Babies Will Change Your Life, But Did You Know They Can Change Your Sleep Chronotpye, Too?

Any parent can tell you that having a baby changes your life in some beautiful, ugly, and unexpected ways. These little bundles of joy leave their imprint on every aspect of your life — not the least of which is how you sleep. And while most research corroborates what we already know: babies cause inevitable changes to parental sleep duration and quality, new research shows that they also have a profound impact on sleep timing, with many shifting their moms to a morning time chronotype.  

Babies Shift Moms to a Morningness Chronotype

While claims of early waking may have been largely anecdotal up to now, researchers from The Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health in Australia recently pulled the covers back on perinatal sleep timing. (1)

Overall, the study examined sleep timing and chronotype stretching from late pregnancy to two years postpartum. A total of 163 participants took part in the study, self-reporting on specific date points, including bedtime, rise-time, chronotype, insomnia symptoms, sleep-related impairment, depression, and anxiety. Participants were asked to report at seven points in time during late pregnancy and postpartum: Gestation weeks 30 and 35 and postpartum months 1.5, 3, 6, 12, and 24. 

Ultimately, the study found:

• While women go to bed and wake up later in their last trimester, they progressively wake earlier across the two years postpartum. 
• Maternal chronotype leaned more eveningness in late pregnancy, and while the changes were small, maternal chronotype shifted to more morningness after childbirth. 
• Morning chronotype is associated with less insomnia and issues related to sleep during the day.

But, Findings May Not Be Widely Applicable

And while the findings are certainly interesting, the researchers admittedly recognize obvious limitations of the study, like the subjectiveness of self-reporting, the assessment of chronotype versus biological markers like circadian timing, and the overall health and socioeconomic status of the participants. Moreover, and perhaps most importantly, the study sample only included first-time parents and did not account for daytime naps. 

So, while they propose that morningness chronotypes (aka the Lion chronotype) may be a sleep-protective function during the transition from pregnancy to parenthood, they recognize that these findings may not be widely applicable to those with existing sleep issues, mental health challenges, or complications in pregnancy or birth or second-time (+) parents. 

Why Is Sleep So Important during the Postpartum Period?

“Sleep is paramount for physical recovery and mental health in the postpartum period,” says Carleara Weiss, Ph.D., MSH, RN and Sleep Science Advisor for Aeroflow Sleep.

And while she says that poor sleep during postpartum has been linked to a slew of adverse outcomes for moms, including increased postpartum depression, anxiety, irritability, fatigue, impaired daytime function, and decreased concentration, Weiss reminds us poor postpartum sleep is linked to low breast milk production, breastfeeding difficulties, and slower vaginal and cesarian birth recovery. (2) 

Tips to Help New Mothers Get Some Sleep

Sleepless nights are par for the course with a new baby in the house. Ahead, Weiss offers some advice to help new moms get some shut-eye. 

Lean into your village

First and foremost, Weiss suggests that all moms “find support to navigate this challenging and beautiful moment called postpartum.” Weiss notes, “Babies are not physiologically designed to sleep through the night and will not have a sleep routine for at least three months, no matter how much people try to sell this idea. They cannot produce melatonin yet, cannot see yet, and their brain is still developing.” 

While all of the above means that sleep won’t come easy for anyone in the house, research shows that unformed infant sleep patterns disproportionately affect mothers. One study peeked into the bassinet and found that while dads lost about 13 minutes of sleep per night, new moms lost over an hour. (3) For that reason, Weiss says finding support from a partner, relative, or friend who can take shifts while you sleep is crucial. 

Start baby bedtime routines early

According to Weiss, Moms can start a bedtime routine with the baby (and themself) around 10-12 weeks, when their melatonin production begins, and circadian rhythms come online. (5) (6)

“Babies are still too immature to expect them to have a sleep routine, but starting bedtime routines early is a great way to reinforce behavior, and it gives mom a little time to breathe and take care of her mental health,” says Weiss. To further help mom and baby keep their circadian rhythms in check, Weiss suggests following a good bedtime routine with 

• Trying to wake up every day at the same time
• A consistent wake-up routine 
• Increasing the exposure to bright light in the morning upon awakening (Taking the baby for a morning walk or sitting outside is an excellent way to accomplish that.)

Nap when you can

To help new moms cope with sleepless nights, Weiss suggests taking naps as needed. Moms can choose to nap when their baby naps or tap into their support system (see above) to help them catch those Zzzs. 

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Sharon Brandwein

Sharon Brandwein is a Certified Sleep Science Coach and a freelance writer. She specializes in health and beauty, parenting, and of course, all things sleep. Sharon’s work has also appeared on ABC News, USAToday, and Forbes. When she’s not busy writing, you might find her somewhere curating a wardrobe for her puppy.