across postpartum weeks 2 through 16. Maternal sleep efficiency did improve across weeks 2 (79.7%; SD ± 5.5) through 16 (90.2%; SD ± 3.5) as a function of decreased sleep fragmentation across weeks 2 (21.7; SD ± 5.2) through 16 (12.8; SD ± 3.3).

Conclusion: Though postpartum mothers' total sleep time was higher than expected during the initial postpartum months, this sleep was highly fragmented (similar to fragmenting sleep disorders) and inefficient. This profile of disturbed sleep should be considered in intervention designs and family leave policies.

Citing Articles

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