The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between breastfeeding and sleep
in a longitudinal study of infants. Ninety-two mothers of exclusively breast-fed
(n=36) and exclusively formula-fed (n=56) infants completed the Brief Infant
Sleep Questionnaire at baseline (age of enrollment=3 to 12 months) and at four
follow-up visits (3, 6, 9, and 12 to 18 months). Breast-fed infants had more dis-rupted sleep at baseline including increased night wakings and sleep fragmentation;
however, these differences disappeared by the 9-month follow-up. Furthermore, bythe 6-month follow-up, parental presence at sleep onset played a more important role
in sleep outcomes than breastfeeding. These findings suggest that sleep disruptions
associated with breastfeeding resolve over time.