A Comparison of the Sleep–Wake Patterns of Coslee** and Solitary-Slee** Infants

Abstract

This study examined whether 3–15, month-old coslee** infants displayed differences in time spent in active versus quiet sleep, and in the number/duration of nighttime awakenings when compared with solitary-slee** infants; and also whether they spent the majority of the night slee** face-to-face, as previously reported. Nine coslee** and nine solitary-slee** infants were matched on age, gender, ethnicity, maternal age, and family SES. Video recordings of nighttime sleep yielded percentage of time in active sleep, quiet sleep, and awake, number of wakenings, and the percentage of time coslee** infants and mothers spent face-to-face. Across age, coslee** infants had more awakenings per night mean 5.8(1.50) versus 3.2(1.95); t=3.16, p =.006). The percent of the nighttime spent awake did not differ between groups, suggesting that coslee** infants had shorter awakenings. Coslee** infants spent 40% of the night face-to-face with their mothers.